CHAPTER 28: THE CITY IS WATCHING
War doesn't begin with gunfire.
It begins when the entire city… begins looking in the same direction.
Blackhaven woke up earlier than usual.
Rumors spread faster than police cars.
Videos from Warehouse 9, though edited, still leaked out.
No one knew the whole story.
But everyone knew one thing:
Evelyn Sinclair was caught between three forces.
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In the penthouse of Eclipse Tower, the news screens scrolled continuously.
Underground sites, criminal forums, black market trading systems—they all mentioned the same name.
Diego leaned against the desk, scanning through the news headlines.
"They're betting."
Evelyn turned around: "Betting on what?"
"Betting on whose side you'll take."
She frowned: "Sounds like gambling."
Diego smirked: "In Blackhaven, everything is a gamble."
Viktor turned off the main screen.
"It doesn't matter what they think."
He turned to Evelyn:
"What matters is what V.S. wants them to think."
Evelyn stepped out onto the balcony.
The early morning breeze swept through the city like a thin layer of smoke.
She looked down at the cars below.
"He wants the whole city to watch me."
Diego stood by the railing, arms crossed:
"No. He wants the whole city to watch your decision."
Viktor stepped out behind them.
"And when you choose… one side will lose."
Evelyn turned back: "I already said. I'm not choosing anyone."
Diego looked straight into her eyes:
"Do you think war cares about that?"
An internal message popped up on Viktor's phone.
He read it, then slowly put the device down.
"There's a V.S. agent at the East Harbor."
Diego asked, "How many?"
"Enough to draw attention."
Evelyn looked at them both: "Is he stalling?"
Viktor nodded: "He wants us to move."
Diego added: "And when we move… he'll ask the next question."
Evelyn frowned: "What question?"
Diego looked at her for a long time.
"Who will you protect?"
At Silence.
The atmosphere grew heavy. Evelyn turned away first.
"I'm not the reason you two are fighting."
Viktor immediately replied: "No. But you are the reason we won't back down."
Diego chuckled softly: "This is Blackhaven, muñeca. No one gives up what they want."
She turned back: "I'm not what you want."
Diego looked at her, his gaze softening a rare hint:
"Exactly. You're something we don't want to lose."
The security doorbell rang.
A bodyguard appeared on the screen.
"Sir, there's a package. No sender's name."
Viktor frowned.
"Scanned?"
"Yes. No explosives."
Diego said, "But there's a message."
The box was brought into the room.
A small metal box.
Evelyn felt her heart race.
Viktor unlocked it.
Inside were only two things: an old key, and a card.
Diego picked up the card.
There was only one handwritten line:
"The room is still there."
Evelyn froze.
She recognized the key immediately.
The key to the room before Blackhaven.
Diego looked at her. "He wants you back there."
Viktor clenched his fist.
"No."
Evelyn breathed slowly.
"If I don't go… he'll drag the whole city into it."
Diego shook his head: "He'll do it whether you go or not."
Viktor stepped closer to her, his voice low:
"You don't need to go back there to prove anything."
Evelyn looked at the key.
Old memories flashed by like shadows.
"Perhaps I won't go back to prove anything."
Diego asked: "Then what for?"
She looked up:
"To close it… one last time."
The two men looked at her.
Viktor spoke first: "If you go, we'll go with you."
Evelyn shook her head immediately:
"No. If both of us go, he'll turn it into a battlefield."
"And you think if you go alone it won't be a battlefield?"
She smiled faintly.
"At least… then the war will be my business."
Viktor stepped closer.
"No." His voice was low and firm.
"Your story…is no longer just your story."
Diego placed his hand on the railing, looking down at the city:
"And whether you like it or not…you're caught between two people who don't know how to back down."
Evelyn sighed.
"I know."
In an old house on the edge of Blackhaven, V.S. stood before the iron door.
The old room.
He inserted the key into the lock.
But didn't open it.
He only whispered:
"Vee…I want to see if you've come back this time for memories…or for them."
Inside the room…a screen was on.
Displaying camera footage from the Eclipse Tower.