The new vehicle’s headlights tore through the darkness like twin blades. The growl of its engine swelled as it closed the distance, bouncing harshly off the walls of shipping containers.
The stranger in the coat turned his head just slightly toward the approaching car. He didn’t seem surprised.
Rose’s hands gripped the pistol tighter, her breath quick and shallow. She glanced at Daniel — but he was already moving.
In two strides, he was back in the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. “Buckle in. Now.”
She obeyed, her pulse hammering so hard she could hear it in her ears.
The stranger didn’t move toward them. Instead, he stepped backward, melting into the darkness between two stacks of containers — gone like smoke.
“Who was that?” Rose whispered, but Daniel didn’t answer. The appro
