The city slid past in streaks of muted light and shadow, traffic thinning the farther he drove from the central district. The pin on the map barely moved, but Ethan watched it all the same, tracking each shift in real time like a lifeline he refused to loosen his grip on. He drove fast, but not recklessly; he made sure he stayed just below drawing attention.
When the terrain changed and structures thinned into broad industrial stretches and pockets of undeveloped land, he slowed, eyes narrowing.
'This is wrong… but fitting.' Ethan thought but didn't stop.
He eased off the accelerator, letting the car settle into a quieter pace as the world around him emptied into long stretches of dark ground and wind-cut silence. The pin on the map pulsed patiently in a way that made his chest feel tighter with unease.
