The city breathed a sigh of relief as dawn broke, but Max Carter felt no such respite. The neon haze that bathed the streets was like a curtain concealing the true nature of the city. The brief lull after the skirmish in the tunnels was deceptive; he knew the storm was far from over.
Max leaned against the cold brick wall of their new safe house, his mind replaying the events of the last few hours. Each step they took against Elena Garcia's network brought them closer to an endgame he couldn't yet see. He glanced at Elena, her face illuminated by the first light of day. The shadows etched deep lines of worry and resolve.
Mia bustled in, her face a mixture of fatigue and determination. She dropped a stack of newly gathered intel on the table. "We've got fresh intel. Elena's setting up a major operation. We need to move fast."
