Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTQV87DYAHGB5PNJA0178KE

The rain pounded against the pavement, forming deep puddles along the edges of the damp streets. Harlow Quinn sprinted through the wet darkness, her keen eyes locked onto the retreating figure up ahead. She had been chasing Tomás Herrera for three blocks now, and her lungs were starting to burn from the exertion. The rhythmic slapping of their feet hitting the soaked ground echoed through the empty roads as they ran, engrossed in their high-stakes game of cat and mouse. Tomás darted around a corner, his silhouette blurring into the shadows as Harlow struggled to keep up. She skidded around the same bend a few seconds later, only for her heart to sink when she saw no sign of him on the other side. Instead, she found herself standing at the entrance of the Raven's Nest – an old, downtrodden bar that served as the meeting place for many of London's supernatural underground. "Shit," Harlow whispered under her breath, realizing that Tomás had slipped inside while she was momentarily out of sight. With a deep breath, she steeled herself before pushing open the heavy wooden door, stepping across the threshold into the dimly lit bar. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and the stench of stale beer. Dim lights flickered overhead, casting long shadows on the worn faces of the patrons who sat hunched over their drinks. Their eyes followed Harlow as she moved further into the room, their gazes filled with suspicion and curiosity. Ignoring their stares, Harlow scanned the crowd for any sign of Tomás. She noticed a door at the back of the room that led to what she assumed was the hidden back room mentioned in her files on the Nest. It made sense that he would try to escape through there, hoping to slip away unnoticed. As she marched towards it, a voice called out from behind her. "Looking for someone?" Harlow spun around to see Silas, the owner of the Raven's Nest, leaning against the bar with his arms crossed. He was a tall, slender man with a shock of white hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. "None of your business," she replied curtly, turning back towards the door. "Oh, but it is my business," Silas retorted, moving towards her with a predatory grace. "This is my establishment, Detective. I don't recall inviting you in." "And I don't need an invitation," Harlow shot back, reaching for the handle on the door. "Now, unless you want me to start asking questions about what goes on in this place, I suggest you step aside." Silas smirked, wagging a finger at her as if she were a naughty child. "Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast, Detective. There are rules here, and you're not above them." "What are you talking about?" "To enter the Veil Market, one must present a bone token. Do you have one?" Harlow's eyes narrowed. "The Veil Market? That's just a myth." "Is it?" Silas cocked an eyebrow. "Or perhaps that's what you choose to believe because the truth is too dangerous for someone like you." "You're full of shit, Silas." The old man laughed, shaking his head. "Tsk tsk, Detective. Such language. If you want to chase your little criminal friend, then you'll need to acquire a bone token first. They’re quite rare, I’m afraid." "And where would I get one of these tokens?" Harlow growled through gritted teeth. "Well," Silas drawled, leaning in close to whisper conspiratorially, “there might be someone here tonight willing to part with theirs... for the right price.” Harlow took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She knew that chasing Tomás into the unknown without proper backup was foolish, but every instinct in her body told her that this was the only chance she had to catch him. "Fine," she hissed, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a wad of cash. "How much?" A sly smile spread across Silas' face as he plucked the money from her hand, counting it with nimble fingers. "Pleasure doing business with you, Detective." With that, he reached behind the bar and retrieved a small object wrapped in cloth. He handed it to her with a flourish, saying, "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Harlow snatched the bundle and quickly unwrapped it, revealing a small, intricately carved bone token nestled inside. She slipped it into her pocket before turning back to the door at the rear of the bar. As she stepped through, she found herself in a narrow corridor lit by flickering gas lamps. The air was thick with the scent of moisture and decay, making it difficult to breathe. Harlow could hear the faint sound of voices echoing from somewhere up ahead, and she followed them cautiously, her hand resting on the handle of her gun. The passageway eventually opened up into a vast chamber filled with stalls and booths selling all manner of strange objects. Enchanted weapons, alchemical potions, and shrunken heads were only some of the macabre items being peddled by the shadowy figures manning the tables. A sense of dread washed over Harlow as she realized just how deep into the supernatural world she had ventured. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Tomás, her eyes darting between the cloaked figures that moved through the market like wraiths in the darkness. It wasn't long before she spotted him slipping into one of the darker corners of the cavern, and she began to follow, her footsteps masked by the cacophony of sounds filling the air. As she drew closer, she noticed that Tomás was speaking with a tall, hooded man who seemed to be selling him something from a black velvet pouch. A sudden surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins as she realized what was happening – Tomás was making a deal for whatever dangerous artifact he had stolen from the clique. With renewed purpose, Harlow pushed through the throng of bodies separating her from her quarry, determined to put an end to his schemes once and for all. She didn't know how much further she could delve into this twisted world without losing herself entirely, but she knew that if she let him slip away now, everything would be lost. Tomás looked up at the sound of her approach, his eyes widening in shock as he saw her closing in on him. He quickly slipped whatever he had purchased into his pocket and turned to flee, only for Harlow to grab hold of his arm and spin him around to face her. "Enough running, Tomás," she panted, her voice hard with determination. "It's time to answer for what you've done." The former-paramedic glared at her defiantly, his warm brown eyes flashing with anger. "You have no idea what you're doing, do you? This isn't your world, Detective. You don't belong here." "And you do?" Harlow retorted, her grip tightening on his wrist. "I know about your little side business, Tomás. I know about the secret room at the Nest and the deals you make down here in this godforsaken pit." Tomás' face paled beneath his olive skin, but he refused to back down. "You can't touch me, Harlow. Not without proof." "Is that right?" She smirked, sliding her hand into her pocket and pulling out the small bone token Silas had given her earlier. "What do you call this?" For a moment, Tomás’ confident facade cracked, revealing the fear lurking within him. But just as quickly, it was replaced by a look of resignation, and he sighed heavily, “You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, Detective.” “It doesn't matter,” Harlow replied coldly, reaching for her handcuffs. “You're under arrest.” As she snapped the cuffs on his wrists, Tomás shook his head sadly. “You may have caught me, but there are others out there who will continue where I left off. This is bigger than you or me, Detective. Much bigger.” Harlow ignored his warning, too busy reading him his rights to care about whatever dire predictions he had to offer. As she led him back through the winding corridors of the Veil Market, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over her, knowing that she had finally caught the man who had eluded her for so long. Yet, even as she walked him out into the rainy night, with the dark depths of the underground market fading behind them, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, and that the true danger had only just begun. The end.