Rain fell harder as the three of them stood in the empty street. The storm blurred the lights of the city, turning everything into shifting shadows. Alisha's heart hammered against her ribs as she stared at the man in front of her.
The Fourth Man.
He stood calmly beneath a flickering streetlight, as if the rain didn't touch him. His coat was dark, almost blending into the night. The only thing visible was the faint smile on his lips.
Marco moved slightly in front of Alisha, shielding her.
"You've been chasing ghosts long enough," Marco said, his voice cold. "This ends tonight."
The Fourth Man chuckled softly. "You always were dramatic, Marco."
Alisha's eyes narrowed. The way he said Marco's name–it sounded personal.
Not like an enemy speaking.
More like someone who knew him.
"You talk too much for someone hiding behind a mask," Marco replied.
"Mask?" The Fourth Man tilted his head slightly. "I thought you would recognize me by now."
A strange feeling crept into Alisha's chest.
Something about the man's voice felt familiar.
But that was impossible.
She had never seen him before.
Right?
The man slowly stepped forward. Rain slid down the edge of his coat. Under the dim light, Alisha could finally see more of his face.
Then he stopped.
"Go ahead," Marco said quietly. "Show us."
The Fourth Man sighed.
"You always ruin the fun."
With one smooth movement, he removed the black glove from his hand and reached up.
And then he pulled the mask away.
For a second, Alisha's mind refused to process what she was seeing.
Her breath caught.
"No…" she whispered.
The face staring back at her belonged to someone she had known.
Someone she had trusted.
"Daniel?" Her voice cracked.
The man smiled wider.
"Yes, Alisha."
The world tilted beneath her feet.
Daniel Kade.
Her former colleague.
The journalist who had worked beside her for three years.
The man who had helped her investigate corruption.
The man she thought had left the city months ago.
Her stomach twisted.
"You…" She shook her head, stepping back. "You're the
Fourth Man?"
Daniel laughed quietly.
"I prefer the title. It sounds mysterious."
Marco didn't move but Alisha could feel the tension radiating from him.
"You should have stayed gone," Marco said.
Daniel shrugged.
"I would have. But Alisha here made things interesting."
Alisha's hands trembled.
"All this time…" she said. "You were behind it?"
Daniel tilted his head.
"Behind what exactly?"
"The attacks. The assassins. The traps!"
His smile faded slightly.
"Not everything."
The rain drummed against the pavement as silence stretched between them.
Finally, Daniel spoke again.
"But yes," he said calmly. "I've been watching."
Alisha felt anger rising through the shock.
"You used me."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
"Used you? That's harsh."
"You let me believe you were helping me investigate corruption!
"I was helping."
She stared at him.
"You were manipulating everything."
Daniel didn't deny it.
Instead, he stepped closer.
"Do you know why I recruited you into those investigations?"
Alisha didn't answer.
"Because you're good," he continued. "Brilliant, actually. You see patterns most people miss."
Marco's voice cut in.
"Stop talking."
Daniel glanced at him.
"Relax. We're just catching up."
Marco's jaw tightened.
"You turned her into bait."
Daniel shrugged again.
"That's one way to look at it."
Alisha felt sick.
All those late nights researching documents.
All those dangerous leads.
Daniel had been there every step of the way.
Guiding her.
Steering her.
Setting her up.
"You're a monster," she said quietly.
Daniel's expression softened slightly.
"No."
His eyes flicked toward Marco.
"I'm the only one telling the truth."
Marco took a step forward.
"You're done."
But Daniel didn't look worried.
In fact, he looked amused.
"Still trying to play the hero?"
Marco didn't respond.
Daniel sighed.
"You always had a talent for pretending you're different from the rest of us."
Alisha frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Neither man answered immediately.
The tension between them was thick enough to choke on.
Finally, Daniel looked at her.
"You really don't know, do you?"
"Know what?"
Daniel gestured toward Marco.
"The truth about your husband."
Marco's voice was sharp.
"Don't."
But Daniel ignored him.
"Alisha," he said gently, "did Marco tell you how his empire really works?"
Alisha's heart began to pound again.
"What are you talking about?"
Daniel smiled.
"You think he protects the city from criminals."
She looked at Marco.
He didn't meet her eyes.
Her stomach sank.
"Marco?" she said softly.
Daniel laughed.
"See? This is the problem with secrets. They always come out eventually."
Marco stepped forward suddenly.
"That's enough."
But Daniel was already speaking.
"Your dear husband doesn't just fight crime, Alisha."
He paused.
"He controls it."
The words hung in the air like thunder.
Alisha stared at Marco.
"That's not true."
Marco's silence was answer enough.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"Marco…"
He finally spoke, his voice low.
"It's not that simple."
Daniel clapped slowly.
"Ah, the classic line."
Alisha's thoughts were spinning.
"You told me you were trying to stop the corruption."
"I am."
"By running it?"
Marco looked at her, frustration in his eyes.
"You don't understand the system."
Daniel laughed again.
"That's the funny part."
He leaned closer to Aisha.
"He's not the hero of this story."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"He's just a better villain than the others."
Marco's patience snapped.
He grabbed Daniel by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
"Say another word."
Daniel didn't fight back.
Instead, he smiled again.
"See?"
Marco's grip tightened.
"You should have stayed hidden."
Daniel's eyes flicked toward Alisha.
"You really think killing me will fix things?"
Marco didn't answer.
Daniel's voice softened.
"There are bigger forces at work."
Alisha wiped rain from her face.
"What forces?"
Daniel looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said something that made her blood run cold.
"The people who really control this city."
Marco released him suddenly.
"Leave."
Daniel straightened his coat.
"Oh, I will."
He began walking backward down the street.
"But the game isn't over."
Alisha shouted after him.
"Why are you doing this?"
Daniel stopped.
For a moment, his playful expression faded.
"You want the truth?"
"Yes".
His eyes darkened.
"Because the city is rotting."
Lightning flashed across the sky.
"And sometimes," he said quietly, "the only way to fix something… is to burn it down."
Then he disappeared into the storm.
The street fell silent again.
Only the sound of rain remained.
Alisha stood frozen.
Daniel's words echoed in her mind.
He controls crime.
Slowly, she turned toward Marco.
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Is it true?"
Marco looked exhausted.
But he didn't lie.
"Yes."
The word hit her like a punch.
Alisha stepped back.
"You should have told me."
"I couldn't?"
"Why?"
"Because you would have run."
She stared at him.
"Maybe I should have."
Marco's expression hardened.
"You're still alive because of me."
"That doesn't mean I trust you."
A painful silence stretched between them.
Finally, Marco spoke again.
"Daniel is dangerous."
"I know."
"He's planning something bigger.
"I know."
Alisha took a shaky breath.
"But you know what scares me the most?"
Marco waited.
She looked him directly in the eyes.
"I don't know which one of you is the real enemy."
Thunder rumbled above them.
Marco didn't answer.
And somehow, that scared her even more.