The rain came down in sheets, turning Neon City into a slick, glistening nightmare. Max Hartwell hunched his shoulders against the downpour, his thoughts a tangled mess. The Architect's network was crumbling, but the pieces didn't fit. The attacks had been too precise, the coordination too smooth. Someone else was pulling the strings, someone with intimate knowledge of the city's underbelly.
Max's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. Violet. He ducked into a narrow alley, the shadows embracing him like an old friend.
"Yeah?" Max growled into the phone, wiping rain from his face.
"I found something," Violet said, urgency lacing her voice. "It's about Elena."
Max's heart skipped a beat. Elena. His old partner. The memories flooded back—nights spent staking out suspects, her laugh cutting through the darkness. But she had vanished, leaving behind nothing but questions.
"Where?" Max's voice was tight.
