Chapter 64 Meeting Mother

• Arkan stood in front of an old wooden house that sat quietly on the edge of the forest, far from the bustle of the city, the location Wilhelmina had sent exactly as promised. In his pocket, a small tracking device was neatly hidden, signaling Captain Yusuf's team, who were waiting at a safe distance, far enough not to be detected yet close enough to move in seconds if the situation turned dangerous.
• He drew a long breath, gathering the courage he so desperately needed before finally stepping up onto the wooden porch that creaked beneath his feet. The cold night wind rustled through the trees around him, creating a haunting whisper in the middle of the isolation of this remote forest. The door opened before he had a chance to knock, revealing a dimly lit hallway so similar to the old house where Rania had first met Wilhelmina a few days ago.
• "Come in, Arkan," the voice sounded from inside, weaker than he remembered over the phone, as if the illness the woman had mentioned was indeed real and had eaten away at her this far.