Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTRJRPM60CPSEAD7HSR3R0H

The rain was coming down in sheets as Detective Harlow Quinn pulled up to the abandoned Tube station in Camden. She grabbed her umbrella and stepped out of the car, her sharp eyes scanning the area. This was an unusual place for a crime scene, even in a city as strange as London. Ducking under the police tape, Harlow made her way down the damp, dimly lit stairs into the cavernous underground space. The musty scent of decay hung in the air, mingling with the acrid tang of burnt ozone. A crowd of forensics techs in protective suits were already combing the scene, their flashlights cutting through the gloom. Harlow spotted a familiar figure crouched by a scorched patch of floor, her curly red hair a beacon in the darkness. "Evie," she called out, striding over to her friend. "What have we got?" Eva Kowalski looked up, her green eyes magnified by the round glasses perched on her nose. "Harlow, I'm glad you're here. This is...well, it's unlike anything I've ever seen." Harlow knelt down beside her, noting the tense set of Evie's shoulders. "Start from the beginning. What happened?" "A couple of our Tube maintenance workers were doing a routine check down here when they stumbled across the body." Evie gestured to a form obscured by a forensics tarp. "Looks like the poor guy was...well, incinerated is the only word I can think of." Harlow frowned, her sharp gaze taking in the scorch marks spiderwebbing out from the center of the disturbance. "Incinerated, you say? That's an unusual way to die, even for this city." "I know." Evie worried her lower lip, a nervous habit Harlow had long since grown familiar with. "The techs have found some...odd residues, traces of unknown substances. I thought it might be best if I took a look, given my...expertise." Harlow nodded slowly. "Your occult research could come in handy. What have you found so far?" "Well, the body itself is completely charred, as if it was exposed to an intense heat source. But there are no signs of an explosion or any kind of accelerant. And the scorch marks—" Evie gestured to the floor "—they radiate out from a single point, like some sort of...focused energy discharge." Harlow's brow furrowed as she examined the strange patterns. "Not your typical murder, that's for sure. Any idea what could have caused this?" Evie chewed on her lip, hesitating. "I have a theory, but you're not going to like it." Harlow arched a brow. "Try me." "This looks like the work of a Shade." Evie's voice lowered to a hushed whisper. "An entity from the Veil, the supernatural realm that exists alongside our own." Harlow felt a chill run down her spine. The Veil, a mysterious plane of existence that brushed up against the mundane world, was a subject she tried to avoid at all costs. It was too closely tied to the unexplained death of her former partner, a trauma she'd rather not revisit. But Evie was right—the evidence did seem to point to something beyond the natural order. Harlow knew she couldn't ignore it, no matter how much she might want to. "Alright, Evie, walk me through it." She gestured to the scorch marks. "What makes you think this is the work of a Shade?" Evie shifted closer, her eyes gleaming with a mix of fascination and trepidation. "The concentrated energy discharge, the complete incineration of the body—these are classic signatures of a Shade attack. They can manipulate the very fabric of reality, channeling raw magical power to devastating effect." Harlow's jaw tightened. "So you're saying this poor sod was killed by some kind of supernatural entity?" "I'm afraid so." Evie nodded solemnly. "And based on the location, I'd wager it's connected to the Veil Market." Harlow's mind raced. The Veil Market, a notorious black market for all things occult and supernatural, had been on her radar for years. She'd made several attempts to infiltrate its shadowy ranks, but the elusive, ever-shifting nature of the market made it a slippery target. "The Veil Market, huh?" Harlow's gaze narrowed. "That would explain why the body was found here, of all places. But what would draw a Shade to this particular spot?" Evie chewed her lip, her brow furrowed in thought. "Perhaps it was after something specific, some enchanted item or artifact being traded here. Or maybe it was simply drawn to the high concentration of occult energy that permeates the Veil Market." Harlow nodded slowly, her mind whirring. "Either way, we need to find out what happened. This isn't your typical homicide, and I have a feeling it's just the tip of the iceberg." She rose to her feet, her worn leather watch glinting in the dim light. "Alright, Evie, let's see what else we can dig up. I have a feeling this is going to be a long night." Evie scrambled to her feet, her worn leather satchel bouncing against her hip. "I'm with you, Harlow. Whatever's going on here, I want to get to the bottom of it." Harlow gave her friend a curt nod, her expression grim. "Then let's get to work."