The drive was quiet and awkward. The driver kept glancing at them through the rearview mirror, but no one spoke. The city blurred past, closed shops, empty streets, and occasional flickers of streetlamps.
After nearly twenty minutes, the car finally slowed down at a neighborhood on the city's edge.
But the silence of the ride was shattered by the scene in front of them.
One house stood alive with noise.
Music pounded through huge speakers set up on the lawn. Flashing lights spilled from the windows, giving the house an eerie, flickering glow. Laughter and shouting echoed off the nearby houses, but
No one said a word.
No neighbors complained.
No lights turned on in protest.
It was like the whole street had agreed to pretend this house didn't exist.
"That's the place," Abuchi said softly.
Karen raised an eyebrow. "A party? Seriously?"
John frowned. "This feels like a trap."
"I told you," Abuchi replied. "The guy is unpredictable."
