Chapter 103. Takedown

The drive to the factory was quiet, the quiet that pressed against the chest and made every breath feel heavier than the last. Rico sat in the back seat, his elbow resting against the door, his gaze fixed on the dark road ahead as the city slowly disappeared behind them. Streetlights thinned out the farther they went, replaced by long stretches of broken pavement and abandoned land, places people no longer cared to fix or remember.

Three cars moved together, steady and controlled, their engines kept low, and their headlights were dimmed. No one spoke over the radio unless it was necessary. Everyone already knew what this night was about. Ezio was one of them, and that alone was reason enough to tear the place apart if it came to that.

They hadn’t found the factory by chance. The moment Ezio was taken, the chip embedded in his palm had gone live, a silent alarm meant only for moments like this. It didn’t send words or explanations, just a steady signal that meant danger…