The storm outside had grown stronger.
Snow slammed against the cabin windows as the wind howled through the mountains. Inside, the fire crackled weakly, casting long shadows across the wooden walls.
Luca stared at the tattoo on the assassin's neck.
The neon serpent wrapped around a dagger.
"The Neon Syndicate…" he whispered. "I thought they disappeared years ago."
Adrian shook his head slowly.
"They didn't disappear," he said. "They went underground."
He stood and walked toward the broken door, scanning the dark forest outside. Snow covered everything in a thick white blanket, erasing footprints and hiding movement.
"They've been waiting," Adrian continued.
"For what?" Luca asked.
Adrian turned back to him.
"For you."
The words sent a chill through Luca.
"That makes no sense," he said. "Why would they want me dead?"
Adrian hesitated.
For the first time since Luca met him, uncertainty crossed Adrian's face.
"Because," Adrian said quietly, "your name isn't just Luca Rossi."
Luca frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Adrian stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Your real name…"
"…is Luca Nero."
The name felt heavy in the air.
Luca stared at him, confused. "Nero? That's impossible."
But Adrian didn't look like he was joking.
"The Nero family founded the Neon Syndicate," Adrian said. "They controlled half the city twenty years ago."
Luca's heart pounded.
"My father was just a businessman."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"No," he said.
"He was the Syndicate's leader."
The fire cracked loudly as a log shifted.
Luca felt like the ground had disappeared beneath him.
"That's a lie," he said weakly.
Adrian reached into his coat and pulled out a small, worn photograph.
He handed it to Luca.
In the picture stood three men in expensive suits.
One of them was Luca's father.
The second was a younger Adrian.
And the third…
Luca's breath caught.
The third man wore a ring with the neon serpent symbol.
Written on the back of the photo were three words:
"Founders of Neon."
Luca slowly looked up.
"So my father… created the Syndicate?"
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Luca's voice shook.
"Then why would they try to kill me?"
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"Because fifteen years ago…"
"…your father betrayed them."
Thunder rumbled in the distance as the storm worsened.
Luca clenched the photograph in his hand.
"What did he do?"
Adrian looked toward the dark forest again.
His voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"He stole something from the Syndicate."
Luca's stomach tightened.
"What?"
Adrian met his eyes.
"The thing that controls the entire organization."
A long silence filled the cabin.
Then Luca asked the question that changed everything.
"Where is it now?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked straight at Luca.
And said the words that would turn Luca's world upside down.
"Your father hid it…"
"…inside you."