chapter 5: The man in the shadows

The warehouse loomed like a corpse in the foggy dawn, its metal siding rusted through, doors hanging like broken limbs. Vin parked their car two blocks away, insisting they walk the last stretch on foot. Kiran's heart pounded with every step.

Inside, shadows swallowed them whole. Broken glass crunched beneath their boots as they swept their flashlights across graffiti-covered walls. A cold draft blew through the cavernous space, carrying the faint stench of burnt rubber and stale coffee.

"Someone's been here recently," Vin whispered, kneeling to pick up a cigarette butt still warm at its tip.

Kiran scanned the darkness, fear and adrenaline sharpening her senses. They found an office tucked behind a rusted metal door, its walls lined with dust-covered file cabinets. But the desk was another story it was cleared of dust, the surface covered in papers and maps. She leaned closer. Red circles marked addresses she recognized: the club where she'd last seen Mary, the motel she'd stayed in during her investigation, even Kiran's own apartment.

Her breath hitched. "They were watching her… and me."

Vin's face hardened. "This is bigger than either of us thought. We need to get this evidence out now."

A floorboard creaked behind them.

Kiran spun, flashlight beam slicing through the gloom — landing on a man emerging from the shadows. He looked like a ghost dragged through hell: hair disheveled, face bruised, dark eyes wild yet familiar.

"Clef," Kiran gasped.

He raised his hands slowly, showing he was unarmed. His voice came out low and hoarse. "You shouldn't have come here."

Vin drew his gun instantly, stepping protectively in front of Kiran. "Not another step!"

But Clef just stared at Kiran, pain flickering across his face. "They're coming. They know you're here."

Kiran stepped forward, heart warring with rage and heartbreak. "Did you kill her, Clef? Tell me the truth!"

His jaw clenched. "I tried to save her. I tried to get her out, but they were faster. They needed her dead because she got too close. And now they'll do the same to you."

Headlights flared through the warehouse's shattered windows. The rumble of engines grew louder as black SUVs skidded to a stop outside. Doors slammed. Shadows shifted beyond the walls.

Vin swore under his breath, grabbing Kiran's arm. "Time's up. We need to move."

Clef backed toward a dark stairwell. "This way if you want to live."

Vin hesitated, eyes flicking between Kiran and Clef. But Kiran's mind was already made up. "We don't have a choice," she whispered.

The first gunshots exploded through the warehouse doors, bullets sparking off metal beams. Vin fired back, covering them as they sprinted after Clef into a labyrinth of rotting corridors. They descended crumbling stairs into a maze of service tunnels, every step echoing with the chaos above.

Breathing ragged, Kiran stumbled but Clef caught her arm, steadying her. His grip was strong but gentle, his eyes fierce. "The Consortium didn't just kill Mary," he said, voice raw. "They're planning something much worse. And we're the only ones who can stop it."

A low rumble shook the tunnel. Dust rained from the ceiling as an explosion roared behind them — the warehouse collapsing in a thunderous roar of fire and smoke. The blast hurled them forward into darkness, sealing their path with a wall of twisted debris.

Silence fell, thick and suffocating. Kiran coughed, trying to see through the settling dust. Clef's hand found hers in the dark. Vin limped beside them, eyes blazing with fury.

Above them, the city stirred — unaware of the war now raging in its shadows.