The streets were cloaked in darkness, casting a mysterious and intriguing aura. Silence reigned with a striking intensity, broken only sporadically by the rare passing cars.
The few shops still open buzzed with a peculiar energy. Neon signs flickered, drawing the attention of night owls seeking late-night entertainment. Laughter and lively chatter spilled out from half-open doors. Yet, while these shops glowed with light and laughter, other businesses were gradually shutting down, lowering their metal shutters.
Passersby hurried their steps, eager to get home.
Yet in this sleepy district, Owen roamed. His face was lit by the glow of streetlights. He savored a piece of candy, casually watching the occasional cars roll by.
Suddenly, a discreet call crackled through the earpiece in his left ear.
[What are you hoping to accomplish by coming here?] a woman's voice asked through the device.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm gathering intel firsthand, unlike you," Owen replied with a hint of sarcasm.
The person on the other end was, of course, Lafan.
Following a vague decision from Lafan, Owen had led them to this neighborhood. While he'd gone to scout the area, he'd specifically told his colleague to hang back.
Lafan stood in a narrow, shadowy alley flanked by tall buildings. The place was deserted and quiet, save for the muffled hum of distant cars.
She took a deep breath of the night air.
"Listen, Mr. 'I'm-better-than-everyone,' all you're going to do by coming here is spook our targets. Unlike you, my approach is more reliable. By tomorrow, the priest will give me the info we need. Until then, it's better to keep a low profile," she shot back, sensing a tinge of reproach in her partner's response.
[That's exactly what I want—to draw their attention. Agent Lafan, these are criminals; we don't need to go easy on them. You asked me to show you how I work, so just wait and watch.]
Lafan clicked her tongue and leaned against a wall. She couldn't go back on her word out of principle, so she'd wait and see what her partner had in mind, even if it meant complicating their operation.
*He's more invested in this case than I am anyway,* she thought.
Meanwhile, as he continued his stroll, Owen stepped into a lively pub.
Conversations echoed from every corner, often mixed with bursts of cheerful laughter.
The clinking of glasses and the clatter of bottles added a festive note to the night's soundscape.
Music played in the background, creating an upbeat vibe that invited relaxation and camaraderie.
The surrounding noise filtered through his earpiece.
[Wait a minute! Are you seriously walking into a bar right now? What's wrong with you?] Lafan's voice came through, tinged with indignation.
"Don't be so stingy. You're not unaware that places like this are goldmines for intel," Owen said in a low tone, careful not to look odd.
He then settled at a table and, with a gesture, ordered a drink.
Back in her spot, Lafan sighed in exasperation.
"Fine, do whatever you want. But the second things get out of hand, I'm taking over."
[Trust me,] Owen replied discreetly through the earpiece.
Time passed.
The place was packed that night.
A young waitress cleared empty mugs from a table surrounded by rowdy men shouting over some story.
One of them tugged at her skirt, flashing a toothless grin.
"Come on, sweetheart, join us—we're so lonely!"
The waitress rolled her eyes and sighed.
She yanked her skirt free from his grip and moved to other tables. "There's nothing left of the 'Red Lizard' gang, you dumb frog."
"Believe it or not, they've resurfaced lately," muttered her friend, a man in his forties. "They just took back their turf in Basam…"
Owen, who'd been sipping his drink at the bar, paused. Though seated at the counter, his sharp ears easily picked up distant conversations. He resumed drinking, but now focused his hearing on this exchange in particular.
"Wasn't that under the control of one of the Forj family's branches?" the woman asked skeptically. "You're telling me a gang that's been off the radar for years managed to take down a subsidiary of one of this country's five major mafia families? I don't know where you're getting this, but it sounds like nonsense."
"It's the truth," the man snapped. "I saw it with my own eyes. It seems impossible, but the Red Lizards really retook Basam. They've got some kind of weapon—that's what let them beat the Forj."
"And what's this weapon?" the woman asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Damn it, can't people drink without spilling their beer?!"
The man was about to answer when the waitress from earlier interrupted, scrubbing a nearby empty table furiously and muttering curses under her breath.
The man relaxed but glanced around warily.
"Let's move somewhere quieter, alright? Like they say, dead men tell no tales."
With that, the two friends stood and prepared to leave.
Owen cursed under his breath as he watched the pair head for the bar's exit.
[Problem?] Lafan's voice came through the earpiece.
"I overheard two people talking about something pretty interesting, but something spooked them into leaving."
From her end, Lafan had retreated to their vehicle, leaning back comfortably in the driver's seat.
"You're going to follow them, I assume," she said.
Though they'd been working together for less than 24 hours, she'd already started to grasp her colleague's habits. A faint chuckle came through her earpiece.
[Obviously,] Owen confirmed.
Lafan sighed. "Please, be discreet. This could actually be a lead."
[Who do you take me for? I've got more experience than you, remember?] Owen retorted through the earpiece.
"Let me doubt that…" Lafan whispered to herself.
***
In a quiet, dimly lit street, a woman and a man walked at a leisurely pace.
