Chapter Four: The Warehouse No. 18

Scene One — The Decision

A Safe Apartment Rented by Soukania on the Outskirts of Saint Petersburg — 2:00 A.M.

The snow had given way to rain.

Raindrops struck the apartment windows, filling the quiet room with a steady, restless rhythm.

Adam stepped inside and locked the door firmly behind him.

Soukania placed the black bag on the table and slowly removed her gloves.

Silence settled over them.

For the first time since they had met...

Adam couldn't think of a single joke.

The last message was still echoing in his mind.

> “Your family is next.”

He finally broke the silence.

Adam: “How long have you been running?”

Soukania continued staring out the window.

Then she answered calmly.

Soukania: “Seven years.”

Adam stared at her.

Adam: “Seven years without anyone knowing where you were?”

She nodded.

Soukania: “I changed my job... my city... even my name.”

Adam stepped closer.

Adam: “But they found you.”

She turned toward him.

The exhaustion in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Soukania: “Because I came back to Russia.”

Adam hesitated before asking:

Adam: “Did your father... do something?”

Soukania closed her eyes for several seconds.

Then answered:

Soukania: “I don't know.”

Adam raised an eyebrow.

Adam: “You don't know?”

Soukania: “All I know is that he disappeared during an aviation mission seven years ago.”

She took the old photograph from the envelope and placed it on the table.

Then she pointed to the unidentified man standing beside her father.

Soukania: “This man was the last person seen with my father.”

Adam leaned closer to the photograph.

Then suddenly froze.

He pointed at the same man.

Adam: “...Wait.”

Soukania looked at him.

Soukania: “What?”

Adam took a slow breath.

Adam: “I've seen him before.”

Her eyes immediately sharpened.

Soukania: “Where?”

Adam stared at the photograph.

Adam: “At a boxing championship two weeks ago.”

Silence.

Soukania couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

Soukania: “Are you sure?”

Adam nodded.

Adam: “I wouldn't forget a face like that.”

She leaned over the photograph again.

Pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place.

If the man who had disappeared with her father was still alive...

Then the case had never truly ended.

Suddenly—

Soukania's phone rang.

An unknown number appeared on the screen.

She answered immediately.

But for several seconds, all she heard was quiet breathing.

Then an elderly man's voice spoke.

Man: “If you go to the warehouse alone... you'll die.”

Before Soukania could respond—

The call ended.

Adam looked at her.

Then said firmly:

Adam: “Then you won't go alone.”

She stared at him for a long moment.

Then, for the first time that night, a faint smile touched her lips.

Soukania: “Then... we'll start the attack.”

---

Scene Two — The Plan

The Safe Apartment — Before Sunrise

Soukania spread a map of the Port of Saint Petersburg across the table.

She pinned four photographs taken with her phone around it, then drew a red circle around Warehouse 17.

Adam approached carrying two cups of coffee.

He placed one in front of her.

Adam: “Since when do you drink coffee without sugar?”

Without looking up from the map, she answered:

Soukania: “Since life became bitter enough.”

Adam smiled.

She didn't notice.

He pointed toward the warehouse.

Adam: “What makes this place so important?”

Soukania took a deep breath.

Soukania: “The Port of Saint Petersburg has dozens of warehouses... but Warehouse 17 was officially closed five years ago.”

Adam studied the map.

Adam: “And yet they want you to meet them there.”

She nodded.

Soukania: “Which means it was never really closed.”

She opened her laptop.

Satellite images of the port appeared on the screen.

She zoomed in.

Something strange came into view.

Trucks were entering the warehouse...

But none were coming back out.

Adam leaned closer.

Adam: “Where are they going?”

Soukania pointed toward the railway tracks behind the building.

Soukania: “There's an underground tunnel.”

Before they could continue, Adam's phone rang.

It was Ivan, his coach.

Adam answered.

Ivan: “Where the hell are you? Everyone's looking for you! You have a press conference in two hours.”

Adam glanced at Soukania.

Adam: “I won't be able to make it.”

Ivan's voice rose angrily.

Ivan: “Are you out of your mind? The world championship is in a week!”

Adam ended the call.

Soukania raised an eyebrow.

Soukania: “You'll lose a lot by staying with me.”

Adam gave her a calm smile.

Adam: “I can win another championship.”

He paused.

Then his expression became serious.

Adam: “But if I leave you alone... I may never get another chance.”

For the first time, Soukania had no answer.

She lowered her gaze to the map, hiding a small smile.

At that moment—

A faint sound came from outside the apartment door.

Knock.

Only once.

Then silence.

They exchanged a look.

Adam slowly approached the door.

He looked through the peephole.

The hallway was empty.

He opened the door cautiously.

There was no one.

Only a small wooden box sitting on the floor.

A card was attached to it in elegant handwriting.

> “To Captain Nova... Don't be late.”

Adam stared at the box.

---

Scene Three — The Key

The Safe Apartment — 6:00 A.M.

Adam remained by the door while the small wooden box rested on the floor, covered with a few drops of rain.

Soukania crouched down and examined it carefully.

The box was old, made of walnut wood.

Carved into its lid was the image of a wolf howling at the moon.

She inhaled sharply.

Adam noticed.

Adam: “Do you know that symbol?”

Soukania nodded.

Soukania: “The wolf... It's the organization's emblem.”

