What Damien didn’t know was that Luna had spent the night hiding in the alley behind VERTEX, burning with fever, listening to a conversation that nearly stopped her heart.
A storm days earlier had destroyed her cardboard shelter. Looking for somewhere dry, she slipped into the narrow, foul-smelling alley between the store and an office building. She curled behind a dumpster and tried to disappear.
Then two men arrived.
They didn’t see her.
One voice sliced through her like a knife—because she recognized it instantly.
Ethan’s voice.
The man who sometimes smiled at her. Who once gave her a dollar and told her to buy bread.
But now the voice was poisonous.
“Everything’s set,” Ethan said. “Accelerants are in the basement, wired to the main electrical system. Clean work.”
“You sure?” the other man asked. “Damien checks everything.”
Ethan laughed—ugly.
“He’s meticulous… but he trusts me. Tomorrow at nine he does his inspection. The irony? He’ll be inspecting his own grave.”
Luna’s blood turned to ice.
“And the insurance?” the other man asked.
“Pays out. ‘Electrical failure.’ ‘Tragic accident.’ With Damien gone, I’m in charge. No more bowing to my perfect little brother.”
Smoke filled the alley. Luna pressed her sleeve to her mouth to stop herself from coughing.
“At 9:05,” Ethan continued calmly, “when he uses his master key, the system disengages—and that circuit triggers the detonators in the basement. Explosion. Structural collapse inward. End of story.”
They left.
Luna couldn’t move. Fear, fever, and cold crushed her. She passed out behind the dumpster.
When she woke, the sky was pale. Church bells rang.
Nine.
Her heart slammed. Panic gave her strength.
She saw the black sedan stop. Saw Damien step out—polished, untouchable. Saw his dismissive gesture. Saw the keys in his hand.
And she understood: time would not wait.
She ran.
Not for dignity. Not for food. Not for candy.
She ran on pure instinct—like every step was holding the sky up.
“NO!” she screamed, but her voice came out weak.
Damien raised his hand toward the lock.
Luna grabbed his arm.
“DON’T GO IN! THE STORE WILL EXPLODE!”
The keys clattered to the ground.
Damien spun around, anger flaring. Fear didn’t touch him—indignation did. Her dirty hand on his suit offended him more than the words.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he hissed. “I don’t have time for games.”
He bent to pick up the keys, already planning to call security.