"Move."
Sebastian didn't wait for a reply. He was already walking. Fast. Focused. Deadly calm. Alaric followed right behind, matching his pace as they stepped out of Valenridge Study.
"Location confirmed?" Alaric asked.
"Yes," Sebastian replied. "Last signal before it went dark."
A pause.
"Warehouse district."
Alaric's jaw tightened.
"That's not random."
"No," Sebastian said quietly. "It's not."
On the Road
The convoy cut through the city like a blade. Black SUVs. No sirens. No noise. Just speed.
Inside the lead car, the silence was heavy. Screens glowed—tracking data, maps, blinking signals. Then—gone. Signal lost.
"They're wiping trails," Alaric muttered.
Sebastian didn't respond immediately. His eyes stayed on the map. Calculating.
"They want us close," he said finally.
Alaric turned. "A trap?"
Sebastian's voice dropped, calm, precise.
"Or a message."
Warehouse District — Twenty Minutes Later
