- SHADOWS

nt felt unu

chaos started. She thought it would be safe, a temporary reprieve from the constant shadows and threats. But

ense alert. The faint hum of the refrigerator, the distant sounds of tra

e last encounter at the pier, the figure in the fog, and the chilling words that threatened Donovan. She

gain. A text from

of time. They're clo

words weren't just a wa

of clothes, and a few basic supplies. She had learned early on that in her situation

a deep breath. I ca

the faintest clic

art st

d-wait. A click. The sound

instinct screamed danger. She grabbed a heavy umbrella

rve in her body screamed to run, but she knew the

louder this time. Some

through the crack of the doo

. "Who is it?" she demanded, t

scraping sound, like a

y calm. She needed to think, to act. She co

r, escape through the fire exit, or-if it came to it-fight.

peared beneath the crack at the bott

ve fo

ley below was dark, deserted. If she timed it right, she could make the j

or. The lock clicked again. Som

the umbrella. She moved toward the fire escape,

hole in the door. They w

raced. Now

bit into her fingers. She inched her way down, careful not to make a sound.

r behind her burst open. Footst

houted, authoritative,

d. They knew her.

pe and into the alley. Shadows stretched along the walls

uscle ached. But she didn

e shadows. Her fingers clutched the flash drive, the s

ley, she saw a figure approachi

ld her

e stopped. Pul

ood ra

one who had sent the chilling texts, t

"You really shoul

umbrella like a lifeline. "Why are

p closer, shadows flickering across his face. "To he

ouldn't read him. Couldn't

d it-a low hu

mehow... it was sig

ey had a tracker. Someo

hispered, p

e dim alley. "Oh, you're cle

taying put was not an option. S

sters and crates, desperate to throw off whoever was following her. The

ay leading to a construction site. Dust and debris littere

rolling to avoid a

eping over the obstacle course she had entere

nough," he

her breath. The construction site was dark, sprawling, and chaotic

he site. Another figure. Someone she didn't recogn

nded. There's no safe place. No

e had survived so far-barely-but every step f

d of the site. Footsteps pound

head sn

ore figures emerging-fast, pr

ming for me. They won't stop un

ng every second counted. But a cold, deliberat

.. you can't

weaving through the labyrinth of

-footste

ffolding. And they were com

ame in ragged gasps. The flash drive

as tr

, a figure dropped silentl

blood r

adows swallowed its form, but she could see the outline-a man, tall, broad

ery instinct screamed to run, to fight, to dis

said, voice low, almost casual, yet edged w

dry. Her mind was a frantic storm of fear, str

cho across the empty construction site. "I've bee

need a plan. I can't get caught. Not

g her voice steady, "I do

off his sharp features. "You want survival. But surv

wed hard. "

help you survive. Refuse... and, well... you've alre

reamed: Don't trust him. He's par

ite meant risking injury-or worse, being cornered. Fighting

he flash drive. It's all

tation. "Decide quickly," he said. "Time

ic click echoed-a sound she immediately recognized. Mercenaries. Som

dropped. They w

no choice. She ha

umber and concrete blocks. He moved with her, surprisingly fast, but didn't str

om a beam, landing just ahead of her path. Kira's hear

pressed against her pocket, a weight heavier than any

lded, his gaze calm and unyielding. "You're

the open side of the site, the crates of materials stac

andoned near a pile of metal rods. An idea

ward the man's legs. He stumbled slightly, not enough

ction site where the ground sloped toward a half-built loading do

felt like running through fire

ng up to a maintenance catwalk above. She leaped, fingers

r the scraping of boots against concrete,

y along it, the flash drive pressing into her chest like a lifeline

ther figure-tall, broad, the same ma

lse surged. There'

ing won't help," he said

, she grabbed a loose piece of pipe fr

can't fight me, Kira.

from below. Footsteps pounded across the sca

ped down. And he

no

died, but alive. His eyes locked on hers, and

Behind him, more figures emerged, all

intly. "Ah... so your friend has ar

nd fled, dodged death at every turn-but now, the sta

ve. Donovan's presence gave her hop

shadows below. Kira barely dodged,

de, almost teasingly. "Go ahead. Ta

tested. Pushed. Manipulated. The empire, the mercenaries, this s

ght, the city seemed to hold its

aced. Survival was no longer enough. She had to fight. She

ep breath, he

ws above, a faint me

omach

st from the men surrounding her-it was something far closer.

ng shook bene

e she cou

kway co

ling as she and Donovan plun