Chapter 3: The Ghost in the Machine

The streets of the city were darker than usual tonight. Clouds hung low in the sky, blotting out the moon and leaving everything shrouded in an unnatural gloom. Darius's mind was clouded, too, by the weight of everything he had learned in the past few hours. He couldn't shake the gnawing sense of urgency, that time was slipping away faster than he could keep up. The organization was coming for him—and they had his daughter.

He glanced at Isla as she walked beside him, her movements precise but somehow tense. Her eyes darted around, constantly scanning for threats. She wasn't one to take risks lightly, but even she knew that they were venturing into dangerous territory.

The hacker she had promised to introduce him to wasn't someone he trusted, and the information she'd shared about him had been sparse at best. But right now, trust was a currency Darius couldn't afford to be picky about. He was willing to work with anyone if it meant getting closer to finding Evelyn.

"Do you trust this guy?" Darius asked, his voice low, his gaze fixed ahead.

Isla didn't look at him, but her expression hardened slightly. "No. But he's the best at what he does, and that's all that matters."

Darius let out a quiet laugh, the sound harsh and bitter. "Right. Because I haven't heard that line a hundred times before."

"I'm serious, Darius. He's… not like the others. He has a reputation for being impossible to catch, and he's never failed a job," Isla said, her tone guarded. "I wouldn't bring you here if I didn't think he was our best shot."

The streetlights flickered as they walked, casting erratic shadows across the cracked pavement. The further they went, the more the city felt like a distant memory. It wasn't long before they reached a narrow alley tucked between two towering buildings—an alley so out of place, it felt like it didn't belong in the city at all. There were no signs of life here, just the scent of stale air and the echo of footsteps against cold stone.

Isla led the way, and Darius followed without a word. He had no choice now but to trust her, though every instinct told him to remain vigilant.

At the end of the alley, a door stood half-open, the dim glow from inside spilling into the street. Isla knocked twice, a sharp, deliberate pattern, and the door creaked open just enough for a pair of eyes to peer out.

"Isla Rae," came the voice from the other side, smooth and unnervingly calm. "What a surprise."

Isla stepped forward, ignoring the voice's sarcastic tone. "Let us in, Quinn. We don't have time to waste."

There was a pause, followed by a quiet chuckle. "Always straight to the point, huh? Fine. Come in." The door opened fully, revealing a dimly lit room filled with old computer equipment, stacks of papers, and enough wires and screens to make any tech enthusiast salivate.

As Darius stepped into the room, his eyes scanned the clutter, taking in the sight of a man hunched over a terminal in the far corner. The hacker was nothing like he had expected. Quinn was thin, pale, his face covered in the faintest stubble, and his clothes looked like they hadn't seen a laundromat in months. His fingers danced across the keyboard with such speed that it seemed impossible for them to even follow the commands. But Darius had learned long ago not to judge a book by its cover.

"Quinn," Isla said, her voice businesslike. "We need your help."

The hacker barely looked up, his fingers continuing to move across the keys as he spoke. "Always a pleasure, Isla. Who's the guest?" His gaze flickered briefly over Darius before returning to the screen.

"This is Darius Thorne," Isla said. "He needs your expertise. We've got something… sensitive."

Darius felt Quinn's eyes land on him now, his expression unreadable. "Sensitive, huh? You sure know how to keep things interesting." He leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head as if he wasn't dealing with the most dangerous kind of people. "What's the job?"

Isla walked over to the desk, sliding the small data chip onto it. "This," she said. "We need you to decrypt it. Quickly."

Quinn's fingers paused over the keys as he eyed the chip, his lips curling into a thin smile. "Ah. So this is what the fuss is all about. The elusive data that everyone's after. Interesting." He didn't sound particularly impressed, but Darius knew better than to take that at face value. Hackers like Quinn thrived on chaos, and chaos was exactly what they were walking into.

"You can do it, right?" Darius asked, his patience wearing thin.

Quinn shrugged, spinning in his chair before pulling the data chip closer. "I could, sure. But it'll cost you."

Isla's expression didn't change, but Darius could sense the irritation bubbling under the surface. "We don't have time for games, Quinn."

Quinn raised an eyebrow, a smug look crossing his face. "I'm not playing a game, sweetheart. The job comes with a price. The information you're asking for... it's not just some random file. It's a gold mine. And I don't work for free."

Darius stepped forward, his voice cold. "I don't have time to barter. What do you want?"

Quinn looked at Darius for a long moment, his eyes assessing him like an object to be appraised. "I want access. To the organization. To their systems. The ones they think no one can get into. I want to know how they're controlling everything."

Darius clenched his jaw, the weight of Quinn's request sinking in. The hacker was asking for far more than just money—he was asking for something that could jeopardize everything. The organization's security was notorious, and if Quinn wanted to get his hands on that kind of access, it would mean crossing a line they might never come back from.

But they had no choice.

"You'll get your access," Darius said, his voice low but firm. "Now get to work."

Quinn grinned. "I like you, Darius. You don't waste time. Alright, then. Let's see what secrets you've got hidden in here."

As Quinn began typing furiously, the screens around the room flickered to life, filling the space with the hum of data being decrypted. Darius watched, his mind racing. Every second that passed felt like a countdown, and with each passing moment, he could almost feel the organization closing in on them.

But this was it—the first real lead. The next step. And if Darius was going to find Evelyn, it was a step he had no choice but to take.

End of Chapter 3