The mission was a success, but Damian couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. As his squad made their way back to base with the intelligence, his mind replayed every detail. Someone had been watching them, guiding their steps. Anya's presence had been invisible, yet undeniable. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this mission than anyone had let on.
Anya, meanwhile, was growing increasingly aware of the consequences of her actions. Saving Damian had been a risk, and now, the weight of that decision pressed down on her. She had one objective: to eliminate the officer. That had always been the mission. But as the days passed, her resolve wavered. The line between duty and desire was blurring.
Back at the base, Ivankov summoned Damian for a debriefing. His eyes were sharp, probing, as though he knew something was off. "We've got bigger problems now," Ivankov said, his voice low. "A traitor is in our midst. We need to know who, and we need to know now."
Damian's gut tightened. A traitor? The thought gnawed at him. But there was no time to dwell on that—he had to focus on the mission, on keeping his team alive. But every time he looked over his shoulder, he felt like someone was watching him.
Anya, still reeling from the events of the night, made her way to the village shop, hoping to find some solace in the familiar surroundings. The shopkeeper, an old man who had long been an ally of hers, stood behind the counter, his hands busy with a basket of herbs.
She kept her voice casual as she approached. "Any news today?"
The old man didn't answer immediately. His eyes flicked to the door, checking if anyone else was nearby before he spoke. "There's more attention on us now," he said quietly, his voice tinged with unease. "They're starting to ask questions. You need to be careful. The eyes that were watching you—they're still there. And they've sent someone to keep an eye on you."
Anya's heart sank, though her face remained impassive. She had known this was coming, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real. The shopkeeper's voice dropped to a whisper. "The new person—they're already here. And they know more than you think."
"Thanks for the warning," Anya said, her tone steady despite the storm of thoughts raging in her mind. She turned to leave, but not before the old man added one last thing.
"Be careful, Anna," he murmured. "There's more to this than you realize."
As Anya stepped out into the cold, her thoughts raced. A new partner—someone to keep her in check. She hadn't expected it to happen so soon, but she had made a mistake by saving Damian. And now she was going to have to deal with the consequences.
The wind cut through the village streets as she made her way back to her safehouse, but the chill she felt had nothing to do with the weather. Someone was coming for her—and this time, it wouldn't just be her mission at stake.