The drive to the old lake cottage was completely quiet. Harrison kept his eyes fixed on the narrow dirt road, his large hands gripping the steering wheel of the plain gray car with steady pressure.

The morning sun was getting higher in the sky, baking the damp earth outside and making a light mist rise from the wet grass.

In the back seat, Anna sat silently, her eyes scanning the thick trees passing by them, her hand resting casually near her waist where her weapon was hidden.

Julius sat in the passenger seat, his eyes glued to the window. The trees and old wooden fence posts looked incredibly familiar now.

"We are almost there," Julius said, his voice quiet in the small space of the car. He pointed toward a small, overgrown path just ahead. "Take a left right after that big pine tree. The cottage is just over the hill."

Harrison turned the steering wheel smoothly, guiding the car down the bumpy path. The tires crunched over old branches and dry leaves. A moment later, the old family cottage came into view.

It was a small, two-story house made of dark logs, sitting right by the edge of a completely still lake.

Harrison brought the car to a stop under the shade of a large oak tree. He turned off the engine, and the sudden silence of the woods wrapped around them.

"Daniel and his men are parked a quarter-mile back on the main road," Anna said, leaning forward between the front seats. "They are watching the entrance. If anyone follows us, we will know immediately."

"Good," Harrison rumbled, opening his door. "Let’s move fast. We don’t need to stay here longer than necessary."

Julius stepped out of the car, the fresh, damp air hitting his face. He walked up the old wooden steps of the porch, his heart beating a little faster against his ribs.

Harrison moved past him, using his large shoulder to push against the heavy wood until the old lock gave way with a loud click.

They stepped into the main living room. The air inside smelled old, full of dust and dry wood. White sheets covered the old furniture, looking like strange shapes in the dim light.

Julius stood still for a second, looking at an old fireplace in the corner. He could almost see his father sitting there, holding a warm cup of coffee and smiling at him.

"Julius," Harrison said gently, placing a large, warm hand on the small of his back. "Where is the pantry?"

Julius shook himself out of the memory and turned toward the back of the house. "In the kitchen. Follow me."

They walked into the small kitchen. The floor was covered in dust that showed their footprints clearly. Julius walked straight toward a narrow wooden door in the corner. He opened it, revealing the small pantry. The shelves were completely bare, except for a few old metal cans that had rusted over the years.

Julius got down on his knees, ignoring the dust that got on his trousers. He crawled to the very back of the pantry, reaching under the bottom shelf just like he remembered. His fingers searched the floor until they found the edge of a loose board.

"I found the board," Julius said, excitement clear in his voice.

Harrison stepped into the small pantry, leaning down to watch him closely. Anna stood by the kitchen window, her eyes darting between the trees outside.

Julius hooked his fingers under the edge of the wood and pulled hard. The old board came up with a loud groan, exposing a small, dark hole in the floorboards. Julius smiled, reaching his hand inside to grab the small drive.

But his hand met nothing but empty air.

Julius frowned, his smile fading instantly. He shifted his position, shoving his arm deeper into the dark space, his fingers sweeping across the dry dirt and cobwebs underneath. There was nothing there.

"What’s wrong?" Harrison asked, his voice dropping into a serious, heavy tone.

"It’s not here," Julius whispered, his voice cracking slightly with confusion. He started feeling around frantically, his knuckles scraping against the rough edges of the wood. "No, no, this is impossible. I hid it right here. I remember it perfectly, Harrison. I took the board up, I put the drive right in the middle, and I put the wood back. I know I did."

Harrison got down on one knee beside him, his large frame filling the small pantry. He reached his own massive hand into the hole, his long fingers searching every corner of the small space. After a few seconds, he pulled his hand out, his palm covered in dust.

"There is nothing inside, Julius," Harrison said quietly, his dark eyes fixed on Julius’s pale face.

Julius stood up quickly, his breathing getting a little fast. He rubbed his dusty hands on his jeans, shaking his head. "No, that doesn’t make sense. My memories are completely clear now. I remember my dad giving it to me in the study. I remember running down here while they were packing the bags. This is exactly where I put it. Nobody else knew about this place."

Harrison stood up slowly, looking down at the empty hole in the floor. He paused for a long moment, his face completely unreadable. "Julius... are you sure your memory is right? You just got your past back last night. Your mind went through a lot of trauma. Is it possible you hid it somewhere else? Or maybe your father took it back before the accident?"

