00:54 AM – A Deserted Port

  A black car rolled to a stop near the docks, its headlights flickering off. The air was thick with the scent of salt and rust, and the distant waves crashed violently against the shore.

  The door opened, and a man dressed in black stepped out, his face hard to make out in the shadows. He was greeted by a young woman waiting nearby. "Agent Harper," he called, nodding toward her.

  “How did it go, sir?” Harper asked, her voice low but steady.

  “The approval comes tomorrow,” he replied.

  She nodded, her face unreadable. "Henry keeps the original, and we get the copy, right? The contract should be included, I assume?"

  A small nod. They began walking, their steps deliberate, measured.

  “Harper,” he said, his voice quiet but firm, "Keep pushing forward. We don’t have much time."

  She met his gaze, her expression hardening. “Understood.”

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  They entered a crumbling warehouse, the air thick with the scent of damp wood and age. The floor creaked beneath their steps as they moved deeper into the shadows.

  He stepped onto a raised platform, turned, and locked eyes with Harper, who stood a few feet away. "Sort everything out. If you need help, ask Henry—use my name. And find June, she might already be looking into it."

  Harper nodded, a small grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "See you soon, and try to stay out of trouble."

  The man hummed with a barely visible smile, tapping his foot twice. A soft, prismatic glow pulsed beneath him, spreading out like ripples on water.

  In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

  Harper exhaled sharply, pulling a small device from her pocket. “Continue operations. Locate Agent June.”

  Sliding the device back into her pocket, she climbed into the car and disappeared into the night.

  ---

  Somewhere in Northern Europe…

  Rain tapped gently against the windows, the wind whispering through the cracks.

  “The rain’s getting worse, Kiki,” Lorraine murmured, cradling the small golden dog against her chest. Kiki gave a sleepy yawn before licking her cheek. Lorraine giggled, hugging the dog closer.

  “Lorraine, close the windows and come down for dinner!” her mother’s voice called from downstairs.

  “Coming, Mom!” she answered, rubbing Kiki’s soft ears before setting her down gently.

  She shut the window, wiping away the fog that had formed on the glass. From downstairs, the comforting scent of warm bread and soup drifted up, wrapping her in a cocoon of comfort.

  Scooping Kiki up once more, she smiled. “Let’s go eat, girl.”

  Outside, the storm raged on, hungry and determined to devour all that lay in its path.