The chill of the night bit deeper as Selene faced Marrow on the cracked concrete of the docks. Rafe and Calder flanked her, tension thick enough to choke.
Marrow's gaze was unreadable, the storm in his eyes softened by something almost human—regret? Or something darker.
"You brought friends," he said, voice low.
Selene didn't flinch. "I'm not the only one who's tired of running."
Marrow's lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. "Then maybe it's time we stopped hiding."
Before anyone could react, Marrow stepped forward and produced a small data drive. "This is the key to everything. The truth about the Orchid Program, about Harrow, about us."
Rafe narrowed his eyes. "Why give it to us?"
Marrow's stare pierced Selene. "Because you deserve to know. Because I don't want to be the monster I was made to be."
Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by the crackle of radio static.
"Intruders detected," a voice warned. "Harrow operatives incoming. Lockdown initiated."
Selene grabbed the drive. "We need to move. Now."
As they slipped into the labyrinth of shipping containers, Selene's mind raced. The data on the drive could change everything—but only if they survived to uncover it.
Meanwhile, far from the docks...
Lina sat alone in a dimly lit room, her hands trembling as she sifted through old documents and faded photographs. Her past was unraveling—revealing connections she never expected.
A name kept appearing: Selene.
And a date—one that changed everything she thought she knew about her own identity.