Chapter 07: The Betrayal’s Edge
City: Belgrade, Serbia
Time: 10:00 AM
Setting: An abandoned safehouse, hidden beneath the crumbling remnants of an old Soviet-era building.
The cathedral’s echoes still rang in Hawke’s mind, the tension thick in the air as he left Viktor behind in the shadows of their cryptic meeting. Everything he had believed—everything he had fought for—was starting to unravel. Lukas’s betrayal cut deeper than a mere double-cross; it was a personal wound, one that could cost Hawke everything.
He stepped into the dimly lit alley, his footsteps muted on the cracked concrete. The wind picked up, tugging at his jacket as he pulled out his phone, glancing at the encrypted message from Viktor one more time. The scientist was in the mountains. But so was Lukas. And both of them were tied to a plot so far-reaching it threatened the entire geopolitical landscape. The Red Horizon was no longer just a mission—it was a countdown to a global catastrophe.
The time for questions was over. Hawke had to act.
He moved swiftly, dialing a number he hadn’t used in years. The line rang once, twice. Then a voice—gravelly, tired—answered.
“This better be good, Hawke.”
It was Michael, an old ally from his earlier days in the agency. They had fought side by side, trusted each other with their lives. If anyone could help him now, it was Michael.
“I need you to get me access to the satellite feeds in the Black Mountain region,” Hawke said, his voice steady, but the urgency was unmistakable. “There’s a facility up there, and I need to know what’s happening inside.”
Michael’s response was immediate, his voice shifting from annoyance to concern. “Black Mountain? You’ve got to be kidding me. That place is off-limits. No one gets in there.”
“I’m not asking for permission,” Hawke snapped. “I’m telling you to make it happen.”
There was a pause on the other end. Then Michael sighed. “Alright, I’ll get you the intel. But this is the last time I’m helping you out, Hawke. You’re playing with fire, and this time, I don’t think you’ll get away unscathed.”
Hawke didn’t respond. He didn’t have time for a conversation about morality. He had a mission, and it was getting more dangerous with every passing hour. The stakes had shifted, and the enemy he faced was no longer a shadow—this was personal.
The phone clicked off, and Hawke slid it back into his pocket. He was now headed to the outskirts of Belgrade, where he would rendezvous with a contact who would take him into the Black Mountain range. Every part of his being was on edge, the weight of what was coming bearing down on him.
As he made his way through the city, past narrow streets and darkened alleyways, he kept his senses sharp. The city had a strange quiet to it this morning, as though it was waiting for something to happen. Maybe it was just his nerves playing tricks on him, but something felt off. It was as if everyone was watching him, waiting for him to slip up.
The car he was meant to meet was parked in an alley a few blocks from the main road. A black SUV with tinted windows, unmistakable in its discreet design. Hawke approached cautiously, his hand resting on the concealed holster beneath his jacket. A man stepped out from behind the vehicle, his face obscured by the shadows of his hood.
“You Hawke?” the man asked, his voice low and clipped.
“I am,” Hawke responded, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He wasn’t taking any chances.
The man nodded and handed him a small device. “This will get you in,” he said, his voice betraying no emotion. “And it will give you access to the intel you need.”
Hawke took the device without hesitation. “How far is the mountain?”
“About two hours out. We move now, or we risk getting caught in the city’s perimeter.”
Without another word, Hawke climbed into the vehicle, and they drove off into the quiet morning, the tension in the air palpable.
As they left the city behind and headed toward the foothills of the Black Mountain range, Hawke’s mind returned to the message from Viktor. The scientist. Lukas. The conspiracy. Every piece was falling into place, and yet, the bigger picture remained elusive.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap. The mountains were treacherous, both in their terrain and their secrecy. Whoever was guarding the facility had likely anticipated his movements. But Hawke wasn’t about to let fear control his actions. His entire career had been built on outthinking the enemy—on staying one step ahead. If Lukas and the others thought they could outsmart him, they were gravely mistaken.
The journey was long, the winding roads disappearing into the trees as the Black Mountain range loomed ahead like an impenetrable fortress. The silence between the driver and Hawke was oppressive, broken only by the hum of the engine and the occasional crunch of gravel beneath the tires.
As they approached the base of the mountains, the vehicle slowed, the trees growing denser, the air growing colder. It felt like they were entering another world—a place where secrets were kept and lives were lost in the shadows.
The man driving the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road, his eyes scanning the surroundings before he spoke again. “This is as far as I go. There’s a safehouse up ahead, but it’s a hike from here. You’ll have to go on foot.”
Hawke didn’t need any more information. He nodded and stepped out of the car, his hand instinctively going to the weapon at his side. The safehouse was his next destination, and once inside, he would find the intel he needed to infiltrate the facility.
The mountains stretched endlessly before him, the narrow trail ahead winding through dense woods and over jagged rocks. The cold air bit at his skin, but he pressed on, the faint glow of the safehouse in the distance his only guide.
As he climbed higher into the mountains, the silence of the wilderness enveloped him. He was no longer in control of the situation. Every step he took, every decision he made, brought him closer to a confrontation that would change everything. A confrontation with Lukas.
It wasn’t just the mission that was at stake anymore. It was Hawke’s very sense of who he was. Betrayal had a way of eroding trust, and as much as he wanted to believe that Lukas was still the man he once knew, the reality was that Lukas had already chosen his side.
And Hawke would have to face the consequences of that decision.
By the time Hawke reached the safehouse, the sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the rocky landscape. He took a deep breath, steadying himself for what was to come. The clock was ticking, and soon, he would have to make a choice. One that would define the future of not just his country, but the entire world.
The Red Horizon was waiting.
