A Shadow Looming

The sleek black sedan sat idle in the secluded alleyway, its tinted windows obscuring the figure within from prying eyes. Isabella's gaze was fixed on the world beyond the glass, her lips curled into a small, sinister smirk.

For over two hours, she had remained in this very spot, her patience unwavering as she awaited the arrival of her mysterious contact. To any passerby, she was simply a woman biding her time, perhaps waiting for a lover's rendezvous or a clandestine business transaction.

Yet, the truth was far more insidious.

A soft rap on the window shattered the silence, and Isabella's hand moved instinctively, her fingers grazing the edge of the glass as she cracked it open ever so slightly. A young man's face appeared, his features obscured by the shadows of the alleyway, and he extended his hand, a small USB drive resting in his upturned palm.