Chapter 74: No one of Importance…John Doe?

Jordan smiled at the assembled teams. "You have three days. Make them count."

As the crowd began to disperse, I glanced at my so-called team, steeling myself for the challenge ahead. Maeve was already shooting daggers at me with her eyes, and Tatiana looked as though she'd rather be anywhere else but here. My hand throbbed relentlessly, a painful reminder of how unprepared I was for what lay ahead.

"This is going to be hell," I muttered under my breath.

I decided to head back to my accommodation. The competition grounds were suffocating, and I needed to be alone, away from the judgmental glares and whispered words that followed me like a shadow.

The evening air was crisp, and the path to the small guesthouse I was staying in was lined with towering oak trees, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. It was quiet here, the faint hum of the city a distant echo.