We burst through the automatic garage doors before they were fully open, the metal scraping loudly against the roof of the SUV.

The blizzard hit us like a physical blow.

The windshield wiped instantly with heavy, wet snow, blocking almost all vision.

Luca turned the headlights off, navigating by the dim red glow of the dashboard.

We bounced violently over the curb, avoiding the driveway where the two rival vehicles were parked.

Through the snow, I saw the flashing muzzle flares from the front windows of the estate.

The house looked like a dying beast, bleeding light and fire into the white storm.

“Where are we going?” I asked, clutching the door handle as the vehicle skidded on the icy road.

“A place Marcus doesn’t use anymore,” Luca said, his hands white on the steering wheel. “A cabin near the lake.”

“He’ll find us,” I said, staring at the dark treeline passing by.

“He won’t look there,” Luca replied, squinting through the swirling white. “Not with everything else he’s facing.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, turning to look at his profile in the dark.