Nolan didn't speak.
Not when Nathan tried to reason with him.
Not when his men tried to slow him down.
Not when the city lights blurred past the window.
He sat in the back of the vehicle, assembling the gun piece by piece with surgical calm.
Click.
Slide.
Lock.
His hands didn't shake.
That was what terrified Nathan most.
"You're not thinking," Nathan said.
Nolan didn't look up. "I am."
"This is what Marcus wants," Nathan pressed. "You charging in blind."
Nolan finally lifted his eyes.
They were empty.
"No," he said quietly. "This is what he doesn't expect."
Nathan felt a chill.
"What are you going to do?" he asked.
Nolan finished loading the gun.
"I'm going to become what he trained me to be."
Isabella sat on the concrete floor, arms wrapped around herself, breathing shallowly.
Her chest felt hollow.
Her throat burned.
Her soul felt like it had been ripped open and left to bleed.
She had said it.
She had told Nolan she didn't love him.
She had chosen Marcus.
She had shattered the one man who had ever truly protected her.
To save her mother.
To save Juan.
To save everyone except herself.
Marcus watched her from across the room, pleased.
"That," he said, "was beautiful."
She didn't respond.
"You broke him," Marcus continued. "You should be proud."
She lifted her head slowly.
Her eyes were no longer wet.
They were dark.
"You don't understand him," she said.
Marcus smiled. "I understand everyone."
She shook her head. "No."
Marcus raised a brow.
"You think you've won," she continued quietly. "But you just made him unstoppable."
Marcus laughed.
"No one is unstoppable."
She stared at him.
"You've never met the man who has nothing left to lose."
Nolan stood in the abandoned church, staring at the floor.
The place where Marcus had once trained him.
The place where pain had been turned into discipline.
Where emotion had been beaten into silence.
Nathan stood behind him.
"This place still creeps me out," Nathan muttered.
Nolan knelt.
Pressed his palm to the cracked tile.
"I learned how to survive here," he said.
Nathan frowned. "You learned how to disappear."
Nolan closed his eyes.
"Yes," he said.
Then he stood.
And something in him shifted.
Not rage.
Not grief.
Focus.
"I know how Marcus thinks," Nolan said.
Nathan stiffened. "How?"
"Because he built me," Nolan replied.
Nathan swallowed.
"And now," Nolan continued, "I will unbuild him."
Marcus sat across from Isabella again.
"You should eat," he said.
She didn't move.
He leaned in.
"You think he's coming for you."
She looked at him.
"He is," she said.
Marcus smiled. "Good."
She tilted her head.
"You don't want to win," she said.
He paused.
"You want to be remembered."
Marcus studied her.
"Interesting," he murmured.
She continued.
"You want him to look at you and know you mattered."
Marcus's smile faded slightly.
"You're trying to get into my head," he said.
She met his eyes.
"I'm already there."
Nolan moved through the city like a ghost.
No cameras.
No trace.
No digital footprint.
He wasn't hiding.
He was erasing himself.
Nathan watched him work with a mix of awe and dread.
"You planned this," Nathan said.
Nolan didn't deny it.
"You knew something like this would happen," Nathan pressed.
"I knew Marcus would eventually come for what I loved," Nolan replied.
Nathan exhaled. "So you prepared."
"Yes."
"For years?"
Nolan nodded.
Nathan went quiet.
That was when it hit him.
Marcus wasn't the only monster in this story.
Isabella was brought into a new room.
No chains.
No guards.
A couch.
A mirror.
A soft lamp.
It looked almost normal.
Marcus stood behind her.
"You think I'm cruel," he said.
She didn't reply.
"But I give people truth," he continued. "No illusions."
She turned.
"Then here's yours," she said. "You don't want me obedient. You want me broken."
Marcus smiled. "Obedience is boring."
"And broken people are fun?" she asked.
"They're honest," he replied.
She shook her head. "No. They're empty."
Marcus studied her.
"You're not afraid," he said.
She shrugged. "I already died."
He laughed softly.
"No," he said. "You haven't."
Nolan finally stopped moving.
He stood on a rooftop.
Looking down at the city.
His phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Marcus's voice.
"You're quiet," Marcus said. "That's new."
Nolan said nothing.
"Did she hurt you?" Marcus continued. "When she chose me?"
Nolan's grip tightened.
"You forced her," he said.
Marcus laughed. "And she complied."
Silence.
"You broke her," Nolan said.
Marcus hummed. "No. I revealed her."
Nolan closed his eyes.
"You want me?" he asked.
"Yes."
"You have me."
Marcus smiled. "Location incoming."
The line went dead.
Nathan stepped closer. "This is it."
Nolan nodded.
"Do you want backup?" Nathan asked.
Nolan shook his head.
"No," he said.
"Why?" Nathan pressed.
Nolan turned.
Eyes dark.
"This ends between him and me."
Isabella felt it.
A shift in the air.
Like the world inhaling.
Marcus stood suddenly.
Smiling.
"He's coming," Marcus said.
Her heart slammed.
"You don't get to kill him," she said.
Marcus tilted his head. "I don't intend to."
She stood.
"You said you wanted to own him," she said.
Marcus's smile widened.
"I already do," he replied. "Through you."
She shook her head.
"You don't own me."
Marcus walked toward her.
"Then why did you choose me?"
Her chest tightened.
"Because you threatened my family," she whispered.
Marcus stopped.
"That," he said, "is ownership."
She whispered, "No."
Nolan arrived.
Alone.
No weapon visible.
Hands empty.
Marcus waited.
Smiling.
"You came," Marcus said.
Nolan stepped forward.
"Let her go."
Marcus laughed.
"You didn't even ask how she is."
Nolan didn't blink.
Marcus's smile twitched.
"That's new," he said.
Nolan continued walking.
Marcus's men raised their guns.
Marcus lifted a hand.
"Don't," he said. "This is personal."
Nolan stopped three feet away.
Marcus leaned in.
"You look different," he observed.
"I am," Nolan replied.
Marcus smiled.
"Good," he said. "So is she."
He snapped his fingers.
The door behind him opened.
Isabella stepped out.
Alive.
Bruised.
Standing.
Nolan's breath hitched.
"Don't," she whispered.
He ignored her.
Marcus stepped between them.
"She told me she doesn't love you," Marcus said.
Nolan met Isabella's eyes.
And smiled.
"I know."
Her breath caught.
Marcus frowned. "You're not angry?"
"No," Nolan said. "I'm grateful."
Marcus's smile faltered.
"For what?" he asked.
"For showing me what you are," Nolan replied.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"And what is that?" he snapped.
Nolan stepped closer.
"A man who confuses control with power," he said.
"A man who needs witnesses to feel real."
"A man who has never been loved."
The room went silent.
Marcus's eyes darkened.
"You're projecting," he said.
Nolan smiled faintly.
"Am I?"
Marcus raised his hand.
"Kill him."
Guns lifted.
Isabella screamed.
Nolan didn't move.
And then—
The lights went out.
Gunfire exploded.
Screams.
Chaos.
Marcus shouted.
Someone fell.
Someone ran.
And in the darkness—
Nolan moved.
When the lights came back on—
Marcus was on his knees.
Blood on his mouth.
Nolan stood behind him.
Gun pressed to his head.
Isabella froze.
Nolan's voice was calm.
"You wanted to break me," he said.
Marcus laughed weakly.
"I did."
Nolan leaned in.
"You only taught me one thing."
Marcus looked up.
"What?"
Nolan's finger tightened.
"How to end you."