Lisa knew one simple truth. By watching what a family ate, she could see how rich they really were. She carried a worn little notebook in her pocket. She marked down every house, the number of people inside, and the food on their tables. The work moved smooth, maybe too smooth. Then her eyes froze on a face she knew. Her breath caught in her throat. "Wait ... that's Frederick, the movie star. And the woman with him is ... " Her lips curled into a sly grin. "Well, I'll be damned. Wilona. I can't believe those two are together." She whispered as she lingered by the window, her eyes bright with mischief as she watched. Joe pressed his small face against the iron gate, his voice soft with curiosity. "Mom, why are you standing there so long? What's happening?" Lisa spun, pressed a finger to her lips, and gave him a sharp look. She stepped back, her feet soundless on the ground. Her voice came quick, playful yet firm. "Not for kids. Don't ask." Joe blinked in confusion. "What does that mean?" Lisa cleared her throat, her eyes steady. "You don't need to know." She crouched low, her body ready to leap for the next house. But trouble found her. Her boots thudded against the ground as she landed inside the yard. Before she could pull her wire back, a shrill voice ripped through the fog. "Intruder detected! Intruder detected!"The mechanical cry rang out again and again. It echoed across the silent neighborhood. Lisa's heart lurched. Her eyes widened with shock. The air hissed. Arrows whistled from every side, cutting the fog. Shadows blurred around her. Arrowheads rained from all directions. She yanked the steel wire and scrambled up the wall. Her body moved fast, but an arrow still cut into her arm. Her voice broke out in fury. "Damn it!" Her jaw clenched as she hissed the words through her teeth. "What kind of hell is this? Sensors, alarms, arrows?" Arrows struck stone around her. They came in bursts from every side. If she had been slower, her body would have been torn apart. She threw herself over the wall, hit the ground hard, and did not stop. She scooped Joe into her arms and bolted. This house was too dangerous. They were weak and alone. Fighting here meant certain death. Inside, Olivia sat with her radio. She was chatting with Natalie when the alarm shattered the quiet. For a month, Harold had been building traps and defenses around their new place. Layer after layer of strange devices. She never thought they would come into use so fast. Natalie's voice crackled through static. "What's going on? What is that noise?" Olivia rushed to the window, her eyes narrowing. "Someone triggered the trap." From her high vantage point, she saw a masked woman vault over the wall. The figure vanished into the fog."It's a woman—she ran off toward your side." A frown creased her forehead. Natalie's voice turned low, tense. "Are you safe?" Olivia pressed the button, her tone sharp. "We're fine. The alarm scared her. She was holding something, but she moved too quick. The fog was too thick. I couldn't see." They spoke a little more before the radio went silent. Olivia hurried downstairs. Harold and Ghania were already in the yard, their eyes sweeping the ground. "I saw her," Olivia said. "It was a woman. She wore a mask. I couldn't see her face." Harold bent down, picked up an arrow, and examined the blood-stained tip. Fresh blood stained the steel. His lips twisted. "Doesn't matter. She's already bleeding." Far away, Lisa ran until her chest burned and her breath scraped her throat raw. Only when silence pressed around them did she stop. She gasped, dragged air into her lungs, and pulled out her notebook. She scribbled fast: Villa 5, traps inside. She closed it, but her eyes dropped to her arm. The wound leaked thick blood. It was black. Her stomach went cold. She pressed her fingers hard against the flesh. She squeezed until the black blood welled out in heavy drops. Her face tightened with dread. The arrow had been poisoned. Her blood was wrong. Her arm was numb. She had dug deep into the skin and still felt no pain. That was worse than the wound itself. She had underestimated this place. Greenhaven Mountain was full of clever killers. If her luck had slipped, she would already be dead. Her teeth ground together. She pulled a knife from her pack. Her voice came sharp and quick. "Joe, give me the lighter." Joe's eyes widened as he stared at the black blood sliding down her arm. His face went pale. But he did as he was told. He dug the lighter out of his pocket and placed it in her hand with care. Lisa flicked the flame alive. The fire glowed against the steel as she heated the blade. When it gleamed faint, she tossed the lighter back to him. She raised the knife toward her wound. Joe's voice cracked. "Mom, what are you doing?" Lisa's eyes burned as she stared down at her arm. Her voice was low, steady, and fierce. "Son, listen to me. This is important. When it's time to cut, you cut. You don't stall. You don't let poison take over." She drew a deep breath. "Watch closely." Her hand drove the knife into her own arm. She carved away the poisoned flesh without hesitation. Joe's scream pierced the fog. "Mom!" Lisa's teeth tore into her lip. Sweat poured down her face. Her jaw locked tight as she held in her cries. Her body shook, but her eyes burned with fire. She would not give the poison another inch.