Chapter 4: Into the Shadows
The dockyard district was a labyrinth of rusting containers, decrepit warehouses, and winding alleys cloaked in shadows. The air was heavy with the scent of saltwater and oil, the faint hum of machinery providing the only sound. Lena arrived early, her steps silent as she scouted the area.
Her dark clothes blended seamlessly with the surroundings, her hood pulled low. She paused near an abandoned stack of crates, her eyes scanning the scene. The location from the flash drive matched perfectly, and a faint light emanated from one of the warehouses.
She checked her watch. It was 11:45 a.m. The meeting wouldn't start for another fifteen minutes, but she knew better than to assume she'd be alone. Crouching low, she slipped behind a container and moved closer to the warehouse, her senses sharp.
Inside, faint voices reached her ears. She crept to a broken window and peered in. Two men stood near a table, one of them familiar: James Alder. He was dressed impeccably, his confident posture a stark contrast to the grimy setting.
Across from him stood a woman—the same one from the photograph. Her features were sharp, her expression cold as she handed James a folder. They exchanged a few words Lena couldn't make out, but their body language was enough to confirm this wasn't a casual meeting.
She pulled out her phone, snapping a few pictures through the cracked glass. The evidence wasn't damning yet, but it was a start.
"Enjoying the show?"
Lena froze, her heart racing. The voice came from behind her, low and mocking. She turned swiftly, her knife in hand, to find a man leaning against the container she'd been hiding behind. His face was obscured by a hood, but his relaxed stance and faint smirk suggested he wasn't afraid of her.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper.
"An observer," he replied, his tone infuriatingly calm. "Like you."
Her grip on the knife tightened. "If you're here to stop me, you'll regret it."
He chuckled softly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I'm not your enemy." His eyes flicked toward the warehouse. "But if you're planning to tangle with those two, you'll need more than a blade and some grainy photos."
Lena didn't respond, her mind racing. She couldn't trust him, but he didn't seem inclined to attack her either.
"Who are they meeting?" she asked, testing his intentions.
The man tilted his head, studying her. "You'll find out soon enough. But if I were you, I'd be gone before the real players show up. This is bigger than you think."
Before she could press him further, he stepped back into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.
Lena hesitated, torn between staying to gather more information and taking the stranger's advice. Her instincts screamed at her to leave, but the fire of revenge burned too brightly to ignore.
She turned back to the warehouse, her decision made.