In The Dark

Chapter Five: Fire and fractures

Some truths don’t break you all at once. They crack you slowly, until you bleed through the seams.

Jaxon didn’t sleep again.

He stood by the window until the figure on the rooftop disappeared—melted into the skyline like smoke. Even then, he couldn’t shake the sense of being watched. The note still burned in his hand like it had been carved into his skin.

You’re digging in the wrong grave, Reid.

It wasn’t just a warning.

It was a promise.

By the time he reached the bar that night, he was running on adrenaline and black coffee. His jaw ached from tension. His fingers tapped restlessly against his thighs as he waited for Eli to show.

Eli arrived ten minutes late, dripping rainwater, helmet in one hand, black hoodie pulled up like armor.

“You look like s**t,” he said without greeting.

“Thanks. You’re glowing as always.”

Eli raised a brow but didn’t comment. He sat across from Jaxon and tossed him a folded manila folder.

“What’s this?” Jaxon asked.

“Background on Camille’s fiancé—what little I could find. Name was Adrien Vale. Inherited a weapons firm from his father. Disappeared off-grid a week after Camille died.”

Jaxon flipped it open. Grainy photos, financial records, and a single redacted file stamped with three letters he didn’t like seeing: CIA.

“He was government?” Jaxon asked, eyes narrowing.

“Contracted. Dirty contracts. Black ops funding, weapons running, offshore laundering—none of it ever stuck. Camille knew. That’s why she tried to expose him.”

“And I was too blind to see it.”

Eli leaned forward, voice quiet but sharp. “You weren’t blind, Jaxon. You were in love with her. That’s not the same thing.”

“No,” Jaxon said bitterly. “But it made me stupid.”

They sat in silence, rain pattering against the windows like footsteps. Jaxon glanced at Eli. He was focused, still, but something flickered behind his eyes—hesitation. Doubt. A memory clawing its way to the surface.

“You okay?” Jaxon asked.

Eli looked surprised. “Yeah. Why?”

“You’re twitchy.”

Eli hesitated, then dropped his gaze. “I think I saw someone tailing me last night.”

“Who?”

“No clue. Black car. Tinted windows. Same model Adrien used to drive back in the day.”

Jaxon felt the chill in his spine. “You think he’s back?”

Eli nodded slowly. “I think he never left.”

They left the bar together, walking into the wet night. The city glistened around them, neon signs reflecting off puddles, headlights slicing through the fog.

Eli stopped beside his bike. “You trust me yet?”

Jaxon gave him a half-smile. “Should I?”

“I’d settle for wanting to.”

Jaxon exhaled, watching the breath curl in the cold air. “I don’t know what this is. Between us. Or what it means. But I’m not walking away.”

Eli’s expression shifted—something softer. “Good. Because I’m not letting you.”

They locked eyes for a second too long.

Then the streetlight behind them exploded.

Shards of glass rained down, and both of them hit the pavement hard. A bullet ricocheted off a nearby car hood.

“Move!” Eli shouted, dragging Jaxon behind the motorcycle.

Another shot rang out. Tires screeched in the distance.

“Sniper?” Jaxon shouted.

“Suppressor. We’ve got maybe seconds.”

Eli threw the keys to Jaxon. “Get on.”

“What about you?”

“I’ve got a backup ride stashed down the block. You’re the one they’re aiming for.”

Jaxon hesitated. “I’m not leaving you here.”

“You have to. They want you panicked and pinned. Don’t give them either.”

Before Jaxon could protest, Eli shoved him toward the bike. “Go!”

Jaxon climbed on and peeled out into the night, heart hammering in his chest. In the rearview mirror, he caught a glimpse of Eli sprinting into an alley, gun drawn.

This wasn’t a game anymore.

Someone wanted him dead.

And worse—they were good at staying invisible.

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Cliffhanger Ending:

As Jaxon pulled into a dimly lit garage near his apartment, his phone buzzed with a message.

Unknown Number:

Wrong grave. Wrong ghost. Ask Eli what really happened to Camille. Ask him why he left that night.

Jaxon stared at the screen, blood draining from his face.

Because suddenly, the person he trusted most was the one name he hadn’t questioned.

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