The room went completely still.
The video continued playing on the monitor.
The man tied to the chair slowly lifted his head, blood running down the side of his face.
His lips curved into a faint smile.
Elena stared at the screen, confused.
She didn't recognize him.
But the reaction around her said everything.
Adrian went pale.
Valentina stopped breathing for a second.
And Alessandro…
Alessandro looked like the ground had just been ripped out from beneath him.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…impossible."
Elena turned to him.
"You know him?"
No one answered immediately.
The man on the screen chuckled hoarsely.
"Well… this is awkward."
His voice filled the room.
"I expected a warmer welcome."
Adrian muttered under his breath.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Elena's heart began pounding harder.
"Someone tell me who that is."
Finally, Alessandro spoke.
But the name left his mouth like a curse.
"Luca De Luca."
Elena blinked.
"Your brother?"
The silence that followed answered her.
The Brother Who Died
Elena slowly looked back at the screen.
"But… I thought your brother died."
Alessandro's eyes never left the video.
"He did."
The man on the screen laughed.
"Clearly not."
Valentina stepped closer to the monitor.
"This doesn't make sense."
Adrian ran a hand through his hair.
"No… it actually does."
Elena looked at him.
"You knew about this?"
Adrian shook his head quickly.
"No."
"But there were rumors."
"What rumors?"
"That Luca never died during the war ten years ago."
Elena frowned.
"Then why did everyone believe he was dead?"
Alessandro answered quietly.
"Because I buried him."
The Memory
For a moment, the war room faded from Alessandro's mind.
He remembered the night clearly.
The fire.
The gunshots.
The chaos of the ambush.
His brother lying in the street.
Blood everywhere.
And the council declaring Luca dead before anyone could question it.
Alessandro had believed them.
He had mourned him.
He had carried that loss for ten years.
And now—
His brother was alive.
And sitting in Orlov's hands.
The Message
On the screen, Luca leaned forward slightly.
"Well… since I have your attention."
He winced as the ropes around his wrists tightened.
"Orlov asked me to deliver a message."
Elena's stomach twisted.
Of course he did.
Luca smiled faintly.
"He says thank you."
Adrian scoffed.
"For what?"
Luca tilted his head slightly.
"For destroying the council for him."
Valentina's eyes darkened.
"That wasn't the plan."
Luca laughed.
"Oh, I know."
"But he appreciates the help anyway."
Alessandro's voice turned deadly calm.
"Where are you?"
Luca shrugged slightly.
"Somewhere unpleasant."
"Be specific."
"Ah… he said you'd ask that."
Luca leaned closer to the camera.
"And he also said you'd do something very stupid next."
Adrian muttered,
"He's not wrong."
The Trap
Elena crossed her arms.
"So what does Orlov want this time?"
Luca's smile faded slightly.
"You."
Elena rolled her eyes.
"Again?"
But Luca shook his head.
"No."
He looked directly into the camera.
"This time he wants Alessandro."
The room went silent.
Adrian spoke first.
"That's a terrible idea."
"For who?" Luca asked.
"For everyone."
Luca continued calmly.
"He says if Alessandro wants his brother back…"
"…he has to come alone."
Valentina scoffed.
"That's the most obvious trap I've ever heard."
"Yes," Luca agreed.
"But here's the problem."
He looked directly at Alessandro.
"You'll come anyway."
The Ruthless Decision
The video ended.
The screen went dark again.
For a moment, no one moved.
Elena finally turned toward Alessandro.
"You're not actually considering this."
He didn't answer.
Adrian sighed heavily.
"Of course he is."
Valentina stepped forward.
"This is exactly what Orlov wants."
Alessandro's jaw tightened.
"He has my brother."
Valentina shook her head.
"And he'll have you too if you walk into that trap."
Elena grabbed Alessandro's arm.
"You can't go alone."
He looked down at her.
His expression softened for just a second.
Then hardened again.
"I don't abandon family."
Elena's voice broke slightly.
"You're my family too."
The words hung between them.
Heavy.
Real.
Dangerous.
Alessandro reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"I know."
"And you're still going?"
"Yes."
Valentina's Suspicion
While the others argued, Valentina studied the frozen frame of Luca's video carefully.
Something about it felt wrong.
The background.
The lighting.
The angle of the camera.
Her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard again.
Adrian noticed.
"What are you doing now?"
"Looking for something."
"What?"
Valentina zoomed in on the video frame.
Then enhanced the background audio.
A faint sound appeared beneath Luca's voice.
A metallic echo.
Adrian frowned.
"That sounds like…"
Valentina whispered the answer.
"…a shipping yard."
Elena turned toward her.
"You found him?"
Valentina shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I found something worse."
"What?"
Valentina turned the monitor toward them.
The enhanced audio picked up another voice in the background.
A familiar voice.
A voice Elena recognized immediately.
Her breath caught.
"No…"
Adrian stared at the screen.
"Well… that's not good."
Alessandro's eyes darkened.
Because the voice in the background—
Wasn't Orlov.
It was someone much more dangerous.
Someone who should have been dead.