Adam carefully lifted the box.

Adam: “It could be trapped.”

Soukania pulled out the scanning device again.

After a few moments, she switched it off.

Soukania: “No explosives.”

She took a deep breath.

Then slowly opened the lid.

Inside...

There was no weapon.

No money.

No letter.

Only an old brass key tied with a red thread.

Beside it was a small card.

Soukania picked it up.

Elegant handwriting covered the surface.

> “Some doors aren't opened by force... but by memories.”

Adam frowned.

Adam: “What does that mean?”

She didn't answer.

Her eyes were fixed on the key.

Then she whispered:

Soukania: “I've seen this key before...”

Adam: “Where?”

Soukania closed her eyes.

And suddenly, memories came rushing back.

She saw herself as a little girl.

Her father was placing the same key inside a small metal box.

His voice echoed in her mind.

> “If anything happens to me... trust no one. Not even me.”

Soukania's eyes snapped open.

Her breathing had quickened.

Adam looked at her with concern.

Adam: “What did you remember?”

She raised the key.

Soukania: “This key was in our house... before my father disappeared.”

Silence filled the room.

Then suddenly—

A faint vibration came from the laptop.

Adam rushed toward it.

A message had appeared on the screen.

The computer wasn't even connected to the internet.

Adam froze.

Adam: “...How did they get into the computer?”

Soukania approached.

A live video appeared on the screen.

A camera was monitoring Warehouse 17.

And in the center of the frame...

A man was tied to a chair, his head hanging low.

He slowly raised it.

Soukania gasped.

Soukania: “Dad...”

Before she could say anything else—

A masked man appeared behind her father.

He placed an old pocket watch on the table in front of him.

Then he looked directly into the camera, as though he knew they were watching.

His voice was calm.

Man: “You have twelve hours.”

The feed suddenly cut out.

Silence filled the room.

Adam clenched his fist.

Soukania looked at the key.

Then at the black screen.

Her voice was firm.

Soukania: “We don't have time to plan anymore... We're going now.”

---

Scene Four — Wounds You Can't See

The Safe Apartment — A Few Hours Before Leaving for the Port

Soukania closed the bedroom door and placed a first-aid kit on the table.

Adam sat on the sofa, his shirt torn around the shoulder from the injury he'd sustained during their previous encounters.

She took out a piece of gauze and a bottle of antiseptic.

Then moved closer.

Adam sat quietly, watching her.

She began cleaning his wound without saying a word.

He winced slightly.

Adam: “I think you're punishing me more than you're treating me.”

She didn't look up.

Soukania: “If I wanted to punish you... you wouldn't be talking right now.”

Adam smiled faintly.

Silence returned.

Then he asked quietly:

Adam: “Why did you become a pilot?”

Her hand stopped for a moment.

She adjusted the gauze over his wound.

Then answered:

Soukania: “Because my father always said... the sky never lies.”

Adam looked up at her.

Adam: “Do you still believe that?”

A sad smile touched her lips.

Soukania: “Since he disappeared... I don't believe anything except what I can see with my own eyes.”

She finished bandaging his wound.

Adam reached for his shirt.

But she stopped him.

Soukania: “Wait.”

She tightened the bandage one last time.

Then stepped back.

Soukania: “Now you're done.”

Adam stood in front of her.

His familiar smile returned.

Adam: “Thank you.”

She shook her head.

Soukania: “Don't thank me.”

Adam: “Why not?”

She looked directly at him.

Then said:

Soukania: “Because I don't want to lose my partner.”

Silence.

Adam's smile widened.

Adam: “That's the sweetest thing you've said to me since we met.”

Soukania sighed and turned away so he wouldn't see the faint smile on her face.

Soukania: “Don't make me regret saying it.”

Adam laughed for the first time in hours.

And for one brief moment...

They both forgot about the war waiting for them.

---

Scene Five — The Wolf's Eye

A Secret Surveillance Room Inside Warehouse 17

Dozens of screens lined the walls of a dark room.

Each displayed a different angle of the port.

On one screen, Adam and Soukania could be seen leaving the safe apartment.

A security guard entered the room.

Guard: “Sir... they've moved.”

The man sitting in the shadows didn't turn around.

He simply watched the screen.

Then spoke calmly.

Viktor Volkov: “I know.”

The guard stepped closer.

Guard: “Should we intercept them before they reach the warehouse?”

Viktor smiled.

He picked up a black chess piece from the table.

Then moved it one square forward.

Viktor: “A smart hunter doesn't chase his prey.”

The guard raised an eyebrow.

Viktor continued:

Viktor: “He lets it walk into the cage by itself.”

At that moment, an image appeared on one of the screens.

Nadia was sneaking into one of the tunnels leading toward the warehouse.

Viktor smiled faintly.

The guard stared at the screen.

Guard: “Should we stop her?”

Viktor shook his head.

Viktor: “No...”

He paused.

Then added:

Viktor: “She'll lead them exactly where I want them.”

He glanced at his watch.

Then spoke with quiet confidence.

Viktor: “Begin Phase Two.”

The screens suddenly turned red.

A detailed map of the underground passages appeared on one of them.

It was the same network of tunnels Adam and Soukania would eventually enter.

Viktor smiled as he whispered to himself:

“Welcome... to the maze.”

End of Chapter Four