Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPEC72GH45RJRXY3AM755T

The rain came down in sheets, turning the London streets into a slick, shimmering maze. Quinn’s boots splashed through puddles as she rounded the corner, her breath sharp in the cold air. The neon glow of a pub sign—*The Raven’s Nest*—flickered ahead, its green light bleeding into the wet pavement. She didn’t slow. The suspect had ducked into the alley beside it, his dark coat flapping like a crow’s wing as he vanished into the shadows. Her fingers twitched near her holster. The radio at her shoulder crackled, but she ignored it. Backup would take too long. She’d lost him once already tonight—wouldn’t happen again. The alley reeked of stale beer and wet stone. Quinn’s pulse hammered in her throat as she pressed against the wall, peering around the corner. There. A flash of movement—boots scuffing against metal. A fire escape. She lunged forward, her boots slipping on the slick rungs as she climbed. The suspect’s silhouette disappeared over the rooftop. She hauled herself up, rain stinging her eyes. The rooftop stretched before her, a jagged landscape of chimneys and satellite dishes. No sign of him. Then—a scuffle. A grunt. Quinn spun. A figure crouched near the edge, his back to her. Tomás Herrera. The Saint Christopher medallion glinted at his throat as he turned, his warm brown eyes locking onto hers. His scarred forearm flexed as he gripped the ledge. "You’re making a mistake, Detective," he said, voice low. "This isn’t your world." Quinn’s jaw tightened. "Step away from the edge. Now." Tomás didn’t move. "You don’t even know what you’re chasing." A gust of wind sent rain slashing between them. Quinn’s fingers hovered over her cuffs. "I know you’re running. That’s enough." Tomás exhaled, sharp and frustrated. Then he was gone—dropping over the side. Quinn cursed, sprinting to the edge. Below, a rusted ladder led down into the mouth of an abandoned Tube station. The suspect’s coat fluttered as he hit the platform and bolted into the darkness. She didn’t hesitate. The ladder groaned under her weight as she descended, the cold metal biting into her palms. The station was a graveyard of flickering bulbs and peeling posters. The air smelled of damp concrete and something older—something like ozone and burnt copper. Tomás was already halfway down the tunnel, his footsteps echoing. Quinn broke into a run, her breath ragged. Then the tunnel opened up. The Veil Market sprawled before her, a labyrinth of stalls lit by flickering lanterns and glowing orbs. The crowd was a sea of shadows—figures in hooded cloaks, others with too many eyes, too many fingers. A vendor hissed at her, holding up a vial of swirling black liquid. Another offered a bundle of feathers that whispered when she passed. Tomás was nowhere in sight. Quinn’s pulse roared in her ears. She forced herself to walk, not run. The market pulsed with energy, the hum of hushed deals and the clink of strange coins. A woman with silver-streaked hair sidled up to her, holding out a bone token. "You’re lost, love," she murmured. "This place doesn’t like outsiders." Quinn’s hand went to her badge. "I’m looking for a man. Dark coat, scar on his arm." The woman’s lips curled. "Plenty of those down here." She tilted her head toward a narrow passage. "But you won’t like what you find." Quinn didn’t wait for more. She pushed past, her shoulder brushing against a stall selling jars of floating eyes. The passage twisted, the air growing thicker, heavier. Then—voices. "—told you not to lead her here!" A man’s voice, sharp with anger. Tomás. Quinn pressed against the wall, inching forward. "You think I had a choice?" Tomás snapped. "She was on me before I could blink." A pause. Then a new voice, smooth and cold. "Then you’ve brought her to us. Convenient." Quinn’s stomach twisted. She edged closer, peering around the corner. Tomás stood in a circle of figures, their faces obscured by hoods. One stepped forward, holding out a hand. A bone token rested in his palm. "You want answers, Detective?" the figure said, his voice carrying. "Come and take them."