Av

ace unreadable, as the shadows of the alley enveloped him. His hand lingered on my shoulder, and for the first time since our paths

mind, but one thing was clear: my employers, the ones I had loyally served for years and who had once confided in me

n trust. I was barely clinging to my own survival, and if th

lp," I managed to say, my

g eyes locked onto mine.

e had his own agenda. The worst part was that I had no idea what it was, and being t

llingly. Because your precious employers-" he spat the words with contempt, "-are still hunting fo

was trapped. Again. Different cage, different

ach a reminder of the hell I had just endured. I could run. Right now. The door wa

t in this alone. I have my contacts. They'll help us. But for now..." He paus

'd made over the years were closing in, and Victor was the only one

" I said throug

ce. "Good." He stepped back and gestured toward the alley's exit, where the streetlights cast long shado

ion he mentioned-whatever it entailed-was my chance to survive another day. But it

he kind of man who thrived in darkness. And whether I liked

through my mind. I leaned back in the leather seat, my gaze fixed on the streaks of city lights, trying to piece together everything that h

ce together everything. I needed a plan- but first, I needed answers. We turned off the main road, navi

lack-tinted windows, softly illuminated by the streetlights. It

ow him. I paused for just a moment. There was an absence of life around us, yet the place

d us up several floors. The ride felt like a gradual plunge into a new reality, wh

ng view of the city below. The space was minimal yet sophisticated-soft lighting, luxurious leather furniture, and exquisite art ad

," Victor said, his tone calm. "It

e to stay?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. I wasn't accustomed

ving nothing away. "For now, you're safe. Rest

f the skyline that made the outside world feel distant. The bed looke

me the room. He mentioned he'd retu

ant by the mission, but one thing was clear-if I didn't play along, I might not survive this. I had no a

opened it, a man in a black suit stood there, holdin

flatly, placing th

I wasn't hungry. I wasn

other word, his footsteps

m it. This wasn't the world I once knew. I felt trapped, ensconced in velvet, uncert

y undetectable-drifted through the hallway, but it wasn't footste

. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as

ing to breathe. Just as I reached for the handle, the so

esting on the door,

th

re. No footste

le hum of the

like a weight. But then- just as my eyes began to close- th