Code of Shadows

Chapter 29 - Under Pressure

Back at IMF headquarters, the tension was palpable. The explosion during Davian's extraction had thrown everything into chaos, and now, Ethan was under direct scrutiny from the higher-ups. The mission to capture Davian in Vatican City had been a temporary victory, but it crumbled into a nightmare as Davian escaped in a devastating explosion.

Ethan was being held in a secure briefing room, his face a mask of barely contained fury. I could feel the anger radiating off him, like a tangible force. He sat at the end of the long conference table, his fingers tapping impatiently, his mind undoubtedly racing with thoughts of Julia. She was still out there, still in danger, and now Davian had slipped through our fingers.

Brassel, the IMF director, stood at the front of the room, his expression stern. "We had him, Hunt. We had Davian, and now he's gone. And he's taken your fiancée. This operation has become a catastrophe."

Ethan's eyes flashed, his voice low and dangerous. "You think I don't know that?" He leaned forward, his muscles tensed, barely restraining his fury. "We have to find him. We have to get Julia back."

Brassel didn't flinch under Ethan's glare. "You've made this personal, Hunt. That's your first mistake. We're dealing with a man who has no limits, no conscience. Davian wants the Rabbit's Foot, and he's willing to use Julia as leverage. If we don't deliver, he'll kill her."

A cold knot of fear twisted in my stomach. The Rabbit's Foot—still shrouded in mystery—was our only bargaining chip. But what exactly it was, or why Davian wanted it, remained a frustrating enigma. And now, time was running out.

Ethan's jaw tightened. "I need to know everything we have on the Rabbit's Foot. Every piece of intel, every lead. We don't have time to waste."

Luther, who had been monitoring intel feeds, stepped into the room. His face was drawn, a sign of the pressure we were all under. "We've intercepted some chatter," he said, handing a report to Ethan. "References to a transaction in Shanghai. If Davian is after the Rabbit's Foot, it's possible the exchange could happen there."

Shanghai. The name sent a ripple of unease through me. It was a sprawling metropolis, a place where someone like Davian could easily disappear. Tracking him down in that city would be like finding a needle in a haystack. But it was the only lead we had, and we had to take it.

Ethan glanced at the report, then back at Brassel. "I'm going to Shanghai," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "That's where I'll find Davian. That's where I'll find Julia."

Brassel frowned, clearly uneasy. "You're on thin ice, Hunt. If you go off-book, there will be consequences. You're already facing disciplinary action for what happened in Vatican City."

Ethan didn't hesitate. "Consequences be damned. I'm not letting Julia die." His voice was firm, unyielding. I could see the determination in his eyes, the love that fueled his every decision. Ethan was a man on a mission, and nothing would stand in his way.

Brassel hesitated, then nodded curtly. "Fine. But you're on your own. This mission is off the record. You're disavowed. If anything goes wrong, the IMF will deny any involvement."

Ethan nodded, standing up. "Understood."

As we left the briefing room, the weight of the situation settled over me like a lead blanket. The stakes were higher than ever. We were running out of time, and now we were cut off from official IMF support. It was just the three of us—Ethan, Luther, and me—against Davian and the shadowy forces he controlled.

We regrouped in a small side room, away from prying eyes. Luther spread a map of Shanghai across the table, pointing out key locations. "We've got reports of black market activities in these areas," he said, indicating a cluster of buildings along the riverfront. "If Davian's looking to make a deal, he'll likely head there."

Ethan nodded, his focus laser-sharp. "We'll split up. Alex, you take the east side. Luther, cover the tech markets. I'll hit the docks. We're looking for any sign of Davian or the Rabbit's Foot."

Luther and I exchanged a glance. Despite the odds, despite the risks, we both knew we'd follow Ethan into the fire. We'd come too far to turn back now.

Just as we were about to move out, Ethan's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his face paling. He put the phone on speaker, and Davian's voice filled the room, cool and menacing.

"Hello, Ethan," Davian purred. "I'm sure you know by now that Julia's time is running out. Bring me the Rabbit's Foot in 48 hours, or she dies. And just to make things interesting, I'll be watching your every move. See you soon."

The line went dead, and the silence that followed was deafening. I felt a chill run down my spine. Davian had eyes on us, knew our every step. He was playing us, and the game was rigged in his favor.

Ethan's face hardened, his fists clenching at his sides. "We need to move," he said, his voice a razor's edge. "Davian thinks he has the upper hand, but he's wrong. We're going to find him, and we're going to end this. Once and for all." The countdown had begun, and the race against time was on. We had 48 hours to find the Rabbit's Foot and save Julia—or lose everything.