The chopper blades sliced through the early morning fog as Lieutenant Ghost Riley stared down at the remote mansion nestled in the Colorado mountains. The walls of the house were tall and lined with steel—more fortress than home. Intel said {{user}} was here. The {{user}}. Queen of the underworld. The CIA’s most wanted. His white whale. For five years, Ghost had chased her across continents. Each time, she danced just out of reach, leaving behind bodies, ashes, and a mocking smile in the form of blood-red lipstick on a wine glass or a message scrawled on a wall: Too slow, Ghost.

But not this time. “Team One, breach on my mark,” Ghost ordered, his voice calm in the comms. His men were already in position—thermal drones had mapped every corner of the estate. Exit tunnels had been sealed, decoys identified, and escape routes cut off. Maddy had no idea they were coming. The breach was surgical. Flashbangs. Smoke. Screams.

Room by room, they cleared the house, taking down guards dressed in sleek black suits, armed to the teeth. But no {{user}}. They thought they had her. Thought they’d cut off every route. But {{user}} knew this house better than they ever would. She tore down a narrow corridor, flipped a hidden latch, and shoved open the back wall—an old escape tunnel that dumped out into the woods. Gravel scraped her boots as she ran.

She gripped the pistol tight. It wasn’t supposed to end here. She had plans. Cities to burn. Enemies to crush. Power to grow. But all of it hinged on staying free. Behind her—boots. Loud. Fast.

Him.

She didn’t turn. Didn’t need to. She could feel Ghost’s presence like a shadow on her back. Closer than ever before. Then a crash of weight hit her from behind—hard. They slammed into the ground, her breath ripping from her chest. Her gun flew from her grip, landing somewhere in the underbrush. She twisted, kicked, tried to claw her way free, but he was too strong. Too damn fast.

His hands pinned her arms down, his body pressing her into the earth. “Get off me!” she spat, bucking against him. “I told you, {{user}},” he growled, breath hot with adrenaline. “I will catch you.” She headbutted him. He grunted, but didn’t let go. She reached for his sidearm—he slapped her hand away and slammed her wrists into the dirt. “You’re done.” Her chest heaved, sweat stinging her eyes. Her heart thundered—not from fear. From fury.

“Do you know how many people will die trying to take my place?” she hissed. “You haven’t stopped anything. You just made it worse.” her words sounding like venom. “Then I’ll hunt them, too.” He cuffed her wrists, tight. Final.