The fog had taken on an almost supernatural hue, as if it were absorbing what little
light managed to filter through the streetlights and the city's gray sky. The streets,
normallyThe bustling streets were empty. The footsteps of the few, cautious
passersby echoed on the damp pavement like a slow drumbeat.The sense of threat that permeated every corner of the city had become routine:
nobody breathed easy, and nobody walked without looking back.
Gabriel Morrow was reviewing surveillance reports at the police station, his jaw
clenched.Tense and with tired eyes. Each murder, each symbol, each clue left by
the Shadow Master had increased the pressure on her team. Helena Raine
compared the new markings with previous patterns, searching for something that
would allow her to anticipate the killer's next move.
"Inspector," Helena said, pointing to a map of the bridge and its surroundings, "I
think this time it won't lead us to a victim, but to a direct trap. Recent symbols
and messages point to a specific location on Harrow Bridge, but there's no sign of a
body. It's as if it's calling to us."
Gabriel frowned, understanding the seriousness of the situation. "He's not just
challenging us.""Psychologically," he said. "He wants to put us in physical danger."
Clara Venn, who had been reviewing the killer's most recent messages, enteredin the
room with a printed copy of a strange pattern he had discovered in the symbols on
the bridge.
"Look at this," he said, spreading the sheet out on the table. "It's not just a visual
code; there's something hidden in the arrangement of the symbols. I think it's
leading us to a specific location, but this time… it could be a trap."
Gabriel nodded, his heart beating faster than normal. "Then let's go..."Let's prepare
like never before. Tonight, we're going to Harrow Bridge.
Helena assembled a small team of officers, equipped with flashlights, radios, and
weapons. Clara insisted on accompanying them, determined to document any clues
the Shadow Master might leave behind. The tension was palpable: every crunch of
footwear on the wet pavement, every rustle of mist, made everyone stop and scan
their surroundings.
When they reached the bridge, the scene seemed deserted. The fog was moving
slowly,The metal structure was enveloped in a gray blanket that made everything
look larger, more menacing. Each step across the bridge produced a high-pitched
sound that amplified in the damp, silent air.
"Keep your eyes open," Gabriel ordered. "We don't know what awaits us."
They advanced cautiously, inspecting every symbol engraved on the railings, everyA
mark on the wood and metal. Suddenly, Clara stopped."Look at this," he said. "There's a symbol carved into the wooden floor of the bridge
that matches the patterns we saw in the previous murders, but this time it's facing
the underside of the bridge."
Gabriel approached and examined the symbol. "It seems to be leading us to
something below."of the structure. —He leaned over to look more closely and
noticed a small compartment covered by loose boards.
"It could be a trap," Helena warned. "We must proceed with extreme caution."
Gabriel nodded and decided to send a surveillance drone first to inspect the
areaUnderneath the bridge, the drone's camera revealed a small, dark space
between the beams, with several objects piled up: tools, scrap wood, and a set of
symbols carved into the wall. Nothing seemed to be moving, but the arrangement
was unsettling, as if someone had staged it for something more than mere
observation.
Suddenly, a metallic clang echoed from above: a rope was pulled taut and a trapdoor
dropped, slamming shut. Gabriel and the officers instinctively jumped out,while Clara
could barely keep the camera focused on the area.
"He's set a trap for us!" shouted an officer as he sought cover.
From the fog, a familiar but distorted sound emerged: a whisper that seemed to
come from everywhere at once, echoing in the structure of the bridge.
"Welcome, guests… now the real game begins."
The Shadow Master was there, but he didn't show himself. His movements were
invisible, and his manipulations turned the bridge into a deadly labyrinth. Every
shadow could conceal him; every creak of metal could be a sign of his
presence.
Gabriel ordered them to spread out strategically, covering every access point and
everyVisible shadow. Clara tried to stay behind the team, taking photos and
recording every detail, while Helena examined the symbols to try to anticipate the
killer's next move.
That's when a beam of light pierced the fog: a laser beam was projecting a
patternwhich appeared to move, forming symbols that changed shape as they
moved across the bridge's surface. Each change indicated a possible move by the
assassin, a potential threat, and an encrypted guide."He's using light to manipulate us," Helena said. "Each projected symbol tells us
where to look, but it also tells us where not to go."
Clara understood the magnitude of the challenge: he was not only a murderer, but
a strategist who could turn the bridge into a chessboard, with them as pieces.
Suddenly, a loud, sharp sound from the opposite end of the bridge caught everyone's
attention. A dark figure briefly appeared out of the fog, leavinga message written in
chalk on the ground:
"He who watches without moving, loses the game."
The team reacted immediately. Gabriel ran toward the figure, but the shadowShe
disappeared before he could reach her. Only the symbols remained, and the feeling
that the killer was controlling his every move.
Clara noticed something else: the symbols on the floor formed a kind of map
indicating a specific point beneath the bridge, a place where they might find
evidence of the Shadow Master's past movements. Carefully, the team began to
descend the side beams, illuminating every corner with flashlights and cameras.
There they found a small hiding place with documents, tools, and a cameraAn old
device that had recorded the investigators' last steps without their knowledge.
Among the objects, a notebook contained diagrams and symbols that seemed to
plan each murder and every move of the Shadow Master.
"This…" Clara murmured. "This is a kind of diary. Each victim, each
symbol, every pattern… everything is recorded here.
Helena examined the diagrams carefully. "This could be the key to anticipating
his next move. If we understand the logic behind it, we could corner him."
While they were checking the objects, a loud bang shook the structure: a section of
the bridge had come loose, and the objects fell into the water with a deafening
splash.The fog closed in even more, as if it wanted to swallow them whole, and
the feeling of being watched intensified. No one could see anything clearly, but
everyone felt that their every move was being observed.
Gabriel ordered them to regroup and return to the safe part of the bridge. However,
theTension had reached its peak: the city seemed more vulnerable than ever, and
every shadow was perceived as a direct threat. The Shadow Master hadn't
physically attacked, but he had demonstrated that he could control thescenario, anticipate their movements and leave them exposed to uncertainty and
fear.
Clara held the camera and recorded the symbols and the diary. She knew that
notebookIt might contain the information they needed to get closer to the killer's
identity, but he also understood that each clue was part of a larger plan, one they
couldn't yet fully comprehend.