The air in Neon City felt heavier than usual, a blanket of tension that weighed on every breath. The lights of the city, always glaring, seemed more oppressive tonight. Max and Elena had Ortiz in custody, but the celebration had been brief. The truth was that Ortiz was just another link in a chain of shadows, and the mastermind remained elusive.
They sat in Max's dingy office, the hum of the overhead fluorescent light a constant reminder of the city that never truly slept. Elena's eyes scanned the documents sprawled across the desk, each paper a fragment of a larger, darker puzzle.
"We're missing something," Max muttered, his voice rough with exhaustion. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the stubble on his jawline catching the dim light.
Elena looked up, her gaze sharp and determined. "Ortiz was too confident. He knows something we don't."
Max nodded, leaning back in his chair. "He's a pawn. There's someone else calling the shots."
