hi

" a voice hissed from a sl

ulse thudded in her ears. She clutched the bac

," the voice said. Low, calm

behind her was too open, too lit. She ed

their face in shadow, but the shape of their mouth was visible when the

ce," they said. "But the

he bag seemed to drag her down. "Canceled? Wha

at kid they just cuf

htened. "You...

obacco drifted from them, mixed with something metallic.

headlights cutting across her face. She flinch

e whispered.

ooking for a fall guy for months. Too much heat on him,

call from Tenz, the promise of quick cash, the cruiser idli

d me it was a simple ru

e the fall, he scares the rest into line. H

t the strap. "Why are

because I don't like watchin

ime a flashlight. Someone called out from the

but not rough, guiding her deeper into the alley

the warmth of their body. She could hear the faint, even soun

ed, then retreated. Th

k again. "What's in the

rowed. "What

iers' drops for months. Tracks every move you make. Then he sells

ell of tobacco clung to th

ky," they said. "

a hot coil in her stomach.

We us

want me to keep the chip

can find it on his tracker. He'll think you ditched it

d. "Working

ipments. Clients. Trust. You move in th

gainst her skin. "I don'

er glimpse part of their face - a pale line of scar al

're just another

you know as well as I do, walking away doesn't make you invisible. Tenz will s

lt tight. "I

ietly. "They stay safe

if I

re didn'

as louder tha

t. A second patrol car crep

the weight of the decision

move?" she asked

sappear for a while. You'll

after

ent bad, but you walked out clean. He'll

ch, but there was steel under the fear now. "I

rved in a small, dang

. She noticed the way they checked every corner before st

he asked as

seen you keep your mouth shut

her before, but stopped. Some ans

r smelled of oil and dust. A single lamp lit the space -

he bag

d with practiced hands, began to dismantle it.

it?" s

chip in a small metal box. "This will feed us everything he's doing, everywh

now just cold pieces on th

ght back. And when he

heir tone made

ocketed it, then tosse

t's

or a month. Consider

t of real cash making h

you. Inv

ght, she felt something cu

lowly. "Alri

but there was satisfaction i