Chapter 2

Cassie clung to her seat as the van swerved wildly through Athens traffic. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins after the explosion at the subway station.

"Okay, Nikos. Start explaining. Who were those men back there?"

Nikos ran a hand through his dark hair. "A very dangerous organization called the Cronus Group. They've been seeking Atlantis for decades."

"How do you know about them?"

"My father was an archaeologist hunting for Atlantis too. When he got too close to the truth, Cronus had him killed." Nikos' jaw clenched. "I won't let them do the same to you."

Cassie shivered, thinking of the coordinates hidden in her pocket. The revelation that had brought her to Greece in the first place.

"So you think they're after the location?"

Nikos nodded grimly. "If Atlantis holds even a fraction of the power described in legends, it would be an incredible weapon if misused. We have to find it first."

He pounded the back of the driver's seat. "Faster, Yannis! We need to get off the grid."

The van veered down a narrow alleyway, sending Cassie sliding across the seat. She braced herself against the door.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can charter a boat undetected. Then, straight to the coordinates in the Aegean Sea." Nikos lowered his voice. "I know you don't have reason to fully trust me yet. But we need to work together on this."

Cassie took a deep breath. Her life had irrevocably changed the second she stepped off that escalator. All her training had led to this moment - on the brink of Atlantis' secrets.

She looked steadily at Nikos. "I'm with you. Let's find Atlantis before Cronus does."

The race for the Lost City was on.