Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMGP10FQMEVN4CE7R7WHDA

Detective Harlow Quinn stepped off the last rung of the rusted ladder and into the dimly lit expanse of the abandoned Tube station beneath Camden. Her boots echoed against the cracked tiles, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence of the underground. She adjusted the worn leather watch on her left wrist, a habit she had picked up since losing DS Morris. The memory of her partner's death lingered like a shadow, always at the edge of her thoughts. The Veil Market, a hidden supernatural black market, had chosen this forsaken place for its latest incarnation. The market moved locations every full moon, a fact that made it notoriously difficult to track. Tonight, it was a crime scene. "Quinn, over here," called a voice from the shadows. Eva Kowalski emerged, her curly red hair a stark contrast to the gloom. She adjusted her round glasses and tucked a stray lock behind her left ear, a nervous habit Harlow had come to recognize. "Eva," Harlow acknowledged, her tone clipped. She respected Eva's expertise in the occult, but the younger woman's presence at a crime scene always made her uneasy. "What have we got?" Eva gestured to a cluster of stalls, their wares abandoned in haste. "The market was in full swing when it happened. Witnesses say they saw a flash of light, then chaos. By the time anyone could react, the victim was already dead." Harlow's sharp brown eyes scanned the area. The Veil Market was a labyrinth of makeshift stalls and hidden alcoves, each one brimming with enchanted goods and banned alchemical substances. The air was thick with the scent of incense and something metallic, like blood. "Where's the body?" Harlow asked, her voice steady. Eva led her to a small clearing where a figure lay sprawled on the ground. The victim was a middle-aged man, his face contorted in a rictus of terror. His clothes were singed, and a strange, iridescent residue clung to his skin. "Name's Marcus Hale," Eva said, consulting a small notebook from her worn leather satchel. "He was a known trader here, dealt in rare artifacts." Harlow knelt beside the body, her sharp jawline set in concentration. She noted the residue, the singed clothes, the position of the body. Something was off. The evidence didn't add up. "Any witnesses?" she asked, standing up and dusting off her hands. Eva nodded. "A few. But their stories are inconsistent. Some say they saw a figure in the shadows, others claim it was a burst of magic gone wrong." Harlow's eyes narrowed. "And what do you think?" Eva hesitated, tucking her hair behind her ear again. "I think there's more to this than meets the eye. The residue... it's not something I've seen before. It doesn't match any known magical substances." Harlow's mind raced. She had seen a lot in her eighteen years of service, but the supernatural was still a realm she was learning to navigate. She needed more information. "Let's start with the basics," she said. "What was Hale doing here tonight?" Eva flipped through her notebook. "He was supposed to meet a client. Someone interested in a Veil Compass." Harlow's eyes widened. The Veil Compass was a rare and powerful tool, capable of pointing toward the nearest supernatural rift or portal. If Hale had one, it could explain why he was targeted. "Do we have the Compass?" Harlow asked. Eva shook her head. "It's missing. Whoever killed Hale must have taken it." Harlow's mind worked through the possibilities. A missing Veil Compass, an unknown residue, and a market full of potential suspects. She needed to find the Compass and figure out what had really happened. "Let's talk to the witnesses," she said, her voice firm. "Someone must have seen something useful." Eva led her to a group of market-goers huddled near a stall selling enchanted trinkets. They looked nervous, their eyes darting around as if expecting another attack. Harlow approached the first witness, a wiry man with a twitchy demeanor. "I'm Detective Quinn," she said, flashing her badge. "I need to ask you a few questions." The man nodded, his eyes wide. "I didn't see much, Detective. Just a flash of light and then... he was dead." Harlow pressed on. "Did you see anyone near Hale before the flash?" The man shook his head. "No, but I heard something. A whisper, like someone casting a spell." Harlow's brow furrowed. A spell could explain the residue, but it didn't fit with the rest of the evidence. She moved on to the next witness, a woman with a freckled complexion and a haunted look in her green eyes. "I saw a figure," the woman said, her voice trembling. "In the shadows, just before the light. They were holding something... a small brass object." Harlow's heart skipped a beat. The Veil Compass. "Can you describe the figure?" The woman shook her head. "It was too dark. But they moved with purpose, like they knew exactly what they were doing." Harlow thanked the witnesses and turned to Eva. "We need to find that Compass. It's the key to all this." Eva nodded, her expression serious. "I agree. But where do we start?" Harlow thought for a moment. The Veil Market was a maze, but it had its patterns. The Compass would be drawn to the nearest supernatural rift or portal. If they could find that, they might find the killer. "Let's split up," Harlow said. "I'll check the eastern side of the market. You take the west. Look for any signs of a rift or portal." Eva nodded and headed off, her satchel bouncing against her hip. Harlow made her way through the market, her eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. She passed stalls selling enchanted jewelry, potions, and strange artifacts, but nothing caught her eye. As she reached the eastern edge of the market, she noticed a faint glow emanating from a narrow passageway. She followed it, her senses on high alert. The passageway opened into a small chamber, and there, in the center, was a shimmering portal. Harlow approached cautiously, her hand resting on the hilt of her service weapon. The portal pulsed with an eerie light, and she could feel the supernatural energy radiating from it. She needed to find the Compass, but she couldn't risk stepping through the portal without knowing where it led. She scanned the chamber, her eyes landing on a small brass object lying near the portal's edge. The Veil Compass. She picked it up, noting the verdigris patina on the casing and the protective sigils etched into the face. The needle pointed directly at the portal. Harlow's mind raced. The killer must have used the Compass to find the portal, but why? And where did the portal lead? She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Eva approaching, her eyes wide with concern. "Harlow, did you find it?" Harlow held up the Compass. "I did. But we have a bigger problem. This portal... it's active. And I think our killer used it to escape." Eva's eyes widened. "We need to close it. If the killer can come and go as they please, we'll never catch them." Harlow nodded. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. We don't know where it leads or what might come through." Eva reached into her satchel and pulled out a small vial of shimmering liquid. "This should do the trick. It's a portal sealant. It will close the rift and prevent anyone from using it." Harlow watched as Eva carefully poured the liquid around the portal's edge. The shimmering light began to fade, and the portal slowly closed, leaving only a faint residue behind. "That should hold," Eva said, tucking the empty vial back into her satchel. "But we still need to find the killer." Harlow nodded, her mind already working through the possibilities. The Veil Compass was a powerful tool, and whoever had it would be able to find other rifts and portals. They needed to track the killer down before they could cause more harm. "Let's get back to the market," Harlow said. "We need to find out who Hale was meeting and why they wanted the Compass." Eva nodded, and together they made their way back through the labyrinth of stalls. The market-goers watched them with wary eyes, but Harlow ignored them. She had a job to do, and she wouldn't rest until she had answers. As they reached the clearing where Hale's body still lay, Harlow's sharp eyes caught a glint of something metallic near the edge of the market. She approached and found a small, intricately carved bone token. The entry requirement for the Veil Market. She picked it up, turning it over in her hand. It was a clue, a small piece of the puzzle. She would find the killer, and she would get justice for Marcus Hale. And maybe, just maybe, she would find some answers about the supernatural forces that had taken her partner from her. Harlow slipped the bone token into her pocket and turned to Eva. "Let's get to work."