CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY NINE – FOLLOW THE SYSTEM

Over the next few days, Cassie and Maxwell worked tirelessly to salvage what they could of their escape plan. They moved between safe houses, never staying in one place for more than a few hours. They managed to recover some of the resources they had stockpiled - weapons, money, and forged documents. But they had lost a significant portion of their preparations. The betrayal had shaken them both, but it had also strengthened their resolve. They knew now that they could truly trust no one but each other. One evening, as they pored over maps, planning their route out of Russia, Cassie voiced a concern that had been gnawing at her. "Maxwell," she said hesitantly, "what if... what if we're too late? What if Karl has already..." She couldn't finish the sentence, the thought too painful to voice. Maxwell looked up from the maps, his eyes filled with understanding. "We can't think like that, Cassie. We have to believe that Florian and his mother are still alive. That belief is what's go