He rose from the bed, opened the door, and stepped into the passageway where light illuminated the corridor as usual. As soon as he came out, his mother quickly followed suit, opening the huge golden door of the room she had slept in. They stood in the passageway for a brief moment before Lewis turned toward her and greeted her calmly. “Good morning, Mom.” She nodded, a warm smile spreading across her face. Moving closer, she followed as Lewis began descending the staircase. Together, they entered the sitting room, where the cool breath of the air conditioner welcomed them. They settled onto the couch. Lewis yawned, rubbed his face lightly, and muttered. “I’m waiting for him. Why is he wasting so much time?” He lifted his head and glanced at the huge golden clock mounted on the wall. “It’s almost 9:00AM.” His mother followed his gaze. When she realized he was right, fear and uncertainty flickered across her face as she responded cautiously. “He should fulfill his p

Minutes later the NYPD Tahoe roared into Kings Highway, tires slicing through the morning-slick asphalt. Lewis sat upright in the back seat, jaw tight, eyes scanning every shadow along the buildings, street corners, and parked vehicles. The faint smell of exhaust mixed with the pale morning air, pulling his mind into a tense focus and every flicker of movement could be a clue. One officer tapped on the touchscreen, bringing up thermal scans and police database overlays. “Sir,” the younger officer said, glancing back at Lewis, “we’ve cross-referenced surveillance feeds from CCTV and traffic cameras along the last half-mile of Kings Highway. Nothing unusual showed up. No SUV and no figures.” Lewis exhaled slowly, controlling the surge of panic that threatened to break him. He ran a hand along the seat, grounding himself. “They’re out there,” he said quietly, voice low but steady, “and Samuel… he might be involved.” The officer turned sharply, raising a finger, his tone profes

The senior officer held his raised hand steady, palm flat, fingers tight and frozen. The tunnel seemed to breathe around them. Water ran in a shallow channel carved into the concrete floor, sliding past their boots with a low, constant whisper. The air was colder here, heavier, carrying the sour tang of rust and long-stagnant moisture. Spiderwebs clung to the ceiling and walls in thick, silver strands, trembling as their movement disturbed them. Each step stirred fine dust that sparkled briefly in the flashlight beams before settling again. Lewis stopped instantly, posture straight, shoulders squared. His breathing slowed—not because the fear had eased, but because he forced control over it. Deep down, his thoughts were a single and unbroken plea. Please be alive. Please be safe. The junior officer adjusted his grip on his flashlight, angling the beam lower. “Motion scan registered again multiple shapes ahead,” He said quietly, his voice calm and measured. “Range

Tires screamed against the asphalt, and its chassis shivered under the strain, but the senior officer’s hands remained steady, eyes locked on the vanishing taillights ahead. Ahead, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was already a blur, a dark phantom weaving through traffic, slicing lanes with aggressive precision. Every maneuver showed experience, each turn calculated to maintain a lead while leaving chaos behind. Lewis’s stomach tightened as he saw another cab swerve violently, horns blaring, pedestrians cursing from the sidewalk. “They’re exploiting every gap,” the junior officer said, fingers dancing over the console. “Speed profile indicates he’s confident, not desperate. He’s using counter-steering, late apex turns… maximizing cornering speed. This isn’t random driving—this is a professional.” Lewis leaned forward, knuckles white on the dashboard. “Every inch counts. We can’t let them disappear in the industrial stretch near Avenue D.” The senior officer nodded. “Stay calm.

The four officers advanced as a single organism—measured steps, rifles up, shoulders squared. Their optics flickered with layered data: thermal overlays, motion vectors, and depth mapping rendered in faint green lines across their visors. Steel loomed on both sides. A narrow service lane opened where the shadows thickened. “That’s their breaking point,” the senior officer said calmly. “Stack left. Slow.” Boots rolled heel to toe. Barrels cleared corners before bodies followed. One officer dropped to a knee, scanning low gaps beneath the containers. Another swept high, tracking crane arms and catwalks. The faint hum of electronics blended with the distant slap of water against pylons, the port alive even in darkness. “Thermals are messy,” the kneeling officer muttered. “Too much residual heat off the steel.” “Then trust your eyes,” the senior replied. “And your spacing.” Lewis was already ahead of them. He pushed past the edge of their formation, jaw clenched, gun