Chapter 93: Closing In

The dawn light filtered through the command center's windows, casting long shadows over the room as Ava hunched over the tactical display. Her mind was spinning with plans, contingencies, and the growing realization that Meridian had always been two steps ahead of them. But something had shifted. The trap in Naples had rattled them, but they had also gathered crucial intel. The encrypted data Jess had pulled from the warehouse was their best lead yet, which could be the key to turning the tide. The rest of the team sat around the table, faces drawn with exhaustion but tinged with a renewed sense of purpose. Jess was furiously typing at her console, trying to crack the encryption, while Callum pored over maps and data sheets, searching for a pattern in Meridian’s movements. But it was Lucas who worried Ava the most. He sat at the far end of the table, his arms crossed, his expression distant. He hadn’t said much since their conversation the night before, but Ava could still feel the