Chapter 3: A Shadow's Warning
The city buzzed with quiet energy as the clock struck three in the morning. Lena had returned to her small apartment, but sleep was far from her mind. The photograph of James Alder and the mysterious woman lay on her desk, next to the flash drive.
She twirled a pen in her fingers, staring at the image as if it would reveal its secrets through sheer willpower. Who was this woman? What was her connection to James? Lena knew she needed to find out, but her options were limited.
Plugging the flash drive into her laptop, she hesitated for a moment before opening the only file it contained. A text document appeared on the screen, filled with names, dates, and locations. Lena's eyes narrowed as she skimmed through it.
Some of the names were familiar—James Alder's business associates and a few rivals she remembered from her past. Others were unknown, but they all shared one thing in common: redacted details that hinted at illicit activities. The locations listed seemed like potential meeting points or hideouts.
One entry caught her attention:
"12:00 PM, Dockyard District. High-value exchange expected."
Lena leaned back in her chair, tapping the edge of her laptop thoughtfully. If James was involved in something illegal, it could be the leverage she needed to destroy him. But showing up unprepared could cost her more than the upper hand—it could cost her life.
The sound of movement outside her window snapped her focus back to the present. Her heart rate spiked as she grabbed the small knife she kept hidden in her desk drawer. Moving silently, she approached the window and peered out.
At first, she saw nothing but the empty street below. Then, a figure emerged from the shadows, standing still beneath the dim streetlight. The person wore a hooded coat, their face obscured.
Lena's grip tightened on the knife. Whoever they were, they weren't here by coincidence.
The figure raised a hand and pointed directly at her window. A chill ran down Lena's spine. It wasn't a threat—it was a warning.
Before she could react, the figure turned and disappeared into the darkness. Lena's pulse thudded in her ears as she scanned the street for any sign of them, but they were gone.
She shut the window and locked it, her mind racing. This wasn't the first time she'd felt eyes on her, but the boldness of the act unsettled her. Was it someone trying to scare her off, or could it be connected to her so-called "ally"?
Lena sat back at her desk, staring at the photograph once more. Whatever game she had stepped into, the pieces were moving fast. And now, the stakes felt higher than ever.
She glanced at the clock. Dawn wasn't far off, and she needed to be ready. Tomorrow would be her first real move against James Alder, and if the dockyard meeting was what she suspected, she couldn't afford a single mistake.