Julius looked up at him, feeling a sudden wave of frustration and fear. "Are you asking me if I’m crazy, Harrison? I am telling you, I remember it. It was right here."

"I am not saying you are crazy," Harrison said, his voice gentle but firm as he stepped closer and placed his large hands on Julius’s shoulders to calm him down. "I am just asking if you are completely sure. Think about it calmly. Did anyone else have a key to this cottage? Could Arthur or Victor have found this place years ago?"

"No," Julius said, shaking his head firmly. "The property is listed under an old family shell company. My dad made sure it couldn’t be traced to our main name. If Arthur had found it, he wouldn’t have spent the last twenty-five years searching for the drive and torturing people for info. He would already have it."

Before Harrison could answer, Anna suddenly moved away from the kitchen window. Her face was completely tense, her hand drawing her weapon from her holster.

"Boss, we have a problem," Anna said, her voice dropping into a sharp whisper. "Daniel just called the radio. He didn’t even get to speak before the line went dead. I just saw movement in the tree line near the lake."

Harrison’s entire body went rigid. He instantly pulled Julius behind his large frame, his own gun appearing in his hand in a split second. "How many?"

"I don’t know," Anna said, moving along the wall toward the back door. "I saw three shadows moving fast through the brush. They are wearing completely black gear. No markings, no badges. They aren’t using normal cars either. They came in on foot from the woods."

"Daniel wouldn’t let his line go dead unless he was taken down fast," Harrison rumbled, his eyes shifting around the old kitchen. "These aren’t normal street thugs. They know how to move."

Suddenly, the loud, shattering sound of glass echoed from the front living room. A small black canister rolled across the wooden floor, letting out a sharp, hissing sound as thick white smoke began to pour out of it rapidly.

"Smoke!" Anna shouted, coughing as the thick cloud began to fill the small house.

"Get to the back door!" Harrison ordered, his deep voice cutting through the panic. He gripped Julius’s arm tightly, pulling him toward the rear exit of the kitchen.

Before they could reach the door, the panels of the back entrance burst open with a loud crash. A tall figure dressed in full black tactical gear and a dark mask charged inside, raising a rifle.

Anna did not hesitate. She fired two quick shots, the loud cracks echoing like thunder in the small kitchen. The figure dropped instantly to the floor, but more footsteps were already pounding on the wooden porch outside. Gunshots began to tear through the kitchen walls.

"Down!" Harrison roared, throwing his massive body over Julius to shield him as bullets ripped through the space right above their heads. Harrison returned fire through the smoky doorway, his shots heavy and perfectly timed. Two more groans followed from the porch as his bullets found their targets.

The house was completely filled with blinding white smoke now. Julius could barely see his own hands. The sound of gunfire was coming from every direction — the front door, the back door, and even the windows.

It was a complete ambush, but the strangest part was the silence of the attackers. They weren’t shouting orders, they weren’t calling for backup, and they weren’t mentioning Arthur Vance’s name. They were just moving like silent, deadly machines through the fog.

"We can’t stay here!" Anna yelled, firing another round toward the window. "They are surrounding the entire structure! We are going to get pinned down!"

"The basement trapdoor," Julius choked out, coughing from the thick smoke that was burning his throat. "There is an old storm cellar door under the rug in the main hallway. It leads out to the side of the hill near the lake."

"Move!" Harrison said, lifting Julius slightly to guide him through the thick white cloud.

They crawled out of the kitchen into the narrow hallway, the sound of boots breaking through the front windows right behind them. The smoke was so thick now that the walls of the hallway disappeared completely. Julius’s eyes were burning, tears streaming down his face as he tried to find his bearings.

Julius’s mind started to spin. The terror of the gunfire, the empty pantry, and the sudden loss of the drive were all crashing into him at once. He found the edge of the old rug, his hands shaking violently as he tried to pull it back to find the door.

Another burst of gunfire ripped through the hallway walls, a bullet grazing past Julius’s ear with a terrifying hiss. The loud noise seemed to echo inside his skull, mixing with the old memories of the night his father died. His vision blurred, his hands stopping completely on the rug as panic took over his chest, locking his muscles in place.

Harrison turned his head, his dark eyes wide as he saw Julius freeze completely in the middle of the line of fire.

"Julius, focus!" Harrison shouted.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​