The audio played again.
Valentina slowed the recording to isolate the faint background voice.
Everyone in the war room leaned closer to the monitor.
The sound was distant.
Distorted.
But unmistakable.
A man's voice speaking quietly behind Luca.
One single sentence.
"Keep him alive… for now."
Elena felt a chill crawl down her spine.
She had heard that voice before.
But the memory felt buried deep in the past.
Adrian frowned.
"Play it again."
Valentina rewound the clip.
The voice echoed once more through the speakers.
"Keep him alive… for now."
This time the recognition hit harder.
Elena's breath caught.
"No…"
Alessandro's expression went cold.
"Impossible."
Adrian stared at the screen.
"You're thinking the same thing I am, right?"
Valentina answered quietly.
"Yes."
Elena turned toward them.
"Someone tell me what's going on."
No one answered immediately.
Finally Alessandro spoke.
"The voice in that recording…"
He paused.
"…belongs to my father."
A Dead Man's Voice
The words sucked the air from the room.
Elena shook her head.
"That can't be true."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"It sounds exactly like him."
Valentina replayed the clip again.
The same voice echoed through the speakers.
Elena's mind raced.
"But he died."
Alessandro's eyes darkened.
"I watched him die."
Valentina leaned closer to the monitor.
"No."
"What?"
She pointed to the waveform on the screen.
"This recording is real."
Elena frowned.
"So what are you saying?"
Valentina's voice dropped.
"I'm saying someone is impersonating him."
Adrian folded his arms.
"That would be impressive."
Alessandro shook his head.
"No."
They all looked at him.
He stared at the frozen image of Luca tied to the chair.
"There's only one person who could imitate my father's voice perfectly."
Elena's stomach tightened.
"Who?"
Alessandro answered quietly.
"…my brother."
Luca's Secret
Adrian blinked.
"You think Luca is working with Orlov?"
Alessandro didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Elena shook her head immediately.
"That makes no sense."
Valentina tilted her head slightly.
"Actually… it does."
Everyone turned toward her.
She pointed at the video frame again.
"Look at his hands."
Elena frowned.
"What about them?"
"They're not tied tightly."
Adrian leaned closer.
"…you're right."
The ropes were loose.
Almost decorative.
Valentina continued.
"And he never once asked for help."
Elena's heart sank.
"You think he's pretending to be a prisoner."
Valentina nodded.
"Yes."
Adrian sighed.
"Well… that's a problem."
Alessandro's voice dropped dangerously low.
"He's not pretending."
They looked at him again.
Alessandro's eyes burned with realization.
"He's bait."
The Brother Who Chose War
Elena stared at him.
"You think Luca is helping Orlov?"
Alessandro's voice was quiet but firm.
"Yes."
Adrian shook his head.
"But why?"
Alessandro answered slowly.
"Because Luca always believed our father was weak."
Elena frowned.
"Weak?"
"He hated the idea of ending the empire."
Valentina's eyes narrowed.
"So when the council killed your father…"
"…Luca blamed them," Elena said.
"Yes," Alessandro replied.
"And me."
The room fell silent.
Elena's voice softened.
"Why you?"
Alessandro looked away briefly.
"Because I agreed with our father."
The New Enemy
Adrian rubbed his temples.
"So let me get this straight."
"Your brother faked his death…"
"Joined forces with Orlov…"
"And helped him wipe out the council."
Valentina nodded.
"That sounds about right."
Elena whispered,
"And now they want Alessandro."
Adrian sighed.
"That part still feels like a terrible plan."
But Alessandro had already made his decision.
"I'm going."
Elena stepped in front of him immediately.
"No."
"Yes."
"You know it's a trap."
"Yes."
"Then why would you walk into it?"
Alessandro looked at her quietly.
"Because if Luca is alive…"
"…this war becomes personal."
Valentina's Discovery
While they argued, Valentina continued analyzing the video.
Her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard again.
Adrian noticed.
"You found something else?"
Valentina zoomed into the reflection in the metal wall behind Luca.
A blurry image appeared.
A large open space.
Stacks of cargo containers.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"That's definitely a shipping yard."
Valentina nodded.
"Yes."
She pulled up satellite maps of the city.
Dozens of docks appeared on the screen.
But only one matched the structure in the reflection.
Her finger stopped on the map.
"There."
Elena leaned closer.
"Where is that?"
Valentina answered quietly.
"Pier 17."
Adrian frowned.
"That's Orlov's territory."
Valentina shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her eyes darkened.
"It used to be."
Elena looked confused.
"Who owns it now?"
Valentina turned the screen toward Alessandro.
The property records appeared instantly.
And the name listed made Adrian swear loudly.
Because the owner of Pier 17—
Was Luca De Luca.
The Final Setup
Alessandro stared at the screen.
His brother hadn't just survived.
He had built his own empire in the shadows.
Right under Alessandro's nose.
Elena's voice trembled.
"He's been planning this for years."
"Yes," Alessandro said quietly.
Valentina leaned back in her chair.
"And now the two most dangerous men in the city are working together."
Adrian sighed.
"Well… that's great."
Elena looked at Alessandro again.
"You're still going, aren't you?"
He nodded.
"Yes."
Elena swallowed hard.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Alessandro shook his head instantly.
"No."
"Yes."
"Elena—"
Her voice turned firm.
"You said I'm part of this war now."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he sighed.
"…fine."
Adrian groaned.
"This is the worst plan we've ever made."
Valentina stood up.
"Actually…"
They all looked at her.
"…I have a worse one."
Elena frowned.
"What?"
Valentina smiled slightly.
"We don't walk into the trap."
Adrian blinked.
"So what do we do?"
Valentina's eyes gleamed with dangerous excitement.
"We turn it against them."