đŻď¸ Verdale City â The Next Night
The city hadn't slept. Sirens still echoed through the distant streets. News outlets buzzed about the fire at Crawford Manor â "Electrical Malfunction," they claimed. "Accident," they reported.
Lies.
The truth slithered in the spaces between headlines... just like her.
Perched on the rooftop opposite the burning skeleton of the once-mighty Crawford Manor, Liana Morgan watched the embers glow, smirking behind her mask. One down. Six to go.
Her earpiece crackled. A voiceâmechanical, distortedâspoke.
"Target confirmed. Daniel sighted. Sector Nine. Crawford wasn't lying after all."
Her pulse didn't rise. Not yet.
"Copy that," she whispered, slipping into the shadows. "Eyes on him. Don't lose track. I'm coming."
---
đˇď¸ Sector Nine â Industrial District
If Crawford's mansion oozed wealth, Sector Nine was the graveyard where power buried its sins. Rusted warehouses. Flickering neon signs. The smell of oil, blood... and secrets.
A black SUV idled by the entrance of an abandoned textile factory. Two armed men stood guard, scanning the area like wolves guarding something... or someone.
Daniel.
The name alone was a blade against her chest. The man who had once held her hand, whispered promises of forever... and then signed her death warrant.
She steadied her breathing. This wasn't about emotions. Not now. Not yet.
Sliding down the fire escape, Liana landed without a sound. Her gloved fingers tightened around the hilt of her combat knife.
A flash of lightning split the sky â no rain this time. Only the storm inside her.
---
âď¸ Elimination
The first guard yawned, turning his back for a second.
A whisper. A shadow.
The blade kissed his throat. No sound. Only a gurgle before he collapsed.
The second caught movementâ"Hey, what theâ"
Too late. A flash of silver. His knee shattered under her kick, his gun flew. She caught it midair, flipped it, and pressed the muzzle to his temple.
"P-please... please..." he stammered, hands trembling.
Liana tilted her head, voice cold as steel.
"Wrong place. Wrong side."
Click.
Silencer. One shot.
He slumped without a scream.
---
đ Inside the Beast's Den
She slipped into the building like a phantom. Her eyes adjusted quicklyâdim emergency lights revealed corridors lined with crates, shadows, and memories she thought were buried.
Footsteps. Voices.
Two men passed, chatting casually.
"Boss says we're moving the shipment tonight. Doesn't want anyone sniffing around."
"Yeah... after what happened to Crawford? The boss is jumpy."
Liana's lips curved into a cruel smile. Good. Let him be afraid.
She slid past them, hugging the wall. Her boots made no sound. Aheadâa staircase leading to the upper offices.
That's where he would be.
Daniel.
---
𩸠Face to Face â Or Not Yet
The door to the office was ajar. Light spilled out.
She approachedâslow, calculating. Her fingers hovered over the handle.
Then... voices.
Not just Daniel.
A third figure. Male. Familiar... too familiar.
She froze. Heart. Stopped.
That voice... no. It couldn't be.
"It's done," Daniel's smooth, venomous voice declared. "Crawford's out. Like we planned."
The other man chuckledâa deep, raspy sound. "About time. The others are getting nervous."
"Nervous?" Daniel scoffed. "They should be. Someone's cleaning house. And if we're not careful..."
A pause.
"...we'll be next."
Her grip tightened. Fingers tremblingânot with fear, but with rage... and something worse.
Because that voice... belonged to someone who was supposed to be dead.
Eli.
Her brother.
---
đ Shattered Truths
She stumbled back, nearly gasping.
No. No, this couldn't be. Eli died. Five years ago. She buried himâor what was left of him. They told her he was tortured, executed. A message.
A trap.
Her head spun, reality cracking like glass.
Eli. Alive. Working with Daniel.
Why? HOW?
---
đ¨ Alarms. Tripped.
A motion sensor blinkedâtiny, almost invisible. Her boot must've grazed it.
Suddenlyâred lights. Sirens. Footsteps. Chaos.
"Someone's here!" a guard shouted.
"Find them!" Daniel barked. "NOW!"
Liana cursed under her breath, pivoting toward the nearest window. Two guards rounded the cornerâguns raised.
BANG. BANG.
She dove, rolled, fired. Two down.
Bullets shredded the air behind her. She lunged forward, burst through the windowâglass rained like deadly confetti.
A hard roll onto the rooftop below. Pain bloomed in her ribs but she kept moving. Adrenaline overrode agony.
---
đŁ The Chase
Spotlights scanned the rooftops.
"There! On the west side!"
Gunfire exploded. She ducked, sprinting, vaulting over pipes and barriers.
She tapped her earpiece. "Echo, extraction point. Now."
"Already en route," the distorted voice replied. "East alley, ninety seconds."
"Make it sixty."
---
đĽ Final Move â For Now
A grappling hook shot from her wrist rig, catching a ledge. She swung across as bullets peppered the wall behind her.
Landing hard, she tumbled into the alley just as a matte-black motorcycle screeched to a stop.
Echoâher only ally. Faceless. Silent. Reliable.
She mounted. "Go. GO!"
Tires screamed. They vanished into the neon-lit chaos of Verdale's streets.
---
đŞď¸ Epilogue Scene â Temporary Calm, Rising Storm
Back at her safehouse, Liana tore off her gear, pacing like a caged animal.
Eli. Alive. Working with Daniel.
Her hands shookânot from fear... but confusion. Betrayal. Again.
Her phone buzzed. A message. Unknown number.
A single line of text:
> "If you want answers... meet me. Midnight. Old train station."
"Come alone."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Careful..." she whispered to herself, loading her pistol.
"Careful what you wish for."
Because the shadows never lie...
But they don't always tell the whole truth.
---
âď¸ End of Chapter Two
𩸠Next Chapter Preview:
Is Eli truly an enemy? Or has everything Liana believed been a carefully constructed lie? The deeper she digs, the more dangerous the game becomes... and not everyone will make it out alive.