The dawn broke reluctantly over the city, a sullen gray light that seemed to ooze rather than shine. Max sat in his office, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers, the smoke curling upwards like ghostly fingers reaching for the ceiling. His shoulder throbbed dully, a reminder of the previous night's chaos. The rain had washed away the blood from the streets, but it couldn't cleanse the stain of betrayal and loss that lingered in the air.
Marcus was dead, but his web was still intact, and Max knew there were more players in this deadly game. The Spider's empire wouldn't crumble with the death of one man; it was rooted deep in the city's underbelly, entwined with the lives of the innocent and the corrupt alike.
Max's thoughts were interrupted by the soft click of the door. Vivian stepped in, her expression a mix of determination and fatigue. She carried a stack of files, the weight of their contents evident in her strained features.
