Shadows in the Dark

Mia followed Cross out of the police station, her heart pounding. She didn't trust him not fully but he was her best option right now. The moment they stepped outside, the cold night air hit her, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Where are we going?" she asked as Cross led her to a sleek black SUV parked at the curb.

"Somewhere safe," he replied, opening the passenger door for her. "Get in."

Mia hesitated. She had no idea who this man really was. But staying here meant waiting for either the cops or the man who attacked her to show up again. Neither option was good.

She climbed in.

Cross shut the door and moved around to the driver's seat. He started the engine, pulling away from the station smoothly. The streets of Houston blurred past, the city alive with flickering lights and distant sirens. The hum of the tires on the road filled the silence between them.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Mia finally broke the silence. "Who killed Blackwell?"

Cross exhaled. "I don't know yet."

"You seemed to know a lot back at the station."

"That's my job." He shot her a glance. "And right now, my job is keeping you alive."

Mia clenched her fists in her lap. "Because of the locket?"

Cross nodded. "That locket is part of something bigger. Blackwell was involved in an operation twenty-five years ago. Something classified. Something dangerous."

Mia thought back to the date engraved on the locket. 07-15-1998.

"What happened that day?" she asked.

Cross tightened his grip on the wheel. "A cover-up."

Mia's stomach twisted. She wasn't just tangled in some crime, she was tangled in a secret people were willing to kill for.

Cross took a sharp left turn, speeding through a less crowded area of the city. The street lights flickered, casting eerie shadows over the cracked pavement. They passed an abandoned gas station, its windows shattered, graffiti sprayed across the walls. The neighborhood grew darker, quieter.

"We're almost there," Cross muttered.

"Almost where?" Mia asked, her unease growing.

Cross didn't answer immediately. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a phone, and dialed a number. "We're coming in. Be ready."

Mia tensed. Who was he talking to?

The SUV turned onto a quiet street lined with abandoned warehouses. Cross pulled into a narrow alleyway and shut off the engine.

"Why are we stopping here?"

"I need to make a call," Cross said, reaching for his phone again. "Stay put."

Mia nodded, but as soon as Cross stepped out, unease crawled up her spine.

Something wasn't right.

She glanced around. The alley was dark, the shadows stretching long under the dim streetlights. A flicker of movement caught her eye.

A figure. Watching them.

Mia's breath hitched. Her body tensed, instincts screaming at her to move. She reached for the door handle, but before she could react, the SUV's passenger door suddenly flew open.

A strong hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her out.

She screamed, kicking out, but the man was too strong. He slammed her against the cold brick wall of the alley, a gun pressing into her ribs.

"Where is it?"

Logan Pierce.

The same man who had attacked her in Blackwell's apartment.

Mia's pulse hammered. "I don't have it."

Pierce's eyes darkened. "Don't lie to me."

His grip tightened, bruising her arm. Mia struggled, panic rising. Her mind raced for an escape. She stomped down on his foot, but he barely flinched. He was stronger than her, and he knew it.

"You have no idea what you're caught up in," Pierce hissed. "Give me the locket, and I might let you walk away."

Mia clenched her teeth. "I don't have it."

Pierce exhaled sharply, frustration flashing across his face. He adjusted his grip, his hand moving toward her pocket. He was going to search for her.

Then a gunshot.

Pierce staggered back, clutching his shoulder. Blood seeped between his fingers as he cursed under his breath.

Cross stood a few feet away, gun raised, his expression ice-cold.

"Let her go," Cross ordered.

Pierce gritted his teeth, glaring at them both. Then, without a word, he turned and bolted into the darkness, disappearing between the buildings.

Cross rushed to Mia's side. "Are you okay?"

She swallowed hard, her legs shaking. "He won't stop coming after me, will he?"

Cross's expression was grim. "No. And next time, he won't miss."

Mia knew one thing for sure: whatever was hidden in Blackwell's past, whatever that locket meant it was worth killing for.

And now, she was right in the middle of it.

Cross pulled her toward the SUV. "We need to move."

Mia took a shaky breath, getting into the car. "Where are we going now?"

"To someone who can help."

Mia turned to face him, her pulse still unsteady. "Who?"

Cross met her gaze. "Someone who knew Blackwell. Someone who knows what happened in 1998."

Mia exhaled. Every step she took led her deeper into the unknown. But there was no turning back now.

As Cross started the car again, the feeling of being watched didn't fade. The dark alley loomed behind them like a hungry beast, and Mia couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone.

She looked out the window, scanning the shadows. A pair of headlights flickered to life a few blocks away. The car didn't move immediately, but something about it made her stomach tighten.

"Cross…"

"I see it," he murmured, checking the rearview mirror.

The vehicle behind them lurched forward, its headlights illuminating the alley. The engine roared as it picked up speed.

"They're following us."

Mia barely had time to react before Cross slammed his foot on the gas. The SUV shot forward, tires screeching against the pavement. The pursuing car gave chase, its engine roaring behind them.

Mia gripped the door handle. "Who the hell are these people?"

Cross's jaw tightened. "People who don't want you to find the truth."

The SUV weaved through the empty streets, running red lights, dodging obstacles. Mia's pulse pounded as she glanced back, the other car was gaining on them.

Gunshots rang out. The back windshield shattered.

Mia screamed, ducking down.

Cross cursed under his breath. "Hang on."

He yanked the wheel sharply, turning into a narrow alley between two buildings. The SUV barely squeezed through, metal screeching against the walls. The car behind them skidded to a halt, unable to follow.

Mia gasped for breath. "What now?"

Cross didn't answer immediately. He just kept driving, faster, deeper into the city's underbelly.

Mia clenched her fists. She had been running since this started.

But now, she needed answers. And she wasn't stopping until she got them.