DEAL GONE WRONG

GREGORY POV

I sat in my office, the quiet hum of the evening settling around me as I caught up on some long-overdue reading. The weight of the last few days hung heavily over my shoulders, but the stillness in the room helped me focus. That is, until Laurene came rushing in, her face pale, her eyes wide with urgency.

Before I could say a word, she pointed at her phone, her hand trembling slightly. I stood up, heart already racing, as Sherlene's voice came through on speaker. The tone of her voice was tight and panicked, and I knew something had gone wrong.

"Gregory, I'm in hiding," she began, her voice breathless. "I'm waiting to leave Comoros, but—someone's taken out the Budapest team."

The news hit me like a punch to the gut. I stayed silent, listening, my mind already trying to piece together what had happened.