Chapter 43 – Rainfall and Requiems
Rain poured from the sky, cold and heavy. The streets were almost empty. Lights flickered. Shadows moved in every corner.
Adrian Hale walked quietly through the city with Evelyn by his side. Both of them were soaked, tired, and alert. They didn't speak much — they didn't have to.
Something didn't feel right.
"We're being watched," Evelyn whispered.
Adrian nodded. "Keep moving."
They were heading to an old warehouse — a safe place promised by someone Adrian once trusted. But trust was rare now. Especially after what they had seen. What they had lost.
They reached the door. Adrian typed a code on a rusted keypad. The lock clicked.
The moment the door opened—
Bang!
A bullet hit the wall beside Evelyn's head.
Adrian pulled her down fast, rolling behind a crate. Another shot followed, hitting metal.
"Sniper," he said, voice calm. "High up. Watching us."
Evelyn's eyes widened. "How did they—?"
Before she could finish, a voice came from a hidden speaker in the wall.
> "Echo Division has eyes on the asset. Phase One: Begin."
Evelyn looked at Adrian. "Echo Division? Who are they?"
Adrian's face darkened. "Not normal hunters. These people are smart. And dangerous."
He pulled out a small flash bomb from his coat. "When I throw this, run. Straight to the metal wall. There's a stairway behind it. Don't stop."
Evelyn didn't argue.
He threw the bomb.
A bright flash filled the room.
Gunshots. Footsteps.
But Adrian and Evelyn were already gone — deep into the underground tunnels of the city.
---
They didn't stop running until they were far from danger. The air was damp and cold. Old train tracks stretched into darkness.
Evelyn leaned against a wall. "They called me the asset. Why me?"
Adrian looked at her, serious. "They're not just after me anymore. You're part of this now."
She stared at him. "What do we do?"
Adrian's eyes stayed sharp. "We fight. And we make sure they regret ever following us."