Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMKYSYBV1QHNVBTVAFGKY5

The neon glow of *The Raven’s Nest* flickered like a dying ember against the rain-slicked pavement, its green sign casting jagged shadows across the damp sidewalk. Detective Harlow Quinn adjusted the strap of her trench coat, her breath fogging in the cold air as she pressed her back against the brick wall of a closed boutique. The scent of old leather and damp earth clung to the alley behind her, a familiar, unsettling mix that told her the hunt was far from over. Tomás Herrera had led her here—again. Or perhaps he’d been pushed this way by something else entirely. The man’s voice had been sharp with urgency when they’d met in the back room of the bar, his dark eyes flicking over her face like he was assessing more than just her badge. *Unlicensed medical treatments,* he’d said, his voice rough from years of handling the unseen. *You shouldn’t be here.* She’d ignored him. Now, the rain pattered against her umbrella like a thousand tiny knives, and the city hummed around her—a distant siren, a car backfiring, the occasional laugh from a group of drunken revelers. Quinn’s fingers tightened around the grip of her revolver, the weight familiar, comforting. She’d been a cop for eighteen years. She knew how to move in the dark. Ahead, the street widened into a blur of neon and movement. Tomás had vanished into the crowd, but Quinn didn’t need to see him to know he was there. The way he’d darted into the shadows, the way his scar had glinted under the bar’s sickly green light—it was all there in the way his breath hitched when he’d looked at her. *He’s lying.* But then again, so was she. The first step down into the subway tunnel was a sharp drop, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and something older, something rotten. Quinn’s boots sank into the grime as she descended, her breath coming faster. The tunnel was narrow, the walls slick with condensation, the flickering fluorescent lights casting long, wavering shadows. She could hear the distant murmur of voices, the clink of metal, the occasional gasp. Then she saw it—a flicker of movement in the darkness ahead. A figure crouched near the entrance to *The Veil Market*, the abandoned Tube station beneath Camden. The bone token hung from their throat, glinting dully in the dim light. Quinn’s pulse spiked. *This isn’t just some underground market. It’s a black market for things that shouldn’t exist.* She stepped forward, her boots crunching on broken glass. The figure turned, and Quinn’s stomach dropped. It wasn’t Tomás. It was someone else—someone with eyes too sharp, too knowing. A man in a long coat, his face half-lit by the sickly glow of a flickering lantern. “You’re late,” the stranger said, his voice smooth, amused. Quinn didn’t lower her weapon. “Who the hell are you?” The man smirked, his fingers brushing against something hidden beneath his coat. “Just another customer. And you’re not supposed to be here.” Quinn’s mind raced. Tomás had mentioned a *clique*—a group involved in something far worse than simple black-market deals. She’d seen the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d hesitated when she’d asked about his past. *He’s protecting someone.* But who? The stranger’s smile faded. “You’re not supposed to be following me.” Quinn didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. A shadow moved behind her. Tomás. He was there, hidden in the darkness, his presence a physical force. Quinn turned just in time to see the stranger’s hand snap toward his throat. Tomás didn’t hesitate—he lunged, his knife flashing in the dim light. Blood sprayed, and the stranger staggered back, his eyes wide with shock. “You bastard,” the stranger hissed, but Quinn didn’t care. She didn’t have time for this. She fired. The bullet struck true, sending the stranger crashing into the wall. He didn’t move. Tomás exhaled sharply, his breath ragged. “You shouldn’t have come.” Quinn holstered her weapon, her hands shaking. “I don’t have a choice.” Tomás looked at her, his eyes dark with something unreadable. “You’re not safe here anymore.” Quinn didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. The Veil Market pulsed ahead, its secrets waiting to be uncovered. And she was determined to find out what they were. She took a step forward. The rain kept falling.