The sky over Lakeport was bruising, a heavy mantle of charcoal and violet clouds rolling in from the Greyvein. Low, rhythmic peals of thunder groaned in the distance, vibrating through the glass panes of the Lakeport Development Authority’s high-rise. It was the kind of oppressive heat that preceded a biblical deluge—a "storm of the century" that promised to wash away the grit of the city or drown it entirely.
Inside his armored sedan, Gareth Quinn felt the air conditioning hum, but it did little to cool the prickling sweat on the back of his neck. He watched the Joint Investigation Task Force vehicles disappear into the gloom, taking his best "shield" with them. His fingers were stiff as he adjusted his silk tie, the silk feeling like a noose.
"I understand, sir. I will ensure the admin
