Maya's breath hitched as the city lights flickered outside, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. The message on her phone glowed with a quiet menace—Find him before it is too late. Every second felt like a countdown, the weight of the unknown pressing down harder than ever.
She couldn't afford to wait. Leo was out there—alone—and that made him vulnerable. The Serpent's hunters would not hesitate.
Maya's fingers tightened around her phone. She needed answers, fast.
The safe house felt like a cage now, suffocating and fragile. She shoved her pack onto her back and slipped out into the damp night, the cool air biting at her skin but sharpening her senses.
Her first stop was the last place Leo had mentioned—a rundown bar on the edge of the city where the forgotten whispered secrets to anyone who'd listen.
Inside, the haze of cigarette smoke clung to the low ceiling. The buzz of conversations drowned out the dripping rain outside. Maya scanned the crowd, searching for a familiar face. Her heart pounded like a drum, every step a risk.
"Leo?" she called softly.
A man at the bar turned, his eyes narrowing. "Looking for trouble?"
Before she could answer, a sharp movement caught her eye—someone slipping out the back door. Without thinking, Maya followed.
The alley was a maze of shadows and wet bricks. The figure moved fast, but Maya's determination burned brighter. She was closing in.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around.
"Careful," Leo's voice whispered urgently. "They're everywhere."
Relief flooded her, but it was short-lived. Behind Leo, a group of men emerged, their faces masked but their intent clear.
"We have to move," Leo said. "Now."
They ran through the labyrinth of backstreets, the night swallowing their footsteps. Every corner held a threat. Every shadow whispered danger.
"Where to?" Maya asked, breathless.
"To an old contact," Leo replied. "Someone who owes me. She might know more about the Serpent's next move."
The contact was a woman named Aria—quiet, clever, and dangerous in her own way. Leo trusted her, and that meant Maya would have to as well.
When they reached the safehouse, Aria was waiting—her sharp eyes studying them both like a hawk.
"You're in deeper than I thought," Aria said. "Cross has eyes everywhere."
Maya's pulse quickened. Cross—the man behind the Serpent Protocol. The puppet master.
"Tell me everything," Maya demanded.
Aria nodded, pulling out a faded map marked with red circles.
"They're planning something big," she said. "A strike that could change everything."
Leo clenched his fists. "We have to stop them. Before it's too late."
The three of them worked through the night, tracing patterns, connecting dots. Maya's mind raced. Every discovery pulled her deeper into the dark web of lies and danger.
But even as they planned, Maya's thoughts kept drifting back to Selene—the woman who had appeared like a ghost, a warning.
Who was she really? And why was she so tied to Maya's past?
The questions burned, unanswered.
Suddenly, the door burst open. Armed men flooded the room, guns raised.
"Move!" Leo shouted.
Chaos exploded. Shots fired, glass shattered, and the air was thick with fear and gunpowder.
Maya dove for cover, heart pounding. She caught Leo's eye, their silent promise to survive together fueling every breath.
But then, amidst the firefight, a figure appeared—Selene, stepping forward with a cold smile.
"Looking for me?" she said, voice dripping with menace.
Before Maya could react, Selene raised her weapon.
A single shot rang out