Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTQWYXHKJA9SBEBG31M0TJZ

Detective Harlow Quinn stepped out of the unmarked car, her boots crunching on the gravel of the abandoned Tube station beneath Camden. The air was thick with the scent of damp and decay, a stark contrast to the bustling streets above. She adjusted the worn leather watch on her left wrist, a habit she had developed over the years, and took in the scene before her. The Veil Market, usually teeming with supernatural vendors and curious buyers, was eerily silent. The stalls, draped in dark fabrics and adorned with strange trinkets, stood empty. The only movement came from the flickering shadows cast by the dim, overhead lights. "Quinn, over here," called a voice from the far end of the platform. Harlow turned to see Detective Sergeant Jameson, a tall man with a perpetually furrowed brow, standing near a cluster of overturned crates. His expression was grim, and he gestured for her to join him. "What's the situation?" Harlow asked, her voice steady despite the unease gnawing at her. Jameson pointed to the ground, where a body lay sprawled amidst the debris. The victim, a middle-aged man with a shock of white hair, was dressed in what appeared to be ceremonial robes. His eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Name's Arthur Blackwood," Jameson said. "Owner of one of the more reputable stalls here. Found him like this about an hour ago." Harlow knelt beside the body, her sharp jawline set in concentration. She noted the absence of any visible wounds or signs of struggle. The man's hands were clasped around a small brass compass, its face etched with protective sigils. "Veil Compass," she murmured, recognizing the item from her previous visits to the Market. "Points to the nearest supernatural rift or portal." "Yeah, but look at this," Jameson said, holding up a bone token. "Found it in his pocket. Entry requirement for the Market, right? But he wouldn't need one. He's a vendor." Harlow's brow furrowed. "Doesn't add up. Why would he have a token if he didn't need it?" "Maybe he was planning to give it to someone," Jameson suggested. "Or maybe he was trying to leave." Harlow shook her head. "No, something's off. Look at his eyes. They're dilated, like he saw something... or someone." She stood up, scanning the area. Her gaze fell on a nearby stall, its contents scattered across the ground. Among the items was a worn leather satchel, its flap open to reveal a collection of ancient books. "Eva," Harlow muttered, recognizing the satchel. She turned to Jameson. "We need to find Eva Kowalski. She might know something." Jameson nodded and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. Harlow, meanwhile, approached the satchel and carefully picked it up. She rifled through the books, noting their titles and subjects. Most were on ancient history and occult practices, but one, in particular, caught her eye. It was a journal, its pages filled with meticulous notes and sketches. Harlow flipped through it, her eyes narrowing as she read. The entries detailed various supernatural phenomena, including rifts and portals. One entry, dated just a few days ago, mentioned a disturbance at the Veil Market. "Quinn, I've got her," Jameson called out, holding his phone to his ear. "She's on her way." Harlow nodded, closing the journal and tucking it under her arm. She glanced back at the body, her mind racing with possibilities. Something about this scene didn't sit right with her, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. A few minutes later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the station. Eva Kowalski, her curly red hair bouncing with each step, appeared at the entrance. She adjusted her round glasses and tucked a strand of hair behind her left ear, a nervous habit Harlow recognized all too well. "Detective Quinn," Eva greeted, her voice tinged with worry. "What's going on? Jameson said there was an incident." Harlow handed her the journal. "We found this near the body of Arthur Blackwood. Do you recognize it?" Eva's eyes widened as she took the journal. "This is mine. I must have dropped it last time I was here." "Do you know anything about the disturbance mentioned in the last entry?" Harlow asked, her tone firm but not accusatory. Eva nodded slowly. "Yes, I noticed some unusual energy readings here a few days ago. I was planning to investigate further, but I didn't think it was anything serious." Harlow exchanged a glance with Jameson. "We need to know everything you can tell us about those readings. Anything that might explain what happened to Blackwood." Eva took a deep breath, her freckles standing out against her pale complexion. "The readings indicated a rift was opening, but it was unstable. I thought it might be a temporary fluctuation, but now I'm not so sure." "Could it have been caused by someone?" Harlow asked, her mind already piecing together the puzzle. "It's possible," Eva admitted. "But it would require a significant amount of power and knowledge of the occult." Harlow's eyes narrowed. "And who in the Market would have that kind of power?" Eva hesitated, then glanced around the empty stalls. "There are a few who might. But if someone was trying to open a rift, they would need a Veil Compass to locate it." Harlow's gaze shifted back to the body, the compass still clutched in Blackwood's hands. "So, Blackwood was trying to find the rift. But why?" "Maybe he was trying to close it," Eva suggested. "Or maybe he was trying to stop someone else from using it." Harlow's mind raced with possibilities. "We need to find out who else was here that night. Someone must have seen something." Jameson nodded. "I'll start questioning the other vendors. Maybe someone saw Blackwood with someone else." As Jameson walked away, Harlow turned back to Eva. "Stay close. I have a feeling we're going to need your expertise." Eva nodded, clutching her satchel tightly. "I'll do whatever I can to help." Harlow's eyes scanned the dark corners of the station, her instincts on high alert. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but there were still too many unanswered questions. She knew one thing for certain: the Veil Market held secrets, and she was determined to uncover them. As they moved deeper into the Market, Harlow's mind replayed the details of the scene. The bone token, the compass, the journal – each piece seemed to point to a larger, more sinister plot. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something big, something that could change everything they thought they knew about the supernatural world. "Quinn," Eva's voice broke through her thoughts. "There's something else you should know." Harlow turned to her, her brown eyes sharp. "What is it?" Eva hesitated, then spoke in a hushed tone. "I've been hearing rumors about a group trying to harness the power of the rifts. They call themselves the Shadow Collective. If they're involved, this could be much bigger than we thought." Harlow's jaw tightened. "Then we need to move fast. If the Shadow Collective is behind this, we can't afford to waste any time." With renewed determination, Harlow led the way through the Market, her mind focused on the task at hand. The evidence might not add up yet, but she was confident that with careful observation and deduction, they would uncover the truth. And when they did, the Shadow Collective would have nowhere to hide.