The moment they realized she wasn't anywhere near the bike, the SWAT unit shifted again.
Their training kicked in—measured, deliberate, precise.
Three of them stayed close to the motorcycle, scanning in circles with their weapons raised, covering all angles. The others spread out like wolves, disappearing into the tight lanes between trucks, moving methodically as they hunted a ghost.
Vanessa crouched low behind the rusted frame of a box truck, eyes calculating.
Three left.
That was all she needed.
If she took them out fast enough, she could get to the bike and ride. Once she hit the main road, traffic would shield her. A high-speed pursuit through the city would work in her favor—more noise, more people, more cover. She was done hiding in the shadows tonight.
A plan formed in seconds. Clean. Brutal. Necessary.
Then, with a soundless breath—
She vanished.
In a blink of dark shimmer, she reappeared behind one of the men standing closest to the bike. He didn't see it coming.
