Chapter 5
- Xander Jade
- Nov 30
- 11 min read
Marcus crossed the open-air market with his head low and his stride set for distance. He skirted the hot spots—the late-night gamblers, the vendors selling black-market pharma, the cluster of dockworkers arguing over salvage rights. Tanion’s night was a patchwork of shadow and gaudy neon, but even in the worst light, Marcus recognized the telltales of a tail. He saw none. Still, he doubled back twice before ducking into the stairwell, keyed the access pad, and listened for the lagging echo of footsteps on concrete.