"When are you going to decide we're far enough away for you to tell me what you've got to say?" the woman complained, her tone slightly annoyed. She added with a sly smile, "Or are you just trying to take advantage of me?"
The man burst out laughing, mocking her suggestion. "Do you really think I'd have those kinds of intentions toward you?"
Offended by his response, the woman spun around, ready to storm off. But the man grabbed her arm firmly to stop her. "I'm just teasing."
Casting quick glances around to ensure they were alone, he turned back to her.
Still a bit miffed, the woman replied coldly, "Alright, spit it out. You wanted to tell me what kind of weapon the Red Lizards used to retake Basam, right?"
"Yeah, exactly. Like I was saying, what let the Red Lizards take Basam back from the Forj was a totally unique weapon. According to my sources, that weapon's nothing other than a drug."
Intrigued, the woman frowned. "A drug? Seriously?"
The man nodded. "Seems it's some kind of stimulant that boosts the physical abilities of anyone who takes it. The Red Lizards used it on their crew to seize Basam."
The woman, incredulous, let out a soft laugh. "This story sounds totally insane, don't you think?"
The man pressed on, conviction in his voice. "It's true, though. I'll remind you it's my job as an informant to verify stuff like this, and I'm telling you it's 100% legit."
"Where'd you get all this info?" the woman asked, a touch of concern in her voice.
A smirk crept onto the man's face. "I've got a contact in the Red Lizards who spilled everything."
Worried, the woman let out an anxious sigh.
"Isn't it risky to tell me all this?"
"Don't worry, there's no risk—unless you go blabbing it everywhere."
A short laugh escaped his lips.
"Where's this drug coming from? Are the Red Lizards making it themselves?"
The man shook his head. "According to my contact, it comes from underground suppliers. The Red Lizards are sourcing it from them. It's…"
Suddenly, the woman collapsed, her body hitting the ground hard. A bullet through her forehead had brought the conversation to an abrupt end.
A woman stepped out from the shadows of a dark alley and faced the man, whose eyes widened in shock. Her slim, athletic frame was cloaked in a tight black leather bodysuit that hugged every curve. Her pale skin stood out in the dim light. Her piercing eyes were an icy blue. Her short, jet-black hair was slicked back neatly. In her right hand, she held a sleek, sophisticated firearm.
"Damn it, I was just supposed to take out one person, and now I've got two on my hands," she sighed, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
The man struggled to find words, stammering awkwardly, "Two? What do you mean?"
The woman raised an eyebrow with a mocking smirk and replied in a teasing tone, "Isn't it obvious? You're next."
Panic surged through the man. "Wait a sec, we can talk this out, strike a deal."
The woman laughed, her laughter echoing through the surrounding darkness. "Oh, really? You think I'm going to listen? Do you know how many times I've heard that pathetic line?"
"Listen, if you let me go, I can help you. I'm a pretty well-known informant in the underworld. I could give you and your boss valuable intel. We could team up."
The woman raised a brow and flashed a cunning smile. "Oh? And what kind of info do you have?"
"I know tons about the mafia scene. I've got the latest gossip and even some exclusive dirt. What do you say?"
As the man studied her face, hoping to sway her, his gaze lingered on the distinctive tattoo on her neck: a lizard with a forked tongue.
"R-Red… Red Lizard!" he barely managed to stammer.
"Oh? You've got good eyes to spot my tattoo from that distance," she praised. "Is that the kind of skill a good informant needs?"
"H-how… How…" the man stuttered, utterly desperate.
"Don't beat yourself up over it," the woman cut in. "Let's just say your so-called source has been on our radar for a while. You weren't the only informant he was dealing with. Guy was a walking liability. It was obvious we had to take him out. Of course, that includes the informants he was tied to."
Terrified, the man bolted, running as fast as he could away from her. But before he could get far, a sharp gunshot rang out, followed by a violent blast that shattered the air. With surgical precision, the woman fired a bullet into his left thigh.
The devastating impact painted his face with a mix of pain and shock, and he collapsed helplessly to the ground. "Gah! Damn it!" he groaned, clutching his thigh as agony shot through him.
The woman sauntered toward him gracefully, a smile brimming with malice and cruelty. Her lips parted to reveal sharp, white teeth.
"Easy now, darling, I've got a bit of a sadistic streak, and I'm awfully tempted to have some fun with you." She aimed her gun straight at him, finger poised on the trigger. "But sadly, I've got clear orders to wrap this up quick," she added.
With that, she prepared to fire.
But in a sudden whirlwind, a gust of wind erupted between her and the man, stopping her shot. She froze, her hair whipping in the turbulent air as she shielded herself from the blast.
"What the…" she started, cut off by the roaring wind.
Debris and dust swirled through the air, giving the man perfect cover to attempt an escape—and he took it while the woman was blinded.
As the smoke and debris cleared, a figure emerged. Owen. After a brief glance at the fleeing man, he turned his attention to the woman. His lips curled into a smug grin before he quipped, "Looks like I showed up just in time."