The fog rolled in from the bay, cloaking the city in a ghostly shroud. Streetlights flickered like haunted beacons, casting long, twisted shadows on the wet pavement. The boat drifted silently into a secluded dock, its hull barely kissing the water's edge. Max, Vivian, and Elena climbed out, their steps heavy with exhaustion and resolve.
Max looked back at the dark waters, the events of the night replaying in his mind like a broken record. The recording device felt like a ticking bomb in his pocket, every word it held a nail in Gideon Cole's coffin. They needed a safe place to regroup, somewhere the Spider's eyes couldn't reach.
"We need to move," Max said, his voice a low growl. "The Spider won't rest until they find us."
Vivian nodded, her eyes scanning the deserted docks. "We can't go back to the safe house. It's compromised now."
Elena's jaw tightened. "I know a place. An old friend who owes me. It's off the grid."
