The car pulled away from the police station, its engine purring gently through the empty streets like a predator stalking prey.
Marius sank deeper into the passenger seat, feeling the weight of invisible chains settling around his shoulders. The silence between Ari and he was thick with unspoken threats and carefully maintained pretenses, broken only by the occasional whisper of tires on asphalt and the rhythmic thud of streetlights passing overhead.
"We need to get you to a safe house," Ari said finally, his eyes not leaving the road ahead, his tone sharp and unflinching, leaving no room for negotiation. "You're exposed now. They know where you live, they know your routines, and they've already proven they can reach you whenever they want."
Marius shifted in his seat, his battered body
