Burning empire

neath his coat. The city buzzed all around him - neon signs flickering, voices shouting, music pounding from nearby bars.

t. His firs

amed at him to run faster, stay hidden, don't get caught. He ducked behind a parked car and pressed himself against the cold metal, tryi

werful. Keys to cars, apartments, safe houses. Things that meant money, safety, a w

ig," he whispered to himself, voice

a countdown. If anyone caught him with this, i

ting long shadows that seemed to chase him. People brushed past, their faces blurred in th

voice called

y! S

side alley, heart racing as the footsteps thundered closer. He slammed into

es of trash and broken glass, every sharp sound making his skin cr

he voice shouted aga

ark coats were chasing him, faces set hard with anger. He di

a weight pulling him down. He wanted to drop it, ru

cision and darted down another alley, hoping to lose them in the maze of str

ht he might escape, the a

pressed against the cold

s were close

rd, heart thunde

s came-harsh, cold,

can steal from u

to fists, the leather pouch

. And whatever happened next

oing down wi

-

brick walls and rusted fire escapes that were too high to reach. His breath came fast and shallow.

nto the alley, their faces shadowed

ller one demanded, voic

"Look, I don't want tr

joke. "You don't get to ask. You took

But all he could think of was running. Maybe if he could

the side, loo

d with surprising sp

y out,"

felt this small and suffocating. Every shado

ame from Matteo's pocket-the pouch

s flicked down. "What'

around the pouch. "if you

loser, reaching for the p

im to fight or run. But with no c

ack and shoved the tall

man's eyes for a moment

n sprinted toward t

" the shorte

him again. Matteo pushed h

r, hoping to lose

s a tinted car and without thinking, he o

wasn't

-

pte

eneath his coat. The city buzzed all around him - neon signs flickering, voices shouting, music pounding from nearby bars

t. His firs

amed at him to run faster, stay hidden, don't get caught. He ducked behind a parked car and pressed himself against the cold metal, tryi

werful. Keys to cars, apartments, safe houses. Things that meant money, safety, a w

ig," he whispered to himself, voice

a countdown. If anyone caught him with this, i

ting long shadows that seemed to chase him. People brushed past, their faces blurred in th

voice called

y! S

side alley, heart racing as the footsteps thundered closer. He slammed into

es of trash and broken glass, every sharp sound making his skin cr

he voice shouted aga

ark coats were chasing him, faces set hard with anger. He di

a weight pulling him down. He wanted to drop it, ru

cision and darted down another alley, hoping to lose them in the maze of str

ht he might escape, the a

pressed against the cold

s were close

rd, heart thunde

s came-harsh, cold,

can steal from u

to fists, the leather pouch

. And whatever happened next

oing down wi

-

brick walls and rusted fire escapes that were too high to reach. His breath came fast and shallow.

nto the alley, their faces shadowed

ller one demanded, voic

"Look, I don't want tr

joke. "You don't get to ask. You took

But all he could think of was running. Maybe if he could

the side, loo

d with surprising sp

y out,"

felt this small and suffocating. Every shado

ame from Matteo's pocket-the pouch

s flicked down. "What'

around the pouch. "if you

loser, reaching for the p

im to fight or run. But with no c

ack and shoved the tall

man's eyes for a moment

n sprinted toward t

" the shorte

him again. Matteo pushed h

r, hoping to lose

s a tinted car and without thinking, he o

wasn't

-