Marc's POV
I used to think the smell of roasted coffee beans was the most intense thing I'd ever feel. The steady rhythm of café life…grinding beans, pouring lattes, exchanging polite smiles with strangers…was all I knew. It was safe. Predictable.
But ever since Melody came back into my life, everything's been different.
She hadn't told me everything yet. I could feel it in the way her eyes darted away when I asked too many questions. There was something behind her silence…something dark. Something she didn't want me to see.
I had just finished wiping down the counter when my phone buzzed. A message from her:
"Meet me at the old train lot. It's important."
My heart skipped a beat. That wasn't like her. We usually met at cafés or quiet streets, not abandoned train lots. But I went anyway. Because she was my sister. And because I couldn't shake the feeling that she needed me.
When I arrived, the air was cold and thick. The sky above was gray, like it was holding back a storm. I spotted her near one of the rusted train cars, her arms crossed, jacket zipped up to her chin.
"Melody," I called out.
She turned. Her face was pale, but her eyes… her eyes were fierce. Different from the Melody I remembered as a kid. This Melody looked like she'd been through battles inside and out.
"You came," she said.
"Of course I did. You said it was important."
She nodded and then glanced behind me. I turned and froze.
A man stepped out from the shadows. Dressed in black. Sharp eyes. Cold expression.
Marvis.
I recognized him from the party. He hadn't said much back then, but something about him stuck with me. The way everyone acted like he owned the room. Now, standing here with Melody, that feeling doubled.
"Marc," Melody said slowly, "I need to tell you something."
I looked between them. "What's going on?"
She hesitated, then took a breath. "I'm not who you think I am. Not anymore."
"What do you mean?"
Marvis stepped forward, his tone calm but guarded. "Your sister is involved in something dangerous. She's stronger than you know."
I stared at her, waiting for her to laugh and say this was some twisted joke. But she didn't. Instead, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a black folder. Inside were photos. Names. Weapons. Documents I didn't understand.
"This is the world I live in now," she said. "And I'm telling you because I trust you."
My mouth went dry. "You're working with… him?"
Marvis didn't flinch.
She shook her head. "Not with him. Not anymore. I did it for answers. For justice."
Everything started spinning in my mind. Café life. Quiet routines. Now gunshots, secret meetings, and shadows. My sister… living in a car. Dodging bullets.
"You could've told me," I whispered. "You didn't have to carry it alone."
"I didn't want to drag you into this."
I looked at Marvis again. Something in his eyes softened when he looked at her. And that made me more confused. Was he using her? Or protecting her?
Then I noticed it. Melody's fingers were trembling. She tried to hide it, but I saw. She was scared. Tired. And still fighting.
"You're not alone anymore," I said firmly. "I may not understand all this yet, but I'm here. I'm not leaving."
For a second, I thought she would cry. But instead, she smiled. Just a little.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Then, as if the moment wasn't intense enough, a sharp sound echoed through the lot. A car pulling up. Fast.
Melody's eyes snapped toward the entrance. "That's not him. That's not anyone I know."
Marvis's hand moved to his side. I didn't see a weapon, but I knew he had one.