They left the parking garage and merged into traffic heading toward the spaceport.
The port itself was a decaying husk, with rusted towers, flickering lights, and cracked landing pads worn down by years of neglect. Ships landed and departed without being logged. Crates moved without manifests. People passed through as if no one was watching.
As they stepped inside, Nightcoil froze.
People in chains were being marched openly across the concourse.
Guards didn't hide it.
They didn't need to.
"They're trafficking people in broad daylight…" Nightcoil muttered.
Shadow's jaw tightened behind his mask.
"This is what happens when a place is left untouched, no authority, no consequences."
They pushed forward, heads down.
A sign hung crooked from the ceiling, its neon flickering:
MERCHANT VALLEY
Kess nodded.
"Looks like that's our ticket home."
They took three steps
And three armed private security operatives stepped out from the shadows directly in front of them.
"We need to talk to you."
Shadow raised his hands slowly.
"What can I do for you guys?"
One of the men smiled thinly.
"We need the girl."
Weapons came up.
Shadow reacted instantly.
A smoke bomb hit the floor.
The concourse vanished into thick white haze.
"MOVE!"
Gunfire erupted into the smoke as the Nightcrew scattered, sprinting through the spaceport.
"Kess, take the girl!" Shadow shouted.
"The rest of us draw their attention!"
Shadow, Nightcoil, and Marlin opened fire while running, weaving through crowds and cargo lanes.
"They're tanking the shots!" Marlin yelled.
"Don't worry, keep firing and keep moving!" Shadow answered.
Split Paths
Kess pulled Elias into a nearby shop just as the pursuers rushed past.
"Listen to me," Kess whispered urgently.
"We're going to be fine. Do exactly what I say."
They slipped out the back and into a narrow maintenance corridor, dark, humming with power lines and exposed conduit.
After several turns, Kess found an exit.
It opened to ground level.
"This isn't the spaceport…" Kess muttered.
"But we'll lay low until Shadow updates us."
Back inside the spaceport
"Everyone split up!" Shadow ordered.
Marlin veered left.
Nightcoil sprinted down a service hallway
And hit a dead end.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
Weapons clicked.
Three figures stepped out, guns trained on his chest.
"Don't move," one of them ordered.
"Turn around. Come with us."
Nightcoil knew better than to fight.
They searched him.
Bound his hands.
Pulled a cover over his face.
And shoved him into a van.
The vehicle sped off.
Nightcoil stayed still.
Listened.
Waited.
His wrists flexed.
The zip ties snapped quietly.
He counted his breaths.
Now.
He tore the hood off his head and slammed the nearest man unconscious. He grabbed the gun and fired twice, clean, controlled shots.
The driver slammed the brakes.
Nightcoil lunged forward, grabbed the wheel
The van smashed into a streetlight.
The impact launched him through the windshield and onto the pavement.
Pain exploded through his body.
He staggered upright, vision blurring.
"Shadow…" he gasped into his comm.
"I'm fine… just banged up… should be"
His legs gave out.
Nightcoil collapsed.
Shadow saw the signal drop.
"They got Nightcoil."
Marlin cursed under his breath.
"We can still track him, right?"
Shadow nodded.
"Yeah, but we need to move fast. Before they start pulling information out of him."
They regrouped with Kess and Elias at the van.
"We couldn't reach a ship," Kess said.
"Too much security. We need extraction from HQ."
Shadow didn't hesitate.
"That's fine. But Nightcoil was captured, we're going back."
Kess frowned.
"Our job is to extract the target and leave the planet as fast as possible."
Shadow met his eyes.
"Renn Varos won't accept losing a rookie, especially one this good."
A beat passed.
"Alright," Kess said.
"We'll go get him. What do we do with the target?"
"She stays with us," Shadow replied.
"One of you stays with her."
The van turned.
Back toward the city.
Back into the dark.