Chapter 13

Crystal chandeliers glittered over a private estate on the outskirts of Bellarom in March. The air was heavy with expensive cigars and perfume. Guests spoke in hushed tones, and glasses clinked softly. Iris wore a black velvet evening gown. Her dark brown contact lenses and long, wavy hair concealed her identity. Her "item number" for the night was 47, which hung around her wrist. This was an underground auction, and the merchandise was humans. Iris stood in the corner of the display area, her gaze lowered as she played the role of a fallen noblewoman forced to sell herself following her family's ruin. Her identity had been meticulously crafted by the ICTF intelligence team, complete in every detail, down to the name of the cat she'd owned as a child. The target was expected to appear tonight. Vasily Ivanov was ostensibly a wine merchant. However, in reality, he was the third in command of Eastern Euravia's largest human trafficking ring. Iris had first heard his name six years