Chapter 18: Chapter 18

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<html><head></head><body>(POV: Enzo) The storm outside had faded to a whisper, but the tension in the bunker roared like a beast ready to devour us whole. Vince stood at the entrance, his gun drawn, as the perimeter alarm continued its high-pitched wail. Then, we saw her. A figure emerged from the forest, her silhouette backlit by the weak moonlight. She stumbled toward the entrance, drenched, her face pale and strained. I raised my gun, motioning for the others to stay back. "Who are you?" I demanded. The woman raised her hands in surrender, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Elena I'm Elena. I work for the Romanos." My stomach twisted at the name. I hadn't seen her in years, but the sharp angles of her face and those calculating green eyes were unmistakable. Memories of our past missions together flashed in my mind-missions that often skirted the edge of betrayal. "Enzo?" she asked, her voice tinged with both recognition and desperation. "Why are you here?" I barked, lowering my weapon slightly but not my guard. Elena's eyes darted to the others, then back to me. "I've been tracking the Morettis. I know their plans, but" She hesitated, her gaze flickering toward Tony. "I also know there's a mole in your group." My blood ran cold. "Who?" She shook her head. "Not here. Not now. I need your word that I'll be protected before I say anything." Vince snorted. "Convenient." "She's lying," Tony snapped, stepping forward. "You can't trust her." I stared at Elena, searching her face for answers. "If you're telling the truth, then prove it. Tell us something only a Romano insider would know." Elena hesitated, her gaze steady on mine. "The Morettis know about the bunker. They're on their way here, right now." The room fell silent. "Damn it," Vince muttered, pacing. "She's just trying to stir us up." But something in her voice, in the way she refused to flinch under my scrutiny, made me believe her. "Barricade the entrance," I ordered, turning to the group. "We'll sort this out later." (POV: Isabella) The tension between Enzo and Tony was impossible to ignore. They hadn't spoken since Elena arrived, and every glance exchanged between them felt like the crack of a whip. I found Enzo in the corner of the bunker, examining a map spread across the table. His shoulders were stiff, his focus unyielding. "Do you trust her?" I asked, stepping closer. He didn't look up. "I don't trust anyone right now." His words stung, but I couldn't blame him. After everything we'd been through, trust was a luxury none of us could afford. "Elena might be lying," I said, hesitating before continuing. "But what if she's not? What if we're sitting ducks here?" Enzo finally looked at me, his dark eyes heavy with exhaustion. "That's what I'm trying to figure out." The vulnerability in his voice caught me off guard. Enzo rarely let his guard down, but in that moment, he seemed human. "Whatever happens," I said softly, "we'll face it together." For a moment, his gaze softened, and I thought he might say something. But then Elena appeared, her expression grim. "We need to talk," she said, her voice urgent. Enzo straightened, the moment between us shattering like glass. "What now?" Elena glanced around, ensuring no one else was listening. "There's something I didn't tell you. The Morettis have someone inside your group feeding them information." I felt the blood drain from my face. "Who?" Elena hesitated, her gaze flickering toward Tony. "I can't say for sure. But someone here is working against you." Before Enzo could respond, a sharp crack echoed outside-like the snapping of a branch underfoot. "Someone's here," Enzo said, his voice low but urgent. (POV: Vince) I was the first one to reach the surveillance room. The monitors buzzed to life, showing the dense woods surrounding the bunker. Movement flickered on one of the screens-a shadow darting between the trees. "Morettis," I muttered, my pulse quickening. Enzo appeared behind me, his presence looming. "How many?" "Too many," I replied, gesturing to the screens. "Looks like they've been watching us for a while." Enzo cursed under his breath, his jaw tightening. "Get everyone ready. We'll hold them off as long as we can." As I moved to follow his orders, I caught sight of something that stopped me cold. One of the cameras showed a hidden compartment within the bunker-a room we hadn't discovered yet. Inside, I saw stacks of surveillance equipment, along with a blinking red light on a live feed. "Enzo," I said, my voice hollow. He followed my gaze, his expression darkening as he realized what I had. "They've been watching us from inside." A chill ran down my spine. "This wasn't just a setup. Someone led them here." The truth hit me like a freight train. The mole wasn't just a theory-it was real. And they were right here, among us. </body></html>