Still cloaked in the Annabella Harris disguise, Athena walked down the street with a lightness that felt almost sinful. The flash drive danced between her fingers as she flipped it lazily, a small trophy of victory. The city noise blurred into the background; for once, she felt ahead of the world instead of hunted by it.
Then a car pulled up beside her.
Too fast. Too deliberate.
Before her instincts could fully catch up, doors swung open and several burly men stepped out. Their eyes locked onto her like trained predators.
Athena ran.
Her feet struck the pavement hard, breath slicing in and out of her chest as adrenaline flooded her veins. She weaved through startled pedestrians, knocked shoulders, vaulted over a fallen sign. The men were close—too close. She could hear them now, the weight of their pursuit pounding behind her.
She spotted an amusement park and veered sharply toward it.
Music exploded around her. Laughter. Screams of joy. Spinning lights and chaos—perfect camouflage.
Without slowing, Athena tore at her clothes as she moved, twisting fabric, ripping seams, altering her silhouette with practiced precision. She brushed past a child and snatched a handful of black dust from his toy, smearing it across her arms, neck, and face. Her hair came loose. Her posture shifted. Even the way she ran changed.
By the time she slipped out on the other side of the crowd, she no longer resembled the woman they were chasing.
Her legs never stopped moving.
She pulled out her phone and called Harvey.
"How is it?" his voice came through.
"I'm being chased right now. I need your help."
"Where are you?"
"I've shared my location. Let's meet at the nearby café."
"I'll be there in five minutes."
"Okay."
Minutes later, Athena slid into a small, forgettable car with tinted windows. The door shut softly, sealing her away from the world as the vehicle pulled into traffic.
"You're sure no one followed you?" Harvey asked, glancing at the mirrors.
"Yes."
"You got what you needed?"
Athena reached into her pocket and brought out the flash drive, her smile sharp and satisfied. "Yes."
He exhaled. "So how do you want to use it against them?"
"This is where I need your help."
"My help?"
"Set up a meeting with the Commissioner of Police. I'll give it to him directly."
Harvey sighed, long and heavy. "How I wish it were that simple."
"What do you mean?"
"The Lilac Group may be richer," he said carefully, "but the BT Group owns the better connections."
Athena turned toward him slowly. "What are you trying to insinuate?"
"That this information is useless unless you have stronger influence than they do."
Silence filled the car, thick and suffocating.
"Why are you just telling me now?" she asked.
"I didn't want you to feel devastated."
Athena laughed—but there was no humor in it. Her eyes went cold. "So you think I'll hug you and say thank you after risking my life to get this, while you said nothing?"
"That's not what I meant—"
"Stop the car."
"At least let me take you home."
"Stop the car."
He pulled over.
"Just be careful," he said quietly.
Athena stepped out without looking back. "Keep your fake concern to yourself."
She slammed the door and walked off, fury tightening every step.
Harvey watched her disappear into the street, shaking his head. "That girl," he murmured, "with her explosive temper… just like her mother."
He sighed and drove away.