Three weeks had passed since Santiago, Amara, and little Israel arrived in Italy.
Their new home was nestled in a quiet village in Tuscany—olive trees, cobblestone streets, and the scent of fresh bread every morning. Under their new identities, they were just another family trying to live in peace.
Santiago became "Marco Rinaldi," a history professor at the local university.
Amara took the name "Lucia," volunteering at a nearby animal shelter.
Israel, now attending kindergarten, was quickly learning Italian and making friends with her bright smile.
But even in peace, the past had its shadows.
Some nights, Santiago would sit by the window, looking up at the stars, wondering how Emma was doing, how the investigation back home was progressing. He missed the lab, the chase for truth, the purpose.
Amara, meanwhile, tried her best to adapt—but there were scars. The fear still crept in when she heard a knock at the door or when someone stared a little too long at the supermarket.
Still, they were healing.
And slowly, they began to live again.
One Sunday afternoon, while walking through the village square, Santiago noticed a small bookstore. Drawn in by instinct, he browsed through crime novels, only to find a familiar face on a magazine left on the counter.
Emma.
On the cover.
Headline: "Hero Forensic Resigns Amid Political Upheaval."
Santiago clenched the magazine.
Was she in danger? Why had she resigned?
Amara noticed his expression.
"You miss it, don't you?" she asked softly.
"Not just the work," he replied. "I miss the people I fought beside."
Amara looked away.
"Maybe the past isn't done with us yet," she whispered.
Back at home, Santiago found an envelope slipped under the door. No return address.
Inside: a photo of Emma…
Standing beside a man Santiago didn't recognize.
Behind them, in the shadows, a blurred figure holding a newspaper with today's date.
A message was scribbled on the back:
"Not everyone wants peace."