The door closed behind us, and Lukas started walking fast, his steps echoing in the empty hallway. I had to almost run to keep up, my boots tapping against the floor.
"Where are we going?" I asked, but he didn't answer. His face was tight, his jaw set like stone.
We reached the street. Rain poured down, cold and sharp, soaking my hair in seconds. A sleek black car rolled up to the curb. The driver stepped out, opened the back door, and gave Lukas a small nod.
"Inside," Lukas said, not looking at me.
I hesitated for a moment but slid into the car. The leather seats were warm, and the air smelled faintly of coffee and something expensive—probably Lukas's cologne.
He got in beside me and spoke quickly into his phone. "I'm on my way. Make sure everything is ready." His voice was low but firm, the kind that didn't leave space for questions.
The city blurred past the window. Berlin at night was glowing with neon signs and wet streets, but instead of feeling alive, it felt… dangerous.
"You're scaring me," I said softly.
"You should be scared," he replied without looking at me.
The car stopped in front of a tall glass building that seemed to touch the clouds. It was sleek, shiny, and intimidating—the kind of place where powerful decisions were made.
We stepped inside. The lobby was all marble floors and gold lighting, with people in suits moving like they were late for something important. No one looked at me, but I could feel their eyes.
The elevator ride was silent except for the soft hum of the machine. My reflection stared back at me from the mirrored walls, and I barely recognized the girl in front of me—wet hair, pale skin, and eyes full of questions.
When the doors opened, I stepped into a huge office with glass walls on all sides. The city glittered below us like a million tiny stars.
"This is your office?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"It's one of them," Lukas said, taking off his jacket and placing it on a chair. He walked to his desk, pressed a button, and the glass walls instantly turned dark, shutting out the view.
I swallowed. "Okay… now can you tell me what's going on?"
He turned, his eyes locking on mine. "No," he said. "Now I can tell you what trouble you're really in."