The shadow

When Rowen Closed his eyes, saw Harlin's smiling face.

"Red Velvet, we will never meet again...You...."

He couldn't finish. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second,

Rowen leaning right up, the next, he had leapt back with howls of horror.

A girl with entirely black attire, stopped short of her bike; she vaulted down, climbed out of that and stood in front of David. Rowen stared at the girl a moment longer, wondering what's going on. She had a question-answer session with David and his henchman which Rowen didn't hear clearly.

Suddenly, the girl removed her mask, yet Rowen couldn't see her as she overturned her face. But, just one word claspers him from the dull continuity.

"Captain!"

"Captain! Is she one of them, might be their team leader, then why David calls her captain."

All of a sudden, a mercenary was about to deliver a potentially fatal blow to Rowen; Harlin noticed that her patience ran thin. She, fastly, lifted up her mask.

With blinding speed, Harlin moved with fluid grace, twisting her body to deliver a swift spinning kick that sent the boy sprawling to the ground.

Her lithe form twisting and turning as she engaged her enemies. Her combat skills, honed through years of training, were unleashed with relentless precision. David could only gibber at the heat of the moment.

Rowen stood up and gasped.

Finally, with the path cleared, Harlin reached Rowen's side. His eyes widened with awe and gratitude as he realized the lengths she had gone to save him.

The girl has elegant curves that gracefully accentuate her silhouette. Her slender waistline contrasts beautifully with the gentle swell of her hips, creating a captivating harmony. Every movement she makes seems to be a dance, showcasing her confidence and poise.

"Who..." But his utterance was put out..

In the midst of the chaos, a gunshot echoed through the narrow space. Harlin felt a searing pain rip through her shoulder. Her reflexes saved her from a more dire fate, but the wound slowed her movements.

Just then, the sirens of a police jeep and a BMW caught everyone's sight.

The mercenaries swarmed into the alley, their weapons drawn. Harlin knew she couldn't keep this up for long. Gathering her strength, she unleashed a blinding flash of smoke and vanished into the darkness once more.

From the jeep, Officer Erken came out with his forces. He is a striking figure in the bustling urban landscape.

"Hands up, don't move."

With an air of authority and a magnetic presence, his sharp hazel eyes exude both intelligence and determination, hinting at the depths of his commitment to the profession.

The crisp navy-blue uniform fits is like a second skin, accentuating his physique without compromising her professionalism.

Rayan passed over Erken, appeared before Rowen, and hugged tightly.

"Elder Brother…brother… sor…sorry.. I shouldn't have left you in the club."

Flashback of three hours ago,

The music pulsed through the club as Rowen sat at the bar, nursing his drink. He'd come to unwind, to forget the pressures of Harlin's memory. The dim lights and rhythmic beats offered a temporary escape from the world outside.

"Brother, stop drinking, let's go home."

"Ummm, no. You can leave, I want to be here more." He snubbed, still grappling with his wine glass.

"Please, brother. Everything has a limit; why do you finish yourself like this."

"Get the hell out of here, or I will forget you are my young brother." Rowen chided him.

"You never listen to me. Why you? You have no one except Harlin in this world, right? I am none for you, just a mendicant whom you got at the road, just a pup…"

Rayan couldn't finish his words as Rowen swung and grabbed his throat,

"Did I ever treat you like that? How could you say these things? Leave this place right now."

Rayan left the place while crying.

"Aah! Yes, leave me. I don't need anyone. Everyone abandoned me at the end."

Lost in his thoughts, Rowen didn't notice the subtle shift in the atmosphere until a group of figures clad in dark clothing materialized from the shadows. They moved with purpose, their determined expressions contrasting sharply with the carefree revelers around them.

Before Rowen could react, strong arms closed around his shoulders, pulling him off the barstool. Panic surged through him as he struggled against the unexpected assailants. The club's volume made communication futile.

With a surge of adrenaline, Rowen training kicked in. He fought back, elbowing one of his captors and managing to break free momentarily. But the group was relentless, swift in their efforts to regain control. Blows rained down on him, and his vision blurred as he tried to fend off the attackers.

At present,

"What will I do if something happens to you. I can't forgive myself." Rayan whined.

Rayan flinched at Rowen, then turned his cheek up to Rowen.

"You can slap me as much as you want."

Oho, this boy, who says he is married, still behaves as an infant. Rowen smiled.

"I will, but first, please unlock my handcuff."

Rayan pressed his lip,

"Oh sorry, sorry."

In due time, Erken came to them, and handed a key to Rayan. Rayan unlocked Rowen and gasped at him again.

Rowen looked around, trying to find the mysterious savior who had come to his rescue. But the Shadow was gone, leaving only a trail of enigma in her wake.

Harlin, wounded but determined, staggered away from the chaotic scene where the fateful encounter had taken place.

Unbeknownst to her, a shadowy figure trailed her, watching from a distance. The person responsible for saving her life chose to remain hidden, preferring to act from the shadows, for reasons yet unknown.

Suddenly, the sound of an engine roared to life, and headlights illuminated Harlin's path. Startled, she turned to see an unfamiliar car pulling up beside her. The window rolled down, revealing the face of a woman she had never met before. The stranger's eyes held an intensity that Harlin couldn't quite decipher, yet there was a familiarity to her gaze that seemed to soothe her soul.

"Get in," the woman said firmly, her voice laced with an air of authority that compelled Harlin to trust her instincts.

"You don't have that much time to think, just get in." Without a word, Harlin climbed into the car, and the mysterious woman sped away, leaving the chaos behind.

Harlin took her phone, but can't finished what she wanted to do and before that she swooned.