Will stood by the window of the small room overlooking the narrow street in the heart of the Abyss district. The dim lights from the worn-out billboards barely pierced the darkness that enveloped the area. Night here was unlike anywhere else in New Orvita—it wasn't a time for rest, but a moment when schemes and conspiracies came to life.
Jack sat on an old chair, rocking it slowly while gazing at Will with slightly tense features.
"You know we might not make it out of here alive, right?" he said in a tone half-joking, half-genuinely worried.
Will gave a faint smile and replied, "Since when did we start caring about making it out alive? We didn't enter this world for an easy exit."
Jack chuckled quietly and said, "That's what always worries me about you, you know?"
Will returned his gaze to the street, where he noticed a black car parked in the distance, its lights off. It wasn't there a few minutes ago.
"Do you see that?" Will asked softly without turning his head.
Jack peeked behind him and said, "Yeah… looks like we've already got watchers."
Will whispered, "Or maybe someone wants to make sure we don't find what we're looking for."
Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by a quiet voice from outside. "I have information… open up before it's too late."
Will and Jack exchanged quick glances.
"What if it's a trap?" Jack muttered.
Will replied calmly, "What's new about that?"
He slowly opened the door to find a thin young man, his clothes slightly torn, and his face exhausted.
"I… I used to work with Edgar…" the young man said in a shaky voice.
Will raised an eyebrow and said, "Get in quickly and talk."
The young man entered and shut the door behind him, then said, "Edgar knew his death was coming, so… he hid some of his secrets… in a place no one would ever think of."
Jack quickly asked, "And you know this place?"
The young man shook his head and said, "No, but I know someone who does."
The unknown young man sat on the worn-out couch, watching Will and Jack with nervous eyes, as if every passing moment drained the courage he had barely gathered.
"Speak quickly…" Will said in a calm voice, heavy with expectation.
The young man swallowed hard and said, "I was a small-time assistant to Edgar… I worked in the shadows, delivering his messages, hiding some of his belongings… but he never trusted anyone."
Jack interrupted, "That's nothing new. Where's the important detail?"
The young man continued quickly, "Days before his death, he gave me a key… said it was just a 'precaution' in case something happened to him. I didn't understand it then, but now… now I realize it's a key to a locker in the industrial district."
Will narrowed his eyes and asked, "And what's in this locker?"
"I don't know exactly… but Edgar said something strange to me then: 'If I die, the truth will remain beneath the ashes… find it there.'"
Jack muttered sarcastically, "Classic… death and ashes symbolism."
But Will didn't laugh. Instead, a spark lit up in his mind.
"Edgar wasn't someone who chose his words randomly…" he said thoughtfully. "The industrial district had a massive fire years ago, didn't it?"
The young man nodded. "Exactly! The factory that burned down was one of Edgar's secret hideouts for a long time."
Jack gave a side grin and said, "So, we're heading to a burned-down factory? Our lives just get easier."
Will ignored the sarcasm and told the young man, "You're coming with us."
The young man's eyes widened in fear. "Me? No… no… I've done my part… I told you!"
Will stepped toward him slowly and said, "If we're going to search a shady area for secrets, we need every possible lead. So… you're coming."
The young man swallowed his objections, realizing that arguing with a mafia leader wasn't a wise choice.
The three of them left the building quietly, but the black car that had been watching them was gone now.
Jack muttered, "And that makes me even more nervous…"
Will replied calmly, "No time for worry now, we have to move quickly."
They arrived at the outskirts of the industrial district, where the charred remains of the factory stood like a towering skeleton, sending chills through the cold night.
Jack looked at the ruins and said sarcastically, "Are we sure we won't die under the rubble of this place?"
Will didn't respond, walking confidently through the debris, searching for any hidden entrance.
The young man pointed to a specific spot. "There… Edgar always went there."
They approached the area to find a metal door barely visible under the wreckage.
Jack said, "Great… a hidden door under tons of metal… I love my job."
Will signaled him. "Help me move these pieces."
After minutes of effort, they managed to open the door, revealing a narrow staircase leading down.
Jack muttered, "What a perfect start to a horror movie."
They descended quietly, finding themselves in a small room filled with old boxes and shelves.
Will looked around and said, "Searching here will take time…"
But before they could start, a voice echoed from the darkness. "Who's meddling with Edgar's belongings?"
They all froze as a massive man emerged, half his face covered by a black mask, his cold eyes gleaming in the dark.
Jack whispered in disbelief, "Who the hell is that?"
Will stared at the man and said calmly, "The better question… why does it feel like he's been waiting for us?"
The three stood in a tense silence as the masked man remained motionless.
Will broke the silence. "If you're here to guard something that belongs to Edgar… let us pass. We're not enemies."
The man laughed mockingly. "Friends? I don't think so. Edgar never trusted anyone."
Jack whispered to Will, "I don't like the way he's looking at us…"
The man stepped forward. "What you're looking for here could change the fate of every mafia in this city… and I won't let you take it easily."
Will raised an eyebrow. "And who are you to decide that?"
Smiling under the mask, the man replied, "I'm… Edgar's shadow, the one who knows his secrets better than anyone… and I'm here to protect them."
Jack groaned, "Great! Is this a ghost now?!"
But Will ignored the sarcasm and said, "If you know so much, you know Edgar trusted me more than you think."
The man replied, "Then prove it… with your fists."
He lunged at them with unexpected speed, and the fight began.
Will barely dodged the first attack, landing a quick punch that hardly affected the man.
Jack tried to intervene, but the man easily pushed him away.
The young man yelled, "I didn't sign up for this!" and hid behind a crate.
The fight continued, and Will realized he couldn't win with brute strength alone—he needed strategy.
He noticed the man relied heavily on his right hand… and smirked slightly.
"Let's make this harder for you…" he whispered, focusing all his attacks on the right hand.
After minutes of intense fighting, Will finally managed to injure the man's hand, forcing him to step back slightly.
Catching his breath, Will said, "Now… let's talk."
Despite his injury, the man chuckled. "Alright… maybe you're not just an amateur leader after all."
He sat on a crate and said, "I have information… but everything comes at a price, doesn't it?"
Will smiled faintly. "You know the rules of the game well…"