10/19/2026
Chapter 20: Warehouse Of Strobes
The abandoned meatpacking plant near dock 14 was a cathedral of rusting steel, decaying iron