Aiden Knight's POV
The taxi drops me three blocks from the Finch family villa. I can see the problem before I even round the corner—military-style vehicles creating a perimeter, men in tactical gear positioned at every entrance. This isn't a simple kidnapping. This is a siege.
My phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number: Isabella Reed says you need a way in. Meet at the service entrance in five minutes.
Isabella Reed. The mysterious contact who's helped me navigate Jiangnan's underground networks. I pocket the phone and circle around to the back of the compound.
A woman in dark clothing emerges from the shadows near the service gate. Late thirties, professional bearing, the kind of person who moves through dangerous situations without leaving ripples.
"You're late," she says without preamble.
"Traffic was murder."
She produces a security badge and swipes it against the electronic lock. The gate clicks open with barely a whisper.
