20:15 - The Narrow Alley
In a dimly lit alley, four figures stood facing each other. A light drizzle dampened the grimy asphalt, forming small puddles that reflected the glow of a flickering streetlamp. Their breaths were heavy, and the tension in the air was palpable. Gregor, his gaze sharp as a blade, took a step forward, closing in on Merlin.
"What do you mean, Merlin?" His voice was laced with menace, almost a growl. "You want to run from this? Save yourself?!"
Merlin held his silence for a moment, his eyes locked on Gregor. "No," he finally said. "We just need to lie low until things settle."
Gregor let out a cold, mirthless chuckle and turned to Alex. "I'm starting to think we can't trust him, Lex."
Alex exhaled, trying to maintain his composure. "Relax, Greg. He's just worried this whole thing might get exposed."
"Exposed?!" Gregor sneered. "Nothing gets exposed unless a coward opens his mouth."
Without warning, Gregor pulled out his gun, aiming it straight at Merlin. In an instant, Merlin drew his own weapon, pointing it right back at Gregor. Their breaths quickened, fingers poised on the trigger.
Alex raised his hands, stepping between them. "Whoa, whoa... hold on! Calm down, both of you! Think this through!"
Gregor's smirk remained as his finger tensed slightly against the trigger. "I have a feeling he's going to sell us out, Lex."
"You selfish bastard!" Merlin spat. "If anyone's likely to turn on us, it's you!"
Alex, his frustration mounting, barked, "Greg, lower your damn gun!"
Instead of obeying, Gregor swung his pistol toward Alex. "Or maybe it's you, Lex! Maybe you're the one who's been talking, the reason the commander is setting up a special investigation!"
From the shadows, Jhon, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "And according to my sources, you're part of that team, Lex."
Alex's eyes widened. "What the hell are you saying, Jhon?!"
Jhon's stare was icy. "I never thought you'd sink this low."
Alex reacted swiftly, drawing his gun and aiming it at Jhon. "You son of a bitch, Jhon! I'd never betray you!"
In an instant, Jhon raised his own weapon, leveling it at Alex. "Looks like the traitor has finally revealed himself."
BANG! BANG!
Two gunshots shattered the night. Alex fired at Jhon. Simultaneously, Merlin squeezed the trigger, hitting Gregor square in the chest. Gregor staggered, blood trickling from his lips before he crumpled to the ground. Jhon slumped against the damp alley wall, a fatal wound in his chest, but a ghost of a smile lingered on his lips.
"Scum like you won't last long," he whispered, voice fading.
Still panting, Merlin aimed his gun at Jhon's head. "You bastard."
Before he could pull the trigger, hurried footsteps echoed through the alley. Someone emerged from the darkness, crouched beside Jhon, and retrieved something from his grasp. The figure vanished into the shadows before Merlin could react.
"Shit!" Merlin hissed. "Someone else was here!"
Alex grabbed Merlin's arm. "We need to go! Now!"
They sprinted out of the alley, slipping into a car. The engine roared to life, and within moments, they were speeding toward headquarters.
At headquarters, Merlin immediately powered on a computer, hacking into the city's security system. His fingers flew across the keyboard, his eyes scanning the screen. "We need to find out who that was," he muttered.
Alex stood behind him, arms crossed. "What did Jhon give them?"
"I don't know, Lex... but we're about to find out."
A few minutes later, Merlin pulled up surveillance footage from around the alley. He fast-forwarded through the feed, searching for clues. The screen displayed a woman waiting at the alley entrance. Moments later, a man rushed out, clutching something in his hands.
"Who are they?" Alex whispered.
Merlin enhanced the image, running a facial recognition scan through the police database. The system processed for a few seconds before two profiles appeared on the screen.
Thomas and Maya.
Alex's eyes widened as he skimmed the results. "Shit, Merlin... Thomas's address is missing, but we have Maya's full location."
Merlin slammed the laptop shut. "We need to move, Lex."
Without hesitation, they stormed out of headquarters, jumped into their car, and sped off toward Maya's apartment.