Arron_Alderson

In the shadow-soaked alleys of a city where memories are both currency and weapon, burned-out detective Maxwell Hartwell is known for his unique immunity to memory extraction, a trait that marks him as both an asset and an outcast. When enigmatic Elena Voss approaches him to investigate the murder of Victor Kane, a top memory trader renowned for his ruthless ambition, Max is drawn into a web of deceit that permeates the highest echelons of society.

Max's investigation leads him deep into the underbelly of the memory trade, where human experiences are bought and sold to the highest bidder, altering personalities and histories at will. As he navigates this dangerous landscape, he's forced to contend with his former partner, Detective Sarah Lim, who walks a thin line between law enforcement and moral compromise. Throughout his journey, Max is aided by the Archivist, a secretive figure who trades in illicit memories, providing Max with information that cannot be obtained by conventional means.

As Max delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a disturbing truth: Victor Kane's death is merely the surface of a much larger conspiracy that threatens to topple the precarious balance of power within the city. His investigation reveals a sinister plot to control the memory market, orchestrated by figures that blur the line between friend and foe.

Haunted by fragments of his own inaccessible past, Max must navigate through layers of betrayal and manipulation, confronting painful truths about himself and those he once trusted. The closer he gets to solving the murder, the more entangled he becomes in a struggle for power that will define the future of memory itself.

With the city on the brink of chaos, Max is faced with a choice that will not only determine his own fate but also the fate of a society where memories can be rewritten at will. As alliances shift and secrets are unearthed, Max must decide whether to continue protecting a world that has forsaken him or forge a new path that could lead to redemption—or ruin.

Neon Shadows - Memories of Sin

The dawn was a feeble glow on the horizon, but the city was still cloaked in darkness. Max Slade sat in his office, the harsh fluorescent light flickering above him, casting an intermittent strobe over the cluttered desk. The rain had stopped, leaving the streets slick and glistening like the scales of a snake. The battle had ended hours ago, but the aftermath lingered in the air, thick and suffocating.

Max poured himself a shot of bourbon, the amber liquid catching the light as it sloshed into the glass. He downed it in one gulp, feeling the burn all the way down to his soul. The knock on his door was soft but insistent, and he knew who it was before he even looked up.

"Come in, Viv," he said, his voice gravelly from smoke and exhaustion.

Vivian pushed open the door, her silhouette framed by the dim hallway light. She moved with a cat-like grace, her eyes sharper than broken glass. "You should get some rest, Max. You look like hell."

Chapter 223: Shadows and Smoke