The city night felt heavy. Streets glimmered with headlights and neon signs, but there was a shadow darker than the night itself. In a black, unmarked car parked by the curb, two men sat in silence, their eyes locked on the couple emerging from a restaurant.

Vania walked beside Arga, her face calmer than it had been in days. Their conversation had given her a brief moment of peace. Yet Arga’s every step carried tension. His instincts prickled, warning him that they weren’t alone. He could feel it—eyes that lingered too long, footsteps that kept their distance but never disappeared.

Somewhere else, far from the street, Devandra sat in his...