The deeper they moved into Hollow Street, the heavier the silence became.
Aurora walked beside Bladehart, trying not to let the nervous energy show on her face. The buildings here were darker, older. Some windows were boarded up, others broken completely. The wind moved through the empty street like a quiet warning.
Aurora glanced behind them.
"You think that van is coming back?" she asked.
"Maybe," Bladehart replied.
"That's comforting."
Bladehart didn't slow his pace.
"They know someone is watching now."
Aurora adjusted her backpack.
"Well… technically we are watching."
Bladehart stopped walking.
Aurora nearly walked into him again.
"What is it?" she whispered.
Bladehart pointed ahead.
A large warehouse stood at the far end of the street. It was bigger than the surrounding buildings, with rusted metal doors and broken windows along the upper level.
Aurora followed his gaze.
"That place?" she asked quietly.
Bladehart nodded.
"That's where the van came from."
Aurora studied the building carefully.
"There's no lights."
"That doesn't mean it's empty."
Aurora looked around the street.
"Okay," she said, lowering her voice. "Let's think about this."
Bladehart glanced at her.
"You're planning."
"Of course I'm planning," she replied. "Walking straight into a suspicious warehouse usually ends badly in every story ever written."
Bladehart almost smiled.
"So what do you suggest?"
Aurora pointed toward a narrow alley beside the warehouse.
"We circle around first."
Bladehart considered it for a moment.
"Good idea."
Aurora grinned.
"See? I contribute."
They moved quietly along the side of the building, keeping close to the shadows. The ground here was uneven, scattered with broken glass and debris.
Aurora whispered, "If someone jumps out at us, I'm blaming you."
Bladehart ignored the comment.
As they reached the back of the warehouse, Aurora froze.
"Wait."
Bladehart stopped.
"What?"
She pointed to the ground.
Fresh tire marks.
"The van," she said.
Bladehart nodded slowly.
"They come here often."
Aurora looked up at the building.
"This might actually be their base."
Bladehart stepped closer to the wall and listened carefully.
Aurora watched him.
"You're doing the listening thing again."
"Quiet."
Aurora held her breath.
At first there was nothing.
Then—
Voices.
Faint.
Inside the building.
Aurora's eyes widened.
"You hear that too?" she whispered.
"Yes."
"How many?"
Bladehart concentrated.
"Three. Maybe four."
Aurora swallowed.
"Great."
Bladehart walked slowly toward a side door.
Aurora grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
He looked at her.
"What?"
She pointed upward.
A small red light blinked above the door.
Bladehart followed her gaze.
"A camera."
Aurora nodded.
"And it's definitely pointing at us."
Bladehart stepped back immediately.
"Good catch."
Aurora folded her arms.
"You're welcome."
For a moment they stood there, thinking.
Then Aurora spoke again.
"If they saw us, they already know we're here."
Bladehart nodded.
"Yes."
Aurora sighed.
"So sneaking isn't really an option anymore."
"Not through the front."
Aurora's eyes moved toward the back of the building again.
"What about upstairs?"
Bladehart followed her gaze.
A metal fire escape ladder hung loosely along the wall.
Aurora smiled.
"That looks promising."
Bladehart studied it.
"It might be unstable."
Aurora shrugged.
"Most good plans are."
Bladehart stepped toward the ladder and tested it carefully.
It creaked.
But it held.
He looked back at Aurora.
"You stay behind me."
Aurora rolled her eyes slightly.
"Yes, captain."
Bladehart climbed first, moving slowly and quietly.
Aurora followed.
The ladder rattled slightly under their weight, but the sound blended with the wind moving through the broken windows.
When they reached the top platform, Aurora carefully pulled herself onto the narrow walkway.
She looked down at the street below.
"Okay… that's higher than I expected."
Bladehart was already moving toward one of the broken windows.
Aurora whispered, "Do you see anything?"
Bladehart crouched and looked inside.
His expression changed immediately.
Aurora noticed.
"What is it?"
Bladehart gestured for her to come closer.
She crouched beside him and carefully peeked through the window.
Inside the warehouse, several dim lights hung from the ceiling.
A large open space filled the center of the building.
And in the middle of the room—
Chairs.
Six of them.
Rope tied around the legs.
Aurora's heart skipped.
"Those… are restraints."
Bladehart nodded slowly.
Aurora scanned the room.
"No one's here right now."
"They must have moved."
Aurora whispered, "Moved where?"
Before Bladehart could answer—
A loud metallic noise echoed from somewhere inside the building.
Both of them froze.
Footsteps.
Coming closer.
Aurora whispered urgently, "Someone's coming."
Bladehart pulled her back from the window just as two men walked into the room below.
Aurora held her breath.
One of the men spoke.
"The boss said to prepare for another pickup tonight."
Aurora's eyes widened.
Bladehart looked toward her.
Another disappearance.
Tonight.
The second man asked, "Same location?"
"Yeah."
Aurora leaned closer to the window again, trying to hear better.
The first man continued,
"Kid from the east district. Should be easy."
Aurora whispered under her breath,
"They're planning the next one."
Bladehart nodded.
Then Aurora noticed something else.
At the far end of the warehouse, a door slowly opened.
A tall figure stepped into the room.
Both men immediately stood straighter.
"Sir," one of them said.
The figure walked forward slowly.
Aurora couldn't see his face clearly from the angle, only his silhouette.
But something about the way he moved made the air feel colder.
The man spoke calmly.
"Everything ready?"
"Yes," one of the guards replied.
The tall figure looked toward the chairs in the center of the room.
"Good."
Aurora felt a chill run down her spine.
Then the man said something that made both her and Bladehart go completely still.
"And keep an eye on the boy."
Aurora frowned.
"The boy?"
The man continued.
"The one they call… Bladehart."
Aurora slowly turned her head toward Bladehart.
"…They know you."
Bladehart's expression remained calm.
But his eyes had become sharper than ever.
Below them, the tall figure looked up suddenly.
Directly toward the broken window.
Aurora's heart stopped.
Because she realized something terrifying.
He wasn't guessing.
He knew they were there.