The ambush hit like a storm. Shots cracked through the brittle silence of the record shop. Selene dove behind a pile of broken crates as Calder fired back, taking down two figures clad in black tactical gear.
"We've been compromised!" Calder shouted, ducking low.
Selene's fingers flew over the keypad, decrypting the data chip as the sounds of pursuit grew louder outside.
"Got it!" she said. The screen revealed schematics of Harrow's headquarters, marked with red zones and a list of names—some familiar, others terrifyingly unknown.
"They're not just targeting me," Selene said grimly. "They're targeting all of us."
Calder nodded, eyes scanning the cracked window. "Time to move."
They slipped out the back, disappearing into the misty maze of alleyways. Every step was a calculated risk, every corner a potential death trap.
Meanwhile — The Lazarus Compound
Lina crept through sterile corridors, her body weak but fueled by determination. Guards patrolled in shifts, unaware of the missing prisoner slipping past their eyes.
She clutched the torn fabric tighter, feeling Selene's presence like a beacon.
Just as an alarm began to blare, Lina slipped through a side exit, vanishing into the night.
Her mission was clear: find Selene. Find the truth.
Back in the city's underbelly, Selene paused on a rooftop, the city lights flickering below like distant stars.
Calder approached quietly. "We have allies inside Harrow. But they're scared."
Selene's gaze hardened. "Fear is a weapon. We'll turn it against them."
A figure appeared from the shadows—a courier with a sealed envelope.
Selene took it and opened the note inside.
"The past isn't dead. It's waiting. Midnight. Old docks."
She looked up, eyes sharp.
"The next move's on us."