جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 118

 The Chip and the Truth The screen on the laptop glowed cold in the quiet of the penthouse. Marco’s file stared back at me, the words burning bright: he’s been working with the Bratva. Against us. Nikolai’s his new partner. I read them again, my chest tight, the laptop bag still heavy on the table. Lena stood beside me, her shoulder wrapped tight, eyes sharp. Cove leaned against the table, arms crossed, his voice low. “Marco’s been feeding Nikolai everything. He wants us dead. We can’t trust him. Not after tonight.” I looked straight at him, my voice coming out steady even though my hands shook. “He’s alive. We just got him back. The chip proves he’s been tracking me since I was nine. The 2018 fire. The closet. All of it. He never stopped. We have to go. We have to get him out before Nikolai kills him.” Cove stepped closer

Confrontation in the WarehouseNikolai stood there in the center room, his tall frame filling the space, a new plan already in his hands. The team froze, guns still half-raised, the air thick with the smell of metal and old wood. I stared at him, the small black chip burning under my skin like it was waking up. Marco sat tied to the chair in the middle, his eyes locked on me for half a second before he looked away.Cove moved first, stepping between me and Nikolai, his gun up and steady. “Don’t move. You got us now. What’s the new plan?”Nikolai laughed low, calm like he’d been waiting all night. “The hacker. Eli. You came anyway. That’s cute. Marco was right about you. He’s been feeding me everything since the fire. Since he killed your family. Since he put that chip in your skin. You’ve been his little puppet the whole time.”Marco tried to talk quick, his voice rough but clear. “Eli, listen. I’m alive. I’ve been working with Nikolai because he promised me the city. He can give me e

The words from Marco hung in the air like smoke after a gunshot. The Ghost is alive. He’s with me now. He’s the one who’s been behind every attack. He’s the one who killed the old contacts. He wants you dead, Eli. He’s the one who sent the message about the fire. I sat on the couch, my hands tight around the edge, the words looping in my head. Marco had just dropped the biggest bomb yet. Cove stood across the room, arms crossed tight, his face red. “The Ghost? Still alive? And working with you? After everything Marco did? You’re lying again. We should cut him loose right now.” Marco looked up at him, his voice steady but tired. “I’m not lying, Cove. The Ghost is real. He’s been feeding me info for years. He killed the old contacts. He wants the city destroyed. But I never stopped helping you, Eli. I swear it.” Lena stepped between them quick, her voi

 The elevator doors opened straight into the private medical wing. The doctor and two nurses were already waiting, lights bright, machines humming. Lena was rushed onto the bed fast. Her shoulder bled heavy now, soaking the couch where they had left her. “Get the packing kit!” the doctor yelled. “Bullet’s bad. She needs surgery now!” I ran after them, still shaking. “Doctor, is she gonna be okay? She took two bullets tonight. The first one was bad enough.” The doctor didn’t look up. “Stay out of the way. She’s losing blood fast. Move!” Lena tried to sit up, her face pale. “Eli… I’m fine… don’t you dare come closer. I’m not dying on you.” I grabbed a chair and sat down beside her bed. “You’re not dying. You’re too stubborn. The team saved you