Adam's eyes snapped open. He was back in Sophia's bed. The familiar sight brought a wave of cold dread. He was trapped in this loop, a prisoner in this small sunlit room.
He couldn't understand how to neutralize the three assassins. He couldn't figure out a way to keep Sophia's family safe. He had tried a direct assault. He had tried a surprise attack. Both had ended in his swift and brutal death.
He sat up in the bed, his mind racing. He replayed the last loop, the image of the knife clattering harmlessly off the assassin's chest. They were professionals. They were prepared. They were wearing body armor. A frontal assault was suicide.
Then, a new thought, a different approach, began to form in his mind. A small, cold smile touched his lips. "I keep making the same mistake," he whispered to himself, his voice a low murmur in the quiet room. "I keep thinking about how to neutralize all three of them. But I only need to focus on one."
