Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMGKG28CETKKC3VNCT91YF

Detective Harlow Quinn swept into the abandoned Tube station, her sharp gaze immediately cataloging the scene. Shafts of eerie green light filtered through the rusted metal grates above, casting an otherworldly glow over the cavernous space. The air had a palpable charge, as if the very atmosphere hummed with unseen energy. A body lay prone on the cracked tile floor, partially obscured by a tangle of ancient railway tracks. Harlow strode forward, her worn leather soles clicking against the ground. As she drew closer, she caught a glimpse of the victim's face — a young woman, her features frozen in a rictus of terror. "What have we got?" Harlow asked, glancing up at the officer guarding the perimeter. "Single GSW to the chest," the officer replied, his brow furrowed. "Looks like a .45 caliber round. Wallet and personal effects were left untouched." Harlow nodded, her keen gaze sweeping over the surrounding area. Something was off — the scene didn't add up. She crouched beside the body, her sharp jaw set in a contemplative frown as she examined the wound. The blood had a strange, iridescent quality, and the edges of the entry point were tinged with an unnaturally deep black. "Have forensics been through?" she asked. "Just finished up, ma'am. They said they've never seen anything like this." Harlow's eyes narrowed as she reached out, gingerly pressing the edges of the wound. A chill ran down her spine, and she rose to her feet, her mind racing. "Where's Kowalski?" she demanded. As if summoned by the question, a petite woman with curly red hair emerged from the shadows, her round glasses perched on the end of her nose. Eva Kowalski, Harlow's sometime consultant and the closest thing she had to a friend, looked uncharacteristically grave. "Over here," Eva said, beckoning Harlow toward a darkened alcove. Harlow followed, her senses on high alert. In the alcove, a strange device lay on the ground — a small brass compass, its face etched with ornate sigils. The needle spun wildly, its movements erratic and unpredictable. "What is that?" Harlow asked, her eyes narrowing. "A Veil Compass," Eva replied, her voice hushed. "It's attuned to supernatural energy — points the way to the nearest rift or portal." Harlow's jaw tightened. "And what's it doing here?" Eva's gaze was grave. "That's what I'm trying to figure out." Harlow studied the compass, her keen mind working overtime. If this device was indeed tracking supernatural phenomena, then the victim's death was likely tied to it in some way. She turned back to the body, her movements precise and purposeful. As she neared the corpse, something caught her eye — a glint of metal half-buried beneath the tangled tracks. Harlow crouched, carefully brushing away the debris, and retrieved a slim, ornate key. She held it up, her brow furrowed. "What do you make of this?" she asked, handing the key to Eva. Eva's fingers closed around the delicate metal, her expression thoughtful. "It looks like an old-fashioned skeleton key, but the craftsmanship is... unusual. The markings on the bow are definitely not from this world." Harlow nodded, her gaze returning to the body. "That's what I was afraid of." She rose to her feet, her bearing radiating a sense of grim determination. "Alright, Kowalski, let's see what else we can find. This is no ordinary murder." Eva fell into step beside her, the Veil Compass clutched tightly in her hand. "I was hoping you'd say that." The two women moved with purpose, their eyes scanning the scene for any additional clues. Harlow noted the strange, iridescent splatters of blood that seemed to crawl across the tiles, while Eva carefully cataloged the placement of the body and the orientation of the tracks. As they worked, a sense of unease settled over the abandoned station. The very air felt charged, as if the shadows themselves were watching their every move. Harlow couldn't shake the feeling that they were being observed, and she found herself glancing over her shoulder more than once. "Do you feel that?" Eva murmured, her green eyes wide behind the lenses of her glasses. Harlow nodded, her hand instinctively drifting toward the firearm at her hip. "Yeah. Something's not right." They pressed on, their senses heightened, searching for any additional evidence that might shed light on the nature of this strange crime. Harlow's gaze was drawn to a glint of metal near the far end of the platform, and she moved forward cautiously. As she drew closer, she saw that it was another compass, its needle spinning wildly. But this one was different — the casing was tarnished, and the sigils etched into the face were partially obscured by a thick layer of grime. Harlow crouched, her fingers tracing the weathered metal. "This one's been here longer," she murmured, more to herself than to Eva. Eva nodded, her expression pensive. "Which means the supernatural activity in this area has been ongoing for some time." Harlow's gaze sharpened, her mind racing. If this was true, then the death of the young woman was likely not an isolated incident. There was a deeper mystery at play, one that had been unfolding in the shadows for who knows how long. She rose to her feet, her jaw set with determination. "We need to find out what's going on here. And fast." Eva met her gaze, her own expression grave. "I think I know where to start." Harlow arched a brow, and Eva continued, her voice hushed. "The Veil Market. It's a hidden supernatural black market that deals in all sorts of enchanted goods and information. If there's any connection between this crime and the Veil, that's where we'll find it." Harlow's eyes narrowed. "The Veil, huh? Sounds like our kind of party." She turned, her gaze sweeping the abandoned station one last time. "Alright, Kowalski. Let's go pay a visit to this Veil Market of yours." Eva nodded, the Veil Compass clutched tightly in her hand as they made their way out of the station, the shadows seeming to follow in their wake.