The Suit of Sins

Chapter 18: The Neon Labyrinth

The message on the burner phone was a cold splash of reality. Adam didn't wait to see if the threat was real; in his world, hesitation was a death sentence. He grabbed the metallic cylinder and shoved it into the inner pocket of his jacket, feeling its cold weight against his ribs.

Upstairs, the sound of splintering wood echoed—the front door had been kicked in. Two pairs of heavy footsteps thudded across the floorboards. They were fast, but Adam was faster. He didn't head for the main exit; instead, he squeezed through a narrow ventilation shaft he had scouted weeks ago, dropping into the dark, damp alleyway behind the building.

The cold Berlin air hit his face like a blade. He didn't run—running attracted eyes. He blended into the shadows, moving with a calculated rhythm toward the U-Bahn station. His shoulder was still bleeding, but he used the dark fabric of his coat to hide the stain.

As he disappeared into the neon-lit maze of the underground subway, his mind raced. Who sent that message? Was it a friend he didn't know he had, or another player in this twisted game? He pulled out the phone and typed a single word to the unknown number: "Who?"

The reply came almost instantly, chilling him more than the winter wind: "Someone who remembers the laboratory. Look for the white rose in Alexanderplatz."