The Hunt Begins

Ariella's breath trembled. "I made my choice tonight."

Leo's eyes fixed on her. "And?"

Ariella took a deep breath. "We don't just infiltrate them."

She looked at each of them, determination burning within her. "We eliminate them. Every single one."

Leo's lips formed a dangerous smile. "Then let's get started."

The war wasn't on its way. It was already here.

And Ariella Devereux was at the forefront.

Ariella stood in the dimly lit war room, her hands pressed against the sleek wooden table as she stared at the surveillance photos spread before her. She pondered how smoothly and swiftly the Order carried out its operations.

Leo, Carter, and Vincent stood at her sides, each of them dangerously silent as they processed the reality of the situation.

The Order hadn't just been watching them.

They had been watching Eleanor, her daughter.

Ariella's jaw clenched, her fingers curling into fists. "They've crossed a line," she murmured.

Leo's voice was sharp, unwavering. "They were dead the moment they thought they could take her."

Carter exhaled, his gaze cold and calculating. "We need a plan."

Vincent chuckled darkly. "Oh, we have a plan. We find them. We kill them. End of story."

Ariella straightened, her eyes flashing with pure, lethal intent. "No," she said. "We don't just kill them."

She lifted her gaze, meeting each of theirs.

"We erase them."

The Order wanted to play games?

They were about to learn what happened when the hunted became the predator.

The First Target

Their first lead came from an encrypted message intercepted by Carter. It led them to a warehouse on the outskirts of Berlin, where one of the Order's high-ranking financiers—Matthias Reinhold—was rumored to be conducting an emergency meeting.

Ariella wasted no time.

If they wanted to send a message, this was how it started.

The air was thick with tension as they approached the warehouse under the cover of a moonless night.

Leo was the first to take position on the rooftop, sniper rifle in hand, scanning the area for guards and hidden security.

Carter and Vincent moved with stealth and precision, disabling the outer security measures while Ariella prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

Inside, Matthias Reinhold sat at the center of a long table, surrounded by six men in tailored suits.

They were untouchable businessmen, men who had spent their lives funding wars, controlling economies, and ensuring the Order remained in power.

They had no idea they were already dead.

Ariella stepped forward, the sound of her boots echoing against the concrete floor.

Reinhold looked up, his face draining of color. "You—"

Ariella tilted her head, a cold smile forming. "Surprised?"

The room erupted into chaos.

One of the men reached for his gun—but he never made it.

A single shot rang out.

Leo's bullet tore through his skull before he even registered what had happened.

Vincent grinned. "Oh, we're doing this the fun way."

And then—

Hell broke loose.

The guards inside the warehouse scrambled for cover, but Ariella, Carter, and Vincent moved with lethal efficiency.

Ariella fired two clean shots, taking down the nearest targets as she advanced toward Reinhold.

Carter engaged in hand-to-hand combat, dodging a knife attack before twisting his opponent's wrist and snapping it effortlessly.

Vincent, ever the showman, threw a blade across the room, hitting a man square in the throat. "Damn, I'm good."

Reinhold tried to run.

He barely made it two steps before Ariella grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the table.

The last of his men lay lifeless on the floor.

And now?

It was just him.

Ariella pressed the barrel of her gun against his temple.

"You're going to tell me everything."

Reinhold shook, his confidence shattered. "I—I don't know what you think I can give you."

Ariella's smirk was ice-cold. "Then you're more useless than I thought."

She pulled the trigger.

A warning shot, grazing his ear.

Reinhold screamed.

Ariella leaned in, her voice deadly calm.

"The next one goes between your eyes."

Reinhold gulped, sweat dripping down his forehead. "O-Okay! I'll talk!"

Leo's voice crackled through the comms. "You have three minutes before more men arrive."

Ariella narrowed her eyes. "Then talk fast."

Reinhold gasped, trying to gather himself. "They're moving against you. The Council—"

Ariella's stomach twisted. "What Council?"

Reinhold coughed, blood staining his lips. "The Order isn't just a single entity. There's a ruling council, hidden deeper than anyone knows. Silas Vaughn was just one of their enforcers. There are more. Powerful men. And they know you're coming."

Ariella's blood ran cold.

"We took out Silas's branch of the Order," Carter muttered. "But the real leaders… they were never in plain sight."

Ariella gritted her teeth. "Where are they?"

Reinhold hesitated.

Vincent twirled a knife between his fingers. "I'd answer if I were you."

Reinhold took a shaky breath. "Paris."

Ariella tilted her head. "Where in Paris?"

Reinhold hesitated. "A—a private estate. Under the name 'Ravelle House.' But security is—"

Ariella fired a single final shot.

Reinhold slumped lifelessly against the table.

Ariella turned toward Leo.

"Get us to Paris."

The Hunt Moves to France

The private jet touched down in the outskirts of Paris by nightfall.

Carter had already tracked Ravelle House's security protocols, mapping out entry points and potential weaknesses.

Leo's fingers grazed over the trigger of his pistol, his voice steady. "If we go in, there's no coming back."

Ariella met his gaze. "We never came back from this war the moment they targeted Eleanor."

Vincent stretched, cracking his knuckles. "So, are we doing this loud or quiet?"

Ariella smiled.

"Both."

By midnight, they were positioned outside Ravelle House, hidden in the dense shadows of the Parisian estate.

Armed guards patrolled the grounds. Heavily trained. Elite.

But Ariella's team?

They were worse.

Leo's voice was sharp. "On my mark."

Ariella exhaled. Her heart was steady. Her mind was clear.

She was ready.

Because this war wasn't about revenge anymore.

It was about ending the game forever.

Leo's command rang through the night.

"Now."

And the attack began.