Sirens sounded in the distance, initially faint but increasingly louder, cutting through the tumult of the alley. The pursuers paused—just a moment too long. Kieran took advantage of this.
"Now!" he yelled.
They sprinted away.
Daniel's lungs ached as he followed Kieran through a tight passage barely wide enough for one person. Aisha stumbled, and Daniel grabbed her arm, urging her on as footsteps pounded behind them. A quick turn, a rusty gate, then darkness enveloped them.
They burst into an abandoned warehouse, the door slamming shut behind them. Silence engulfed them—a heavy silence, interrupted only by their heavy breathing.
For several moments, no one said anything.
Aisha sank down against the wall, clutching her chest. "I thought… I thought we were done for."
Daniel leaned against some crates, his hands trembling. "Who is Marcus? And why did he look at you like that?"
Kieran stood away from the others, his face partially obscured by shadows. The confidence he'd shown during the chase had vanished, replaced by a weighty sense of guilt.
"Marcus was my partner," Kieran said softly. "Before everything fell apart."
Aisha looked up, surprised. "Partner in what?"
Kieran took a deep breath. "A secret network. We took down criminals the law couldn't—politicians, traffickers, those in power. But those in power don't like being exposed."
Daniel frowned. "So you went off the rails?"
"No," Kieran replied. "Marcus did. He started selling information. When I tried to stop him, I became the target."
Aisha's voice shook. "And us?"
"You were collateral damage," Kieran admitted. "You witnessed something you weren't supposed to. From that moment on, you were seen as threats."
Daniel clenched his fists. "You should have told us."
"I was trying to protect you," Kieran said, locking eyes with Daniel. "But secrets decay. And now Marcus knows you're important to me—that makes you a bargaining chip."
An uneasy silence stretched between them.
Finally, Aisha got to her feet. "Then just running away won't suffice, will it?"
Kieran shook his head. "No. If we want this to end, we must expose Marcus the way I was trained to—by bringing the truth to light."
Daniel swallowed hard, feeling fear twist in his stomach—but beneath that was a sense of determination.
"Then we end this," he said. "Together."
Outside, the sirens faded. But the threat still loomed.
Because the truth was no longer hidden.
And once revealed, it would transform everything.
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