The next morning, Ethan and Mia made their way to an old part of town—a place Ethan had rarely spoken about. It was a place of shadows, of secrets and deals made in the dark.
As they walked through the narrow streets, Mia couldn't help but notice how different the neighborhood felt—gritty, worn, as if the very air was thick with years of buried tension. This wasn't the world Ethan had shown her. This was something else entirely. She could feel the weight of history hanging in the air, pressing down on her chest.
Ethan led her to a small, inconspicuous bar tucked away behind a row of buildings. The sign above the door was rusted and faded, and the windows were cracked, giving it an air of neglect. It looked abandoned—except for the man standing outside, his back against the wall, his eyes scanning the street.
He was an imposing figure, tall and broad, with a face full of scars that spoke of a life lived in constant danger.
Ethan walked toward him without hesitation, and Mia followed close behind, her heart racing.
"You made it," the man said, his voice gruff but not unfriendly. "I was starting to think you wouldn't show."
"This is Mia," Ethan said, motioning toward her. "She's in this with me now. We need answers. And we need them fast."
The man, whose name Mia soon learned was Jason, nodded curtly. "I figured that. You've been followed. I've seen the shadows. Whoever's after you, they're getting close. What do you need?"
Ethan glanced at Mia before turning back to Jason. "I need to know everything about Veronica. I thought she disappeared, but now... I think she's in trouble. And if she's in trouble, we're all in trouble."
Jason's eyes darkened as he leaned closer. "You should've never gotten involved with her, Ethan. She was trouble the moment she walked into your life. And now... now the past is coming back to bite you."
Mia's curiosity burned. "What happened? What's the connection between Veronica and these people?"
Jason hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Veronica was never just a victim. She wasn't someone who just got in over her head. She was connected to something much bigger—something much darker. There's a syndicate, a powerful group that has its hands in everything. They've been looking for something Veronica had for years. And whatever it is... they're not going to stop until they find it."
Mia felt a chill crawl up her spine. "What's she holding? What's so important?" Jason met her gaze, his face serious. "I don't know. But I do know that it's bad. It's the kind of thing that could tear apart everything. And if she has it, then she's in deep. Deeper than anyone realizes."
Ethan's jaw clenched. "So, you're telling me Veronica is not only alive, but she's hiding something that could get us all killed?"
"Exactly," Jason said, his voice grim. "And I'm afraid you've just become a part of it. Whether you like it or not, the people who want that thing from Veronica will stop at nothing to get it. You'll be next on their list."