[Jake's POV]
The Mediterranean Sea was pitch black, the water churning violently beneath the hull of the stealth Zodiac.
I crouched at the bow of the inflatable boat, the freezing saltwater spraying across my face. I was wearing a sleek, matte-black tactical assault suit, the heavy Kevlar corset strapped tightly around my ribs, compressing the torn stitches in my side. The pain was a constant, burning fire, a sharp, agonizing reminder of my own mortality. But I welcomed it. It kept me sharp. It kept me grounded in the brutal reality of the moment.
Darius was at the helm, guiding the Zodiac through the dark water with terrifying precision. The massive bodyguard looked like a demon rising from the depths, his eyes locked onto the target ahead.
