The first step into Chaos

Dimitri sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at Marina through the rearview mirror. The city blurred past them, but Marina barely noticed. Her mind replayed Viktor's parting words:

You have one chance to prove your worth. Prove yourself, or you'll be discarded.

The weight of that warning settled heavily on her chest.

"What's the plan?" Dimitri's voice broke through her thoughts.

Marina blinked, focusing on him. "Plan?"

"To get the file. Where is it, and how do you intend to retrieve it without drawing attention?"

She hesitated, biting her lip. "It's hidden in my apartment. In the vent beneath my bed."

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Not exactly foolproof, is it? If someone from your father's camp suspected you, that's the first place they'd look."

Marina's stomach twisted. She hadn't considered how obvious her hiding spot was. Panic crept in—what if the file was already gone?

"I didn't have time to think of anything else," she admitted, her voice unsteady. "I just needed to get it away."

Dimitri didn't respond immediately. Instead, he exchanged a look with the driver, who gave a subtle nod. The unspoken message was clear—she had made a mistake, and they both knew it.

As the car turned onto a quieter street near her apartment, Dimitri finally spoke. "Let's hope your father's men were just as careless as you were."

His words stung, but she had no choice but to push forward.

---

At the Apartment Complex

The car rolled to a stop a block away from Marina's building. Dimitri turned to her, his expression firm.

"Stay close. Don't speak to anyone unless I tell you to. If something goes wrong, you run back to the car. Do you understand?"

Marina nodded, swallowing against the dryness in her throat.

They stepped out into the dimly lit street, the towering facade of her apartment building looming ahead. What had once been a place of comfort now felt like a trap waiting to be sprung.

Dimitri scanned their surroundings as they approached the entrance. "Keys," he demanded.

Marina fumbled with her bag, fingers clumsy as she retrieved them.

Dimitri took the keychain and smoothly unlocked the door, ushering her inside.

The building was eerily silent. The faint hum of the elevator and the distant murmur of a television were the only sounds as they ascended. With each step, Marina's heartbeat pounded harder. By the time they reached her door, a cold sweat had formed along her spine.

Dimitri held up a hand, inspecting the lock and frame. After a tense moment, he gave a nod and gestured for her to proceed.

Marina's hands trembled as she inserted the key and turned it. The door swung open.

---

The Apartment

Everything looked the same—yet different. The scent of lavender still lingered from her diffuser, but the air carried an unnatural stillness.

Marina's gaze swept over the living room. Then she saw it.

The books on her coffee table had been moved.

Her breath hitched.

"Someone's been here," Dimitri murmured, eyes sharp as he followed her stare.

Marina nodded, her throat tight. "We need to hurry."

She led him to the bedroom, every step feeling heavier. The bed was neatly made, the curtains drawn just as she had left them. But her instincts screamed that she wasn't alone.

"Where's the vent?" Dimitri asked, already scanning the floor.

"Under the bed."

Marina knelt, pushing the bed slightly away from the wall. The small metal grate came into view.

Dimitri crouched beside her, pulling a multi-tool from his coat. With practiced efficiency, he removed the screws and pried the vent cover loose.

Marina reached inside, her fingers searching until they brushed against the familiar edges of the folder. Relief flooded her as she pulled it out, the weight of the documents grounding her.

"Got it," she whispered.

Dimitri nodded. "Let's g—"

A floorboard creaked.

They both froze.

Marina's breath caught as a shuffling sound came from the living room.

Dimitri's hand moved instantly to his gun. He held up a hand, signaling for her to stay put as he crept toward the door.

Another sound—a quick, barely audible movement.

Then, in a blur, the door swung open.

A dark figure lunged.

Dimitri reacted instantly, sidestepping the attack. The masked intruder swung a blade, aiming for Dimitri's ribs. Dimitri twisted, the knife grazing his coat as he slammed his elbow into the man's jaw.

The intruder staggered but recovered fast, delivering a swift kick. Dimitri blocked it, countering with a brutal punch to the gut. The man grunted but didn't go down.

Marina pressed herself against the wall, heart hammering. The folder felt like a dead weight in her grip.

Dimitri dodged another slash, this time catching the man's wrist and twisting it sharply. The knife clattered to the floor. But before Dimitri could capitalize, the intruder rammed a shoulder into his chest, sending them both crashing into the nightstand.

The lamp toppled. Marina instinctively grabbed it.

Without thinking, she lifted it high and brought it down onto the intruder's head.

The impact sent a sickening crack through the air.

The man reeled, disoriented. That second of hesitation was all Dimitri needed. He landed a powerful blow to the man's temple, then another, until the intruder collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.

Dimitri straightened, chest heaving. He wiped a streak of blood from his cheek, his knuckles raw from the fight.

"Nice swing," he muttered, shooting Marina a glance.

She barely registered the words. Her entire body was shaking.

"Who is he?" she whispered.

Dimitri knelt beside the intruder and ripped off the mask. The face was unfamiliar to Marina, but Dimitri's expression darkened.

"He's one of your father's men."

Marina's knees almost gave out.

Her father had found her this quickly.

A cold dread settled in her gut. She had known he wouldn't give up easily, but this? This was a stark reminder of how far he was willing to go.

Dimitri grabbed her arm. "We need to leave. Now."

She didn't argue.

They hurried back to the car, leaving the unconscious intruder as a message for whoever came next. The driver started the engine the moment they slid inside, and the car sped off into the night.

Marina clutched the folder to her chest, her hands still trembling. Her father wasn't just looking for her.

He was hunting her.

And Viktor Castellano was now her only shield.

---

Back at the Estate

Viktor was waiting when they returned.

He stood in the grand foyer, his dark eyes unreadable as he watched them approach. The weight of his presence filled the space, cold and commanding.

"Well?" he asked, his gaze shifting between Marina and Dimitri.

Marina swallowed and handed him the folder. Her fingers trembled as she let go.

Viktor took it without a word, flipping it open. He skimmed the contents, his expression betraying nothing.

After a long, tense moment, he closed the folder.

"You've done well," he said finally.

Marina blinked, surprised.

"But this is just the beginning." His voice was calm, but the warning was clear. "When his political party realizes you're with me, they'll come for you. So will the opposition."

Marina nodded, exhaustion weighing down on her.

She had survived the first step.

But the road ahead would only grow darker.