PRESENT DAY.
Being seated in a car with a potential high valued criminal isn't how I imagined my evening to go.
I sat quietly beside mara had earbuds listening to music. How can someone listen to music in a time like this.
I felt uncomfortable but deep down an urge to go in deep saturated making feel it was the right thing to do.
" How do you know Ben?" I blurted the question out without looking at her. But I could tell she was shocked at my question, but she kept her cool.
" Interesting Waller Greene, it's a nice way to start a conversation between two new friends."
___She chuckled.__
Mara's chuckle was low and smooth, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Ben and I... have a history, Waller. We've been on opposite sides of the same coin for a while now. Let's just say we've had our... disagreements."
She shifted slightly, her eyes never leaving the road ahead, but I could sense her attention on me.
"You're wondering why I'm listening to music, huh?" she said, a hint of a smile on her lips. "It's just a habit, Waller. Helps me focus. And besides, it's not just any music. It's jazz. Miles Davis, to be specific. Ever heard of him?"
I shook my head, still feeling a bit uneasy about the situation.
"Ah, you're missing out," she said, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Jazz is all about improvisation, about going with the flow. It's the perfect soundtrack for a night like this."
The music was actually quite soothing, a gentle melody that seemed to calm my nerves. I found myself tapping my foot along with the beat, despite myself.
"So, what's your story, Mara?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going. "How did you get involved with... all this?"
Mara's expression turned serious, her eyes narrowing slightly as she focused on the road.
"Let's just say I have my reasons, Waller," she said, her voice low and even. "Reasons that have nothing to do with Ben, or the Eclipse, or anything else. I'm in this for myself, and that's all you need to know."
The car fell silent, the only sound the soft jazz music and the hum of the engine. I watched the city roll by, the streets growing darker and more deserted as we drove.
I turned to her, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're not going to kill me, are you?"
Mara's laughter was sudden and loud, a rich, throaty sound that filled the car.
"Oh, Waller," she said, still chuckling. "You're so dramatic. I'm not going to kill you. I need you alive, at least for now."
We drove for a while to a district in the outskirts of the city.
The city's skyscrapers gave way to rundown buildings and graffiti-tagged walls as we entered the outskirts. The streets grew progressively darker, the only light coming from flickering streetlights and the occasional neon sign.
Mara pulled the car into a narrow alleyway, the walls closing in around us like a vice. She killed the engine, and the sudden silence was oppressive.
"Welcome to the Shadow District, Waller," she said, a hint of irony in her voice. "Not exactly the most welcoming place, but it's home to a lot of people who don't fit in elsewhere."
I looked around, taking in the shadows and the hunched figures lurking in doorways. This was a place where people came to hide, to disappear.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, my voice low.
Mara's smile was a thin line. "We're meeting someone. Someone who's going to help us get into the lighthouse."
I raised an eyebrow. "And what's in it for this someone?"
Mara's eyes glinted in the dim light. "Let's just say they're motivated by a desire for change. They're willing to take risks to bring down the Eclipse Project, and we're willing to help them."
I wasn't sure I trusted her, but I knew I didn't have much choice. I nodded, and Mara led me deeper into the Shadow District, the darkness closing in around us like a shroud.
_____The rain began to tap a nervous rhythm on the hood of the car as we slipped deeper into the Shadow District. Neon signs flickered in broken windows, casting a sickly pink glow over graffiti that seemed to pulse with the city's hidden heartbeat. Mara's hand rested lightly on the steering wheel, her eyes scanning the dim alleys like a predator assessing its prey.
"Almost there," she murmured, more to herself than to me.
A narrow doorway, half concealed by a rusted metal gate, opened onto a cramped courtyard. In the center, a lone figure leaned against a cracked concrete pillar, a hoodie pulled low over their face. The only thing visible were a pair of sharp, amber‑colored eyes that flicked up as we approached.
Mara stepped out, the car door thudding softly behind her. "You're late," she said, voice low but edged with something that sounded like respect.
The figure pushed off the pillar, revealing a gaunt face marked by a thin scar that ran from the corner of the left eye down to the jawline. He tipped his chin in greeting. "Traffic's a bitch, huh? Name's Kade. You must be Waller."
I nodded, feeling the weight of his gaze settle on me. "What's your angle, Kade? Why help us get into the lighthouse?"
Kade chuckled, a dry sound that echoed off the wet walls. "Let's just say I have a personal ledger to settle with the Eclipse Project. They took something from me… and I want it back. Plus, I've heard you're the only one who can get the deactivation key without blowing the whole place sky‑high."
Mara crossed her arms, the faint glow from her earbuds still pulsing in the darkness. "We're not here to negotiate, Kade. We need a way in, and you've got the contacts. You get us inside, we get you the chip, and you walk away with whatever you're after."
Kade's eyes narrowed, the amber glint sharpening. "You're playing a dangerous game, Mara. The lighthouse isn't just a tower; it's a vault. Once you're inside, there's no turning back. The only way out is through the control room, and that's guarded by more than just men with guns."
A low rumble rolled through the courtyard as a distant siren wailed, growing louder. The sound seemed to vibrate the very air, a reminder that the eclipse was inching closer to totality.
"Time's running out," Mara said, her voice steady despite the tension. "We either move now, or we lose everything."
