The town square was sealed off. Barricades lined the streets, cutting off every possible exit. Armed officers stood in their positions, their faces hardened with focus, their weapons gripped tightly. Overhead, streetlights cast long, eerie shadows across the pavement, while the distant wail of a siren echoed through the cold night air.
Detective Sophia Green adjusted her earpiece, her sharp gaze flicking between the buildings, scanning every darkened alley and shadowed doorway. This was their best chance—perhaps their only chance—to catch the monster who had terrorized the town for months. But the price of failure was unthinkable.
Carla Simpson’s life hung in the balance.
Sophia glanced at Andrew James, her partner in this relentless chase. He stood rigid, his hands clenched into fists,
