Julius gripped the piece of paper tightly, his eyes running over the paper for the last time. The words seemed to burn against his skin. The office, which had felt so safe and quiet just minutes ago, suddenly felt like a cage.

He took a step toward Harrison, holding the paper out between them. "Harrison, who are these people? Clearly someone is playing games with us."

Harrison didn’t look at the paper. His face had gone completely blank. He didn’t blink. He reached out with a steady hand, took the note from Julius’s fingers, and folded it into a small square.

He slipped it into his trouser pocket as if it were nothing more than a grocery list.

"Harrison!" Julius snapped.

Harrison still didn’t answer him. He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and tapped the screen. He placed it to his ear, his eyes fixing on the wall behind Julius.

"Anna," Harrison said into the phone. His voice was too quiet, too tight. "They are moving earlier than we thought. They sent something directly to the office. Find them. Track the courier who brought the package, and clear the route to the penthouse right now."

"We are leaving through the basement garage in two minutes."

He didn’t wait for a response from his head of security. He ended the call and tossed the phone onto his desk. He reached for his suit jacket, which was draped over the back of his chair, and slid his arms into it, straightening his collar with practiced ease.

"Let’s go," Harrison said, his voice completely flat.

"What is happening, Harrison?" Julius asked, getting a little frustrated about Harrison ignoring him.

Harrison stepped close to him. He was taller, broader, and his presence was completely overwhelming when he wanted it to be. He reached out and grabbed Julius by his upper arms, his grip firm but not hurting him.

"Julius, I promise I will tell you everything you need to know about the people that sent this letter when we get to the penthouse," Harrison said, his dark eyes searching Julius’s face. "We need to leave this building. Now."

He didn’t give Julius a chance to argue further. He turned and pulled Julius along with him, his grip moving down to clasp Julius’s wrist.

He led him through a private door at the back of the office that opened directly into a hidden service elevator.

Julius held his words, choosing to trust Harrison. He wanted to dig his heels in and demand the answers he deserved, but the sheer urgency in Harrison’s movements stopped him.

He could feel the cold wave of Harrison’s scent filling the small elevator—it was heavy and deeply protective.

The elevator dropped quickly, bypassing the main floors and the lobby, until it opened into the dim, concrete basement garage.

Harrison’s armored car was already waiting, the engine running with a low, heavy purr. The driver’s door was open, and one of Harrison’s security guards stood by the rear door, his hand resting near his jacket where a weapon was hidden.

"Get in," Harrison said, opening the door wider for Julius.

Julius shot him a furious look, but he climbed into the back seat. Harrison slid in right after him, shutting the heavy door with a solid thud that sealed out the noise of the garage.

The guard quickly got into the front passenger seat, and the car pulled away, tires screeching softly against the smooth concrete as they climbed the ramp toward the street.

The silence inside the back of the car was stifling.

Harrison sat perfectly still in the center of the seat, his hands resting on his knees. He didn’t look at Julius, but when he noticed how rigid Julius’s body was, he reached over and grabbed his hand, trying to reassure him that everything would be alright.

Julius just nodded his head at Harrison.

"We are halfway there," the driver suddenly called out from the front seat, his eyes watching the rearview mirror. "The route looks clear, sir. Daniel’s team is holding the perimeter around the penthouse entrance."

Harrison nodded once. "Keep moving. Don’t stop for any lights."

Julius let out a bitter laugh and turned back to the window. "Unbelievable."

The car sped up, weaving through the mid-day traffic. The city outside looked normal—people walking on the sidewalks, holding coffee cups, going to work.

They had no idea about the war happening behind the black glass of the car.

They turned down a wider avenue that led toward the high-rise residential district where Harrison’s penthouse was located. The building was visible in the distance, a tall tower of dark glass rising into the gray sky.

"Two minutes out," the driver said.

Suddenly, the front passenger guard yelled, "Hold on!"

Before Julius could even process the words, a massive black SUV roared out from a side intersection to their left. It didn’t slow down.

It blew right through the traffic, aiming directly for the middle of their car.

Boom.

The impact was deafening. The heavy SUV slammed into the side of the armored car with the force of a wrecking ball.

The reinforced metal groaned, and Julius was thrown sideways, his head nearly hitting the window before Harrison’s massive frame launched across the seat.

Harrison caught him, throwing his arms around Julius’s head and chest, using his own back to absorb the force of the collision as the car skidded sideways across the asphalt.

The sound of tearing metal and screeching tires filled the air.

The car rocked violently but stayed on its wheels, the heavy armor keeping the frame from collapsing.

"Go! Go!" the guard in the front screamed, his hand already pulling a gun from his holster.

Through the cracked, darkened glass of the side window, Julius could see another SUV pulling up from behind, cutting off their escape.

Three men in dark tactical gear, their faces covered in black masks, jumped out of the vehicles. They weren’t carrying small handguns; they were holding heavy automatic weapons, and they were moving with the precision of a military unit.

The peace of the afternoon was completely shattered.

They were trapped in the middle of the street, and the monsters from the note had finally arrived to collect.