A Game of Shadows

Luca had played cat and mouse before.

But tonight—

Tonight, he wasn't the cat.

He was the target.

And Evelyn Cross was already closing in.

—

They moved fast, slipping through the alleyways. The city was alive with noise—honking cars, distant sirens, neon lights bleeding onto wet pavement.

But none of it mattered.

Because Evelyn was hunting.

And Luca could feel it.

Sofia stayed close, gun drawn. "We need an exit plan."

Henry spoke into the earpiece. "She's not working alone. I picked up a secondary signal. Someone's feeding her real-time movement."

Luca exhaled slowly. "Can you block it?"

Henry typed fast. "I can jam her feed, but it won't last long."

"Do it."

—

A few streets over, Evelyn paused.

The tracker on her screen blinked out.

Her jaw clenched. Smart.

She tucked the device away, adjusting the scope on her rifle.

It didn't matter.

She didn't need a tracker to find him.

She already knew exactly where he was going.

—

Luca and Sofia ducked into an abandoned warehouse.

No cameras. No windows. Just dust, concrete, and shadows.

Sofia exhaled. "You think she'll follow us in?"

Luca rolled his shoulders. "She won't have a choice."

Sofia arched a brow. "You sure about that?"

Luca's smile was sharp.

"She's a professional, yeah?"

Sofia nodded.

Luca cocked his gun.

"Then let's test her professionalism."

—

The warehouse was silent.

Too silent.

Then—

A soft click.

A bootstep on concrete.

Sofia tensed. "She's here."

Luca exhaled, slow.

The hunt was over.

Now, it was the kill.

—

A voice echoed through the dark.

"You're making this too easy, Luca."

Evelyn.

Smooth. Unshaken.

Luca smirked. "Thought I'd save you the trouble."

Another step. Closer.

"Brave," she said. "Or stupid."

Luca turned toward the sound. "Guess we'll find out."

—

Then—

Gunfire.

Sofia rolled into cover. Luca ducked low. Bullets tore through the air, sparks flashing against metal.

Evelyn moved like smoke, shifting between shadows.

Luca fired. Missed.

Sofia fired. Missed.

Evelyn was already gone.

Sofia swore. "She's playing with us."

Luca's grip tightened.

Then—

A whisper behind him.

Too slow.

A blade against his throat.

Evelyn's breath warm against his ear.

His own gun ripped from his hands.

Her voice, soft and certain—

"Game over."

—

Next Chapter: The Assassin's Choice – Luca is at Evelyn's mercy. But is she here to kill him… or something else?