The city pulsed beneath Nightblade as he crouched atop a weathered gargoyle, surveying the skyline. Vincent Kade's office had given him a name: Project Revenant. But no details, no location. Whatever it was, Kade had gone to great lengths to keep it buried.
That meant one thing—he needed leverage.
His target was Dominic Voss, a mid-tier crime lord who handled The Revenant's smuggling operations. If anyone had answers, it was him. Voss ran his empire from an underground club, The Eclipse, a den of vice and secrecy beneath Blackreach's neon glow.
Nightblade descended into the shadows, slipping through the back alleys with practiced ease. When he reached The Eclipse, he found the entrance guarded by two brutes in tailored suits. He smirked.
"Subtle as always, Voss."
He lunged, striking fast. The first guard had no time to react before a shadow-wrapped fist slammed into his jaw, sending him crumpling. The second drew a pistol, but Nightblade twisted into darkness, reappearing behind him. A swift elbow to the back of the head and the fight was over.
Inside, the club was a labyrinth of flashing lights and smoke-filled rooms. Patrons barely noticed as Nightblade melted into the darkness, moving between shadows until he reached a VIP lounge on the upper floor.
Voss sat at a curved booth, a drink in one hand, a cigar in the other, completely oblivious.
Nightblade stepped forward, letting just enough of his presence be known.
"Voss. We need to talk."
The crime lord stiffened, but he didn't turn. "That depends. Is this a business meeting… or an execution?"
"That depends on your answers."
Voss exhaled smoke, then gestured to the empty seat across from him. "Then sit, Shadow Man. Let's see if we can't make a deal."
Nightblade didn't move. "Project Revenant. Tell me what you know."
Voss chuckled. "Straight to the point. I respect that. But information costs. And this? This is very expensive intel."
Nightblade's voice was ice. "How about I take it out of your medical bills?"
Voss's smirk faltered, but only slightly. "Alright, alright. No need for threats. Here's what I know: Project Revenant isn't just some operation. It's him."
Nightblade's fists clenched. "Explain."
Voss leaned forward, lowering his voice. "The Revenant didn't just come back from the dead. He was brought back. Enhanced. Stronger, smarter, faster. And whoever did it? They weren't working alone."
Before Nightblade could press further, an explosion rocked the building.
Gunfire erupted in the hallway. Voss's men scrambled for their weapons as masked operatives stormed in, their rifles trained on the crime lord.
Nightblade swore under his breath. Someone didn't want this conversation to continue.
He turned to Voss. "You're coming with me. Now."
The crime lord hesitated. "And if I say no?"
Nightblade's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "Then they kill you. Or I do. Your choice."
Voss cursed and stood. "Fine. But you better keep me alive."
Nightblade's lips curled into a smirk. "No promises."
As the masked operatives advanced, the vigilante vanished into the shadows, dragging Voss with him.