The city was a mosaic of secrets painted in shades of gray. The night air carried a chill, biting through the threadbare coat Max wore as he and Elena crouched behind a rusted dumpster in an alleyway. They watched the entrance to a run-down warehouse, the last known hideout of Mia.
"Think she'll show?" Max murmured, eyes scanning the darkened street.
"She's got nowhere else to go," Elena replied, her voice a steady whisper. "We need answers, Max. She's our only lead."
A soft thud echoed in the distance, followed by the low rumble of an engine. Max's pulse quickened. He signaled for silence, eyes narrowing as he saw a figure emerge from the shadows, approaching the warehouse door.
"It's her," Max confirmed, his voice barely audible. "Let's move."
They crept forward, each step careful and deliberate. The warehouse door creaked open, and Mia slipped inside. Max and Elena followed, slipping through the door just before it closed.
