In trouble

Henry and Noel sped through the city streets, the tires of the borrowed car screeching with every sharp turn. The thick air of anxiety weighed heavily inside the vehicle, their clammy hands gripping the steering wheel and door handle.

They had wanted to give Sky space after what happened earlier, but then the call had come—frantic and breathless—from an acquaintance. "Is Sato okay? I saw him speeding like a madman on Palmers Road," the guy had said.

Henry's face went pale. They both knew where that road led—Mei's apartment.

Without wasting a second, they headed there, the knot of dread tightening with every mile. When they arrived, the street was eerily quiet, Mei's studio dark. Sky's truck was parked haphazardly by the curb, a clear sign that something was wrong.

They rushed to the door, ringing the bell repeatedly, panic mounting with every unanswered buzz.

"He's in there," Henry muttered, jaw clenched.