Snow started falling the same night Luca Moretti decided to hunt them personally.

Not metaphorically.

Not through hired men or offshore contractors or whispered orders passed between frightened captains.

Personally.

That was how Adrian knew the situation had become catastrophic.

The church safe house lasted exactly four more days before somebody sold the location.

Not Roman.

Not Elena.

Money eventually made cowards out of somebody lower in the chain.

It always did.

By the time Adrian spotted the black SUVs moving through the tree line outside rural Pennsylvania, snow already covered the roads in pale silver ice.

“Get your coat,” he said immediately.

Valentina looked up from the church table where financial records still lay scattered beneath weak candlelight. “What happened?”

“Movement outside.”

That was enough.

She was learning now.

No wasted questions.

No panic.

Just motion.

Valentina grabbed the burner phones and hard drives while Adrian swept the church perimeter cameras one final time.

Three vehicles.

Military spacing.

Disciplined movement.

Not Bureau.

Luca.

Cold settled sharply through Adrian’s chest.

Because Luca only deployed like this when he intended to make an example out of someone afterward.

“Back exit,” Adrian ordered.

Snow whipped violently across the churchyard the second they stepped outside into the storm. Wind tore through pine trees while distant headlights moved slowly between the woods below the hill.

Too close already.

The truck engine roared alive beneath freezing air just as gunfire cracked across the churchyard.

The windshield exploded instantly.

Adrian shoved Valentina downward across the seat while bullets ripped through the wooden fence behind them.

“Go!”

The truck fishtailed violently across snow-covered gravel before crashing onto the narrow highway leading south through the mountains.

More gunfire followed immediately behind them.

The hunt had officially started.

Snow hammered against the windshield while Adrian gripped the wheel hard enough to whiten scarred knuckles. The truck slid dangerously around icy curves as black SUVs burst onto the road behind them through swirling white darkness.

Three vehicles.

Fast.

Relentless.

Valentina twisted in her seat and looked backward through shattered rear glass.

“They’re gaining.”

“I know.”

Another burst of gunfire shattered the side mirror beside Adrian’s head.

Glass exploded across his cheek.

Valentina grabbed the dashboard hard enough to hurt her fingers.

“Jesus Christ.”

“Seatbelt.”

“What?”

“Now.”

She obeyed instantly.

Good instinct.

Adrian downshifted hard as the highway curved sharply through the mountainside ahead. Snow buried the road markings almost completely now while freezing wind screamed across the cliffs beside them.

One mistake here and they’d disappear into the valley below.

Maybe that was Luca’s plan.

No bodies.

No trial.

Just weather and grief.

The lead SUV accelerated suddenly behind them.

Wrong.

Too aggressive for winter roads.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“Hold on.”

The truck jerked violently sideways as he slammed the brakes for half a second before cutting sharply left.

The SUV behind them overcorrected immediately on black ice.

The vehicle spun once.

Twice.

Then crashed violently through the guardrail and disappeared into the snow-covered ravine below.

No explosion.

Just darkness swallowing headlights whole.

Valentina’s pulse crashed hard against her ribs.

“You killed them.”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Because there wasn’t time.

The second SUV rammed their rear bumper hard enough to throw the truck sideways across the highway.

Metal screamed.

Snow sprayed violently across the windshield.

Valentina gasped as the truck nearly rolled before Adrian forced it back under control.

Another impact hit from behind.

Harder.

Luca’s men weren’t trying to stop them.

They were trying to erase them.

Adrian reached beneath his jacket with one hand and shoved a handgun toward Valentina without taking his eyes off the road.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Learn quickly.”

That almost sounded like humor.

Almost.

The truck burst around another mountain curve just as headlights appeared ahead through the snowstorm.

Another vehicle.

Black Mercedes.

Parked sideways across the highway.

Blocking the road completely.

Adrian’s blood went cold instantly.

No random roadblock.

Too clean.

Too deliberate.

Then the driver’s door opened slowly.

And Luca stepped out into the snow.

Perfect black coat.

No umbrella.

No visible fear.

Snowflakes drifted silently across his shoulders while headlights illuminated him against the white mountain road like something carved from violence itself.

Valentina stopped breathing.

“No.”

Luca raised one gloved hand slightly.

Not surrender.

Invitation.

The remaining SUV behind them accelerated hard.

Trap complete.

Adrian made the decision instantly.

He slammed the wheel sharply right.

The truck smashed through the roadside barrier and launched violently down the snowy embankment.

Valentina screamed as the world flipped sideways.

Metal crushed.

Glass shattered.

The truck rolled once before slamming hard against frozen trees halfway down the mountain.

Everything stopped.

Silence crashed afterward except for the ticking engine and wind outside.

Valentina couldn’t breathe properly.

Pain radiated through her shoulder and ribs while blood trickled warm down the side of her forehead.

“Adrian.”

No answer.

Panic exploded instantly inside her chest.

“Adrian!”

He sat slumped against the wheel, blood spreading darkly across his side where twisted metal pierced through the driver’s door.

Too much blood.

Way too much.

No no no—

Snow drifted softly through the shattered windshield while distant headlights moved above them on the highway.

Luca’s men.

Coming down.

Valentina grabbed Adrian’s face hard enough to force his eyes open.

“Stay with me.”

He inhaled sharply through pain before finally focusing on her.

Good.

Still conscious.

Barely.

“You’re hurt.”

“Observation skills,” he muttered weakly, “still impressive.”

Not funny.

Not funny at all.

Valentina’s hands shook violently as she tried pulling twisted metal away from his side.

Adrian caught her wrist immediately.

“No.”

“What?”

“If you pull it out now, I bleed faster.”

Cold terror spread through her chest.

Above them, car doors slammed against the storm.

Voices.

Closer.

Luca’s men were coming.

Valentina looked back toward the highway through falling snow.

Then toward Adrian bleeding against the crushed truck door.

The fear inside her shifted instantly into something harder.

Something sharp.

“No,” she whispered.

Adrian watched her carefully despite obvious pain.

“Valentina—”

“I’m not losing you.”

The words came out raw enough to hurt both of them.

Then she grabbed the handgun from the floor beside the seat and turned toward the snowstorm outside.

Because somewhere above them—

Luca Moretti was finally hunting them himself.