Kade glanced at the sky, where the moon was now a thin, blood‑red crescent. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. The ink was smeared, but the diagram was clear: a schematic of the lighthouse's lower levels, with a marked entry point behind a maintenance hatch.
"Take this," he said. "It's the only way in without tripping the alarms. Meet me at the dock in thirty minutes. I'll have a boat ready. We'll slip in through the service tunnel and hit the control room before the eclipse peaks."
I slipped the paper into my jacket, feeling the cold metal of the USB drive against my thigh—a reminder of the promise I'd made to Ben. "And after we shut it down?"
Kade's scarred cheek twitched into a half‑smile. "After that, you get to decide what you do with the badge. Either you keep chasing shadows, or you walk away and let the city breathe for once."
Mara gave a short, humorless laugh. "Let's hope we live long enough to find out."
The rain intensified, turning the courtyard into a slick, reflective pool. With a final nod, Kade melted back into the shadows, disappearing as silently as he had arrived.
I turned to Mara, the weight of the night pressing down. "Ready?"
She slipped the earbuds back into her ears, the faint thump of jazz barely audible over the storm. "Always," she replied, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Just try to keep up."
We slipped out of the courtyard, the city's neon veins guiding us toward the dock, where the tide was already turning and the lighthouse loomed in the distance, its beacon flickering ominously against the encroaching darkness.
From looking at a distance one can tell security level is at its peak.
__The lighthouse pierced the night sky like a shard of ice, its rotating beam slicing through the storm like a warning. From this distance, the security perimeter was a tangible wall—layers of razor wire, floodlights, and motion sensors that seemed to bristle like guard dogs. The air was thick with tension, the city's emergency services and private security forces swarming the docks like ants around spilled sugar.
Mara's eyes narrowed as she scanned the scene, her gaze lingering on the clusters of heavily armed guards patrolling the perimeter. "They're not just expecting trouble," she murmured. "They're preparing for war."
I squinted, picking out details—a sharpshooter on the lighthouse's catwalk, a thermal imaging drone hovering overhead like a mechanical hawk. The Eclipse Project had pulled out all the stops. "Looks like they know we're coming."
Kade's voice crackled in my ear, a low whisper that sent a shiver down my spine. "Told you, Waller. They're not messing around. The control room's on lockdown, and the only way in is through the service tunnel. But… there's a catch."
Mara's head snapped toward me, her expression tight. "What catch?"
"The tunnel's rigged," Kade said, his tone flat. "They've got pressure plates and motion triggers. If you trip one sensor, the whole system goes live. You'll be walking into a kill zone."
The rain seemed to slow, the droplets hanging in the air like suspended knives. I felt a cold sweat break out on my palms, the weight of the USB drive in my pocket suddenly heavier.
Mara's expression didn't change, but her voice dropped to a whisper. "We've got no choice. We move in three."
I nodded, though I knew she couldn't see me. The plan was set. We'd slip into the tunnel, avoid the traps, and hit the control room before the eclipse peaked. Simple.
Kade's chuckle was a cold whisper in my ear. "Good luck, Waller. You're gonna need it."
I don't know how to react in a time like this. Am I a criminal now? Or is this the path to be? I closed my eyes for a moment with a sigh of relief, but I was in pressure deep down I felt everything was getting out of hand.
" We need to move, one, two, now." Kade said softly as he rushed through with mara behind him and I followed.
The service tunnel was a cold, damp maw that swallowed us whole, the darkness pressing in like a living thing. Kade led the way, his footsteps echoing off the metal walls as he navigated the narrow corridor with a precision that spoke of familiarity. Mara followed, her gun a steady presence in her hand, while I trailed behind, the USB drive burning a hole in my pocket like a promise—or a curse.
The air was thick with the scent of rust and decay, the only sound the steady drip of water and the distant hum of machinery. We moved in silence, the tension between us palpable, until Kade stopped abruptly, his hand raised in warning.
"Pressure plate," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "Step exactly where I step."
I held my breath as he sidesteped the plate, feeling the floor tremble beneath my feet as I followed. One misstep, and the whole tunnel would erupt in chaos.
Mara's eyes met mine, a flicker of reassurance in the dim light. "You okay?" she mourned.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I was. The line between right and wrong was blurring, and I was starting to wonder if I'd ever find my way back.
Kade's voice cut through the darkness, a low, urgent whisper. "Almost there. One more section, and we're in."
The corridor narrowed, the walls closing in around us like a vise. I could feel the weight of the lighthouse above us, the pressure building as we climbed higher and higher.
Suddenly, Kade stopped, his hand on a metal grate. "This is it," he whispered. "The control room's just beyond. Mara, you take point. Waller, you're with me."
Mara nodded, her gun at the ready, and pushed the grate open. The room beyond was a sea of consoles and screens, the flickering light casting an otherworldly glow over the space.
And in the center of it all, a figure sat, bathed in the soft blue light of a laptop screen.
The figure didn't look up at first—just kept typing, fingers dancing over the keyboard like a pianist playing a familiar concerto. The soft blue glow painted the contours of a face half‑shadowed by a hood, the faint scar on the left cheek catching the light just enough to make it recognizable.
"Ben?" I whispered, the name catching in my throat.