CHAPTER 2: THE SHADOW WITNESS
The rain was relentless, hammering against the pavement in heavy sheets. Dim streetlights flickered, their glow struggling against the storm. The smell of gasoline and wet asphalt filled the air.
Alex stood beneath the overhang of a small roadside food stall, a steaming plastic bag of takeout in his hand. His hoodie was damp, the scent of rain and fried food mixing in the air around him.
He had seen everything.
The way the three men had cornered the girl. The way she resisted. The way their laughter turned to violence in an instant.
The single punch that ended her life.
The panic in their eyes as they realized what they had done.
And then—their escape. The screech of tires. The vanishing taillights swallowed by the rain.
Alex's grip tightened around his food bag. He didn't move.
His breathing was steady. His pulse was normal.
Because he had seen worse before.
But something about this moment felt different.
The rain drummed against the tin roof of the gas station. The neon glow of the convenience store sign reflected off the wet pavement, illuminating the girl's lifeless body sprawled across the ground.
Her arms were limp. Blood mixed with rainwater, snaking its way toward the nearest storm drain.
Alex exhaled slowly.
Then—headlights cut through the downpour.
A black van rolled to a stop a few meters away.
Alex stepped deeper into the shadows.
The van's doors slid open, and two men in black suits stepped out.
They weren't paramedics. They weren't police.
They moved with purpose, their faces unreadable.
One of them crouched beside the girl, pressing two fingers against her cold neck. A long pause followed.
Then, he stood up.
"Shit," he muttered. "She's gone."
His partner scanned the area, his eyes darting through the darkness. Then, suddenly—
"Alex?"
Alex's body stiffened.
They knew his name.
His grip on the food bag tightened.
For a split second, he prepared to strike, but—
The men didn't move.
They stood frozen, their hands hovering slightly as if caught between instinct and hesitation. They had found him, but due to panic, they didn't do anything.
A long moment passed.
Then, without a word, they turned, hurriedly climbed