Chapter 1 — Stranger in the DarkIt was close to midnight.The streets were nearly empty. Just the rain and the smell of wet asphalt. Neon signs trembled on the surface of puddles — red, blue, yellow.The girl was walking fast.Head down. Headphones in. An old black bag hanging from her shoulder. She looked like she carried the weight of the entire day on her back.She had no idea someone was following her.In the corner of a dark alley, three shadows stirred.At that exact moment, a black car rolled in from the other end of the street and stopped.The door didn't open.Someone inside was simply watching.In the faint glow of the dashboard, only part of his face was visible — jaw tight, eyes still. Raindrops slid down the windshield, and he stared at the girl without blinking.His phone rang.He didn't answer.It rang again.This time he picked up. Said nothing. Just listened. Then set it down.Outside, the girl had reached the mouth of the alley and stopped. The three shadows were closing in.The car door opened.What happened next took less than ten seconds.Before the girl could understand anything, all three were on the ground.She stood frozen. In front of her — a man. Back turned. Coat soaked. Silent."Walk away."His voice was calm. But the kind of calm that raises the hair on your skin.She didn't move.He didn't turn around. Just tilted his head slightly."I said walk away."Her feet finally listened. She started moving — slowly at first, then faster, then almost running.She glanced back once.He was still standing there. Getting drenched in the rain. But his eyes weren't on her.He was staring into the darkness.As if he knew — someone else was there.Back in the car, he picked up his phone and dialed.Two rings. Then an answer."Done?" The voice on the other end was flat."Yes.""Did she see you?"A brief pause."She did.""That wasn't supposed to happen, Ethan."Ethan. The name settled into the air inside the car like something heavy."I know," he said."So now what?"He looked through the windshield. The girl was long gone by now. But he had memorized her anyway.Her hair. The way she walked. The bag on her shoulder."Nothing yet," he said. "There's still time."He hung up.The engine started.The car disappeared into the dark.Will bring the next episode?