For a moment, everything felt frozen.
Aurora's heart pounded loudly in her ears as the tall man below stared directly toward the broken window. His face was still hidden by the shadows of the warehouse lights, but the way he looked up made it clear.
He knew.
Bladehart slowly pulled Aurora back from the window.
"Don't move," he whispered.
Aurora nodded, barely breathing.
Below them, the tall man continued staring upward. One of the guards frowned.
"What is it?" the guard asked.
The tall man didn't answer immediately.
Then he spoke calmly.
"We have visitors."
Aurora's stomach dropped.
The guards immediately looked around the warehouse.
"Upstairs?" one of them asked.
The tall man nodded once.
"Check."
Aurora whispered urgently, "We need to go."
Bladehart was already moving.
They hurried quietly along the narrow fire escape walkway. The metal creaked beneath their feet as they moved toward the ladder.
Inside the warehouse, the sound of a door slamming echoed loudly.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Aurora looked over the edge of the walkway.
"They're coming up!"
Bladehart reached the ladder first.
"Go," he said.
Aurora didn't argue. She grabbed the ladder and started climbing down as quickly as she could.
Halfway down she heard a loud crash above.
One of the guards had burst through the upstairs door.
"There!" the guard shouted.
Aurora jumped the last few feet and landed hard on the pavement.
Bladehart followed right behind her.
"Run," he said.
They sprinted down the dark alley behind the warehouse. Their footsteps echoed between the buildings as the shouts behind them grew louder.
"Stop them!"
Aurora ran as fast as she could, her backpack bouncing against her shoulders.
"This was not part of the plan!" she said breathlessly.
Bladehart glanced behind them.
Two men were chasing them.
"Left," he said suddenly.
They turned sharply into another narrow street.
Aurora nearly slipped on loose gravel but managed to keep moving.
"How far are we running?" she asked.
"Until they stop."
Aurora looked behind them again.
"They are definitely not stopping!"
Bladehart spotted a narrow passage between two buildings.
"Through there."
Aurora followed him into the tight alley. Trash bins and broken crates filled the path, forcing them to slow down slightly.
Behind them, one of the men shouted again.
"They went this way!"
Aurora groaned.
"They're really motivated."
Bladehart suddenly stopped.
Aurora nearly crashed into him.
"What now?" she asked.
Bladehart pointed ahead.
A tall metal fence blocked the end of the alley.
Aurora stared at it.
"Oh great."
The shouts behind them were getting closer.
Bladehart quickly stepped toward the fence.
"Climb."
Aurora grabbed the metal bars and pulled herself up.
"You owe me a better workout plan," she muttered.
Bladehart climbed after her easily.
They dropped down on the other side into another empty street.
Aurora leaned against the wall, breathing hard.
"Please tell me they can't follow us."
Bladehart looked back at the fence.
"They can."
Aurora sighed.
"Of course they can."
But the shouts behind them began to fade.
After a moment, the street became quiet again.
Aurora slowly straightened.
"I think we lost them."
Bladehart listened carefully.
No footsteps.
No voices.
Just the wind moving through the empty street.
"Yes," he said finally. "For now."
Aurora rubbed her forehead.
"Okay… that was intense."
Bladehart looked toward the distant warehouse.
"They're organized."
Aurora nodded.
"And dangerous."
She paused, thinking.
"But we also learned something."
Bladehart looked at her.
"What?"
Aurora raised three fingers.
"First, the disappearances are definitely connected to that warehouse."
Bladehart nodded.
"Second," she continued, "they're planning another kidnapping tonight."
"Yes."
Aurora lowered her voice.
"And third…"
She looked directly at him.
"They know who you are."
Bladehart remained silent.
Aurora folded her arms.
"You want to explain that part?"
Bladehart looked down the street for a moment before answering.
"I've been interfering with their operations."
Aurora blinked.
"Operations?"
"They've tried things like this before," he said quietly. "Smaller crimes. Smuggling. Assaults."
Aurora stared at him.
"And you stopped them?"
"Sometimes."
Aurora shook her head slowly.
"You're basically a one-person vigilante."
Bladehart didn't respond.
Aurora sighed.
"Well… that explains why they don't like you."
Bladehart glanced back toward Hollow Street.
Aurora noticed the change in his expression.
"You're thinking about the next victim," she said.
"Yes."
Aurora looked serious now.
"If they're planning another kidnapping tonight…"
"We need to stop it," Bladehart finished.
Aurora nodded firmly.
"Agreed."
She pulled out her tablet and quickly opened the map again.
"If the pattern continues, the next target should be somewhere around here."
She zoomed into the eastern district.
Bladehart studied the screen.
Aurora tapped one of the streets.
"Most likely location."
Bladehart nodded slowly.
"We should go now."
Aurora closed the tablet and adjusted her backpack.
"Then let's move."
They started walking quickly through the quiet streets.
Above them, clouds moved slowly across the night sky, hiding the moon behind a thick layer of darkness.
Aurora glanced up briefly.
"You ever notice something strange about this city?" she said.
Bladehart looked at her.
"What?"
Aurora shrugged.
"It always feels like someone is watching."
Bladehart said nothing.
Because deep down, he knew she was right.
And somewhere in the shadows of Ebonridge, unseen eyes were already watching them again.