CHAPTER 84

I never imagined I'd be running for my life through the narrow, winding streets of Istanbul, my heart pounding like a feral drum as the relentless sound of pursuit propelled me onward. It started just an hour or so ago when I realized that the killer—a shadowy individual who was only whispered about in the darkest underworld dens—was hard on my tail. I'd come to this alien city for a meeting that had gone sour, and now I was battling for my life across borders, with danger at every turn.

It began on a cold, rain-soaked evening. I was navigating a maze of centuries-old streets near the Grand Bazaar when a voice shouted behind me: "Liam, stop! " The command was brusque, poisonous. I risked a glance over my shoulder and caught the glimpse of a dark figure, slicing through the crowded street with an unnatural grace. My gut clenched, and my hand instinctively gripped the concealed pistol tight against my side.