Chapter 06: The Clock Ticks
City: Belgrade, Serbia
Time: 4:00 AM
Setting: A hidden safehouse, nestled in the labyrinthine backstreets of the city, a stark contrast to the chaos brewing in the shadows.
The cold air outside cut through Hawke’s jacket as he stepped out of the dimly lit safehouse. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the words Lukas had spoken still echoing in his ears like a haunting refrain. The Red Horizon. The warning was clear, but it was also cryptic, a threat that danced just beyond his grasp. The deeper he dug, the more elusive the answers became. And yet, the pull to uncover the truth was irresistible.
The safehouse was tucked away in a narrow alley, hidden behind the cluttered facades of derelict buildings. It was quiet, too quiet for comfort, as if the city itself held its breath, waiting for something monumental to occur. Hawke had always operated in the shadows, but this felt different. The air was thick with tension, as if the world was on the cusp of something irreversible.
His first move had to be to find Kline—if the scientist was still alive, that is. But with Lukas’s cryptic warning hanging in the air, Hawke couldn’t shake the feeling that Kline’s disappearance was only the tip of the iceberg. Someone, or something, was pulling the strings from behind the scenes, and it wasn’t just about the scientist anymore. There was a larger game at play, one that threatened not just Hawke, but the very stability of the world itself.
Hawke adjusted the collar of his jacket as he made his way through the streets, his steps silent on the cobblestones. His phone buzzed in his pocket, interrupting the quiet, and he pulled it out to see an encrypted message from Kline’s last known contact: an underground informant named Viktor.
“The scientist isn’t the target, Hawke. You are. They’ve known about you from the start. Meet me at the abandoned cathedral. 10:00 AM. Don’t be late.”
Hawke’s eyes narrowed. He had expected a message like this—Viktor was a wildcard, someone who played both sides and always operated under the radar. But if Viktor was calling him out, it meant that the situation was even more complicated than he had anticipated. He had to be cautious. Nothing was as it seemed.
The cathedral was an odd place for a meeting, especially given the city’s history and the significance it held in the local underground scene. It was a place for those who operated in the dark corners of the world—a place where deals were made, lives were traded, and alliances were forged in secrecy.
Hawke checked the time. He had six hours before the meeting. Long enough to get some answers, but not enough time to waste. He needed information, and Viktor was the key.
As he moved through the narrow streets of Belgrade, he kept his senses alert, his eyes scanning for any signs of movement, any hints of someone tailing him. His instincts had never failed him before, and now more than ever, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
The streets of Belgrade were quiet at this hour, the hum of the city’s nightlife distant, replaced by the occasional sound of footsteps or a car passing in the distance. Hawke’s mind was fixed on the meeting at the cathedral. He had been in enough of these situations to know that it wasn’t going to be a straightforward exchange. The stakes had escalated far beyond Kline, far beyond even the Red Horizon. He was now in a race against time, and every step he took had to be calculated, deliberate. One wrong move and everything could unravel.
He approached the cathedral’s location by 9:45 AM, keeping to the shadows as he circled the building. The massive structure loomed over the surrounding buildings, its once grand architecture now worn down by time and neglect. The doors were old and weathered, heavy with the weight of history. Hawke paused, analyzing the area. No signs of immediate threats, but that didn’t mean the place was safe.
With a deep breath, he pushed open the creaking door, his senses heightened, his hand resting on the handle of his concealed weapon. The interior of the cathedral was a striking contrast to the bustling streets outside. The air was heavy with the scent of dust and incense, and the high vaulted ceilings seemed to swallow any sound. The few rays of light that managed to pierce through the stained-glass windows created an eerie glow that bathed the pews in shadows.
Hawke moved cautiously through the aisles, scanning the space for Viktor. There were no signs of life yet. He checked his watch—still 15 minutes to go. Every instinct told him that this place wasn’t just a meeting point. It felt like a trap, a place where he could be cornered at any moment.
A rustle of fabric broke the silence, and Hawke instinctively turned toward the sound. Out of the shadows stepped Viktor, his face partially obscured by a hood. He was a man of few words, but Hawke had dealt with him enough to know that when Viktor spoke, it was always with purpose.
“You’re early,” Viktor’s voice was low, almost mechanical, as if he were trying to control the situation.
“Better early than never,” Hawke replied, his gaze never leaving Viktor’s face.
Viktor nodded, stepping closer, his eyes scanning the space as though he expected someone else to show up at any moment. “I have information. But I need you to listen carefully, Hawke. Everything you think you know about Kline, about the Red Horizon—it’s wrong.”
Hawke’s heart rate quickened, but he remained calm. “What do you mean? Who’s behind this?”
Viktor hesitated before speaking, as if weighing his words carefully. “The conspiracy goes deeper than just the scientist. It’s global. Governments are involved. Powerful people pulling the strings from the shadows.”
Hawke’s mind raced as he processed the information. If what Viktor was saying was true, the stakes were much higher than he had imagined. “And Kline? What happened to him?”
Viktor’s face grew grim. “Kline is alive—but not for much longer. He’s being kept in a facility in the mountains, guarded by an organization you can’t even begin to comprehend.”
The words hit Hawke like a punch to the gut. “And what about Lukas? What role does he play in all of this?”
Viktor’s expression hardened. “Lukas is more than just a rogue agent, Hawke. He’s been working for them—feeding you false information, trying to manipulate you into playing right into their hands.”
Hawke’s grip tightened on his gun. The betrayal stung, sharper than he had anticipated. Lukas was not the man he had once known.
“Then how do I stop it?” Hawke’s voice was cold, edged with determination.
Viktor’s eyes flickered to the shadows. “There’s a plan in motion, but you have to act fast. The Red Horizon is not just a code. It’s the final step in their mission. If you don’t stop it now, it’s over for all of us.”
As the weight of Viktor’s words settled in, Hawke knew that the world he knew had already begun to unravel. The clock was ticking, and he had no time to waste. He had to make a choice—stay loyal to his country or take a stand against a conspiracy that could change the world forever.
