Neon City was a chameleon. By day, it was a bustling metropolis, hiding its dirt under a thin veneer of civility. By night, it bared its teeth, a snarling beast cloaked in the glow of neon lights and soaked in the scent of rain. Max and Elena navigated its dark alleys, the ledger clutched tightly in her grip, their footsteps muffled by the ceaseless downpour.
Elena glanced at Max, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and doubt. "Jonas better keep his word," she muttered, her voice barely audible over the rain.
Max nodded, his jaw set. "He will. He knows better than to cross us."
They turned a corner, the decrepit buildings looming over them like silent sentinels. A shadow shifted in the alleyway ahead, and Max's hand instinctively moved to his gun. Elena's fingers tightened around the ledger, ready to bolt if necessary.
