The alley was empty except for the distant hum of traffic beyond the concrete walls. A single flickering streetlight cast distorted shadows across the cracked pavement. My heart pounded, but this time, I didn’t run.
I had run before. Fought. Escaped. None of it worked.
This time, I had to stand my ground.
A gust of cold air rushed past, carrying the scent of rain and asphalt. Then, I felt it—the shift in the air, the silent predator in the dark.
He was here.
I tightened my grip on the gun at my side, but I didn’t raise it. Not yet.
Footsteps, light as a whisper, echoed through the alley. A shadow detached from the darkness, moving with the lethal grace of a machine honed for one purpose.
Zero.
His mask gleamed under the dim light, the sleek black visor reflecting nothing. His stanc
