Chapter 5: A Traitor’s Mark
Vienna Safehouse – 05:10 Hours
The room was silent except for the rhythmic tapping of Nadia Petrova’s fingers against the keyboard. The glow from the laptop screen illuminated her sharp features, her brows furrowed in concentration.
Across from her, Jasper Hawke sat in the dimly lit corner, his Beretta lying on the table between them. His gaze never left the door. Old habits.
Anton Gregorov. The name on the encrypted orders.
A name that carried weight.
Hawke had encountered Gregorov once before—a ghost in the intelligence world, a man rumored to have orchestrated high-level defections, double-crosses, and political assassinations. A specialist in betrayal.
If Gregorov had signed the order to eliminate Nadia, it meant one thing: this mission wasn’t just about a rogue agent anymore. It was about control. Power. And erasing those who knew too much.
Nadia let out a slow breath. “I’ve decrypted part of the file.”
Hawke leaned forward. “What’s in it?”
Nadia clicked on an attachment. A photograph loaded onto the screen. A grainy surveillance image. Two men shaking hands in a private room.
Hawke’s stomach tensed. One of the men was Anton Gregorov.
The other—was Director Philip Keaton.
A Dangerous Alliance
Hawke didn’t speak for a moment. Keaton was his superior at the agency. The man who had sent him into this mission.
Now, it looked like Keaton had been playing both sides.
Nadia exhaled. “Your own people are in on this.”
Hawke’s expression was unreadable. “Not my people. Just one man.”
Nadia studied him. “You don’t look surprised.”
“I’m not.” Hawke’s voice was flat. “Keaton always played too many angles. I just never thought he’d go this far.”
Nadia turned the laptop toward him. “There’s more. This wasn’t just about me. Gregorov and Keaton were negotiating a data exchange. Classified intelligence.”
Hawke narrowed his eyes. “What kind of intelligence?”
Nadia hesitated. Then she clicked on another file. A shipment manifest appeared.
Hawke scanned the details. Encryption codes. Satellite access keys. Nuclear defense protocols.
His pulse quickened. “They’re selling access to critical defense networks.”
Nadia’s voice was quiet. “To who?”
Hawke’s mind worked fast. “Whoever pays the most. This isn’t just corruption—this is treason.”
Silence hung between them.
Then Hawke stood, pocketing his Beretta. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of finality in it.
“We’re shutting them down.”
The Meeting Point – 06:45 Hours
The abandoned train yard on the outskirts of Vienna was silent, the early morning mist curling around rusted tracks and forgotten freight containers.
Hawke and Nadia moved like shadows, keeping low.
“Keaton’s due here in ten minutes,” Nadia murmured, checking the suppressed Glock in her grip.
Hawke nodded. “We let him make contact. Then we get the proof we need.”
They positioned themselves on an elevated catwalk, overlooking a row of shipping containers. Below, a black SUV pulled up.
A tall figure stepped out. Director Keaton.
He checked his watch, then reached for his phone.
Moments later, a second car arrived. The passenger door opened, and Anton Gregorov stepped into the dim light.
Nadia tensed. “That’s him.”
Hawke’s grip tightened on his weapon. “Showtime.”
Below, Keaton and Gregorov exchanged a brief handshake.
Then Keaton handed over a silver briefcase.
“Payment,” Nadia whispered.
Gregorov opened the case, nodding in approval. Then he passed Keaton a USB drive.
“That’s the data,” Hawke murmured.
Keaton slipped the drive into his pocket. “Pleasure doing business,” he said aloud.
Gregorov smirked. “Let’s hope no one interferes.”
Nadia glanced at Hawke. “Now?”
Hawke didn’t respond. He was already moving.
The Ambush
Hawke dropped down from the catwalk, landing behind a stack of crates. He moved swiftly, pistol raised.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Keaton and Gregorov spun toward the voice.
Hawke stepped into the open, gun trained on Keaton.
“Jasper.” Keaton’s voice was calm, but his fingers twitched toward his jacket.
“Don’t.” Hawke’s tone was ice. “That USB drive—hand it over.”
Gregorov smirked. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Keaton’s jaw clenched. “Jasper, you don’t understand—”
“I understand enough.” Hawke cut him off. “You’ve been working with Gregorov. Selling classified intel. And framing Nadia to clean up your mess.”
Keaton exhaled. “You always were too smart for your own good.”
Then, in one quick motion, he reached for his gun.
Too slow.
Hawke fired.
The shot struck Keaton in the shoulder, sending him staggering backward.
Nadia moved in from the shadows, gun raised.
Gregorov didn’t flinch. “You think killing him will solve this?” He smiled. “There are others. This goes deeper than you know.”
Hawke’s jaw tightened. “Then I’ll dig deeper.”
Gregorov held up his hands. “Let me go. I can give you information. The real players.”
Hawke didn’t blink. “I don’t make deals.”
Gregorov’s smirk vanished.
Then—he moved.
His hand shot inside his coat.
Hawke didn’t hesitate.
Two shots.
Gregorov collapsed.
Keaton groaned, clutching his wounded shoulder. “You don’t know what you’ve done.”
Hawke loomed over him. “I know exactly what I’ve done.”
He reached down and grabbed the USB drive from Keaton’s pocket.
Then he turned to Nadia. “We’re leaving.”
Nadia hesitated, then nodded.
Keaton gasped from the ground. “This won’t end here.”
Hawke stared down at him. “It never does.”
Then he and Nadia disappeared into the night.
