The Chase

Lena didn't move.

She stood frozen on the platform, her breath shallow, her eyes locked on the spot where Noah had just been. He had disappeared in seconds—like he knew exactly where to go, how to vanish into the night.

But she wasn't alone.

Something—or someone—was out there. Watching.

She could feel it.

Her fingers curled into fists as she forced herself to turn around. The train station was silent, the night thick with shadows, but her instincts screamed that she wasn't safe.

She scanned the platform, her eyes darting between the rusted benches, the boarded-up ticket booth, the overgrown tracks. The flicker of movement she had seen a moment ago—was it just her imagination?

No.

A soft crunch broke the silence.

A footstep.

Lena's pulse slammed against her ribs. She took a step back, her sneakers scuffing against the pavement.

Another sound. Closer this time.

She wasn't imagining it.

Someone was there.

Her legs moved before her brain could catch up. She turned and ran.

The wind rushed past her as she sprinted off the platform, her heart hammering. She didn't look back. She couldn't.

The street was empty—too empty. The small town had always been quiet at night, but now it felt unnatural, like everything had gone still. Like the world was waiting for something to happen.

She darted into an alley between two buildings, pressing herself against the wall, her breaths coming fast and uneven.

Silence.

For a moment, she thought maybe she'd lost them. Maybe she had imagined it all.

Then—another sound.

Closer.

Lena's stomach twisted. She needed to move. Now.

She slipped out of the alley and took off down the next street. She didn't know where she was going—her house was too far, and she couldn't lead whoever this was back there anyway.

Her mind raced through her options. Noah had told her to leave. Had he meant the train station, or something more?

What had he said? If you got the letter, they know about you.

Who were they?

Lena pushed the thought aside and focused on running. Her lungs burned, her legs ached, but she kept going.

Then—headlights.

A black car rolled slowly onto the street ahead, its engine a low hum against the silence.

Lena skidded to a stop.

The car wasn't speeding toward her. It wasn't honking or swerving like a regular driver would if they saw a girl running in the middle of the road.

No.

It was waiting.

A trap.

Her blood ran cold.

Before she could react, the back door of the car swung open.

Lena didn't wait to see who was inside. She turned and bolted down another alley, her feet pounding against the pavement.

The car didn't follow. But she knew—whoever was inside didn't need to chase her. They were hunting her in a different way.

She needed to disappear.

She needed help.

One name flashed through her mind.

Noah.

She didn't know who he was. She didn't trust him.

But right now?

He was the only person who knew what was going on.

And she had to find him.

Before they found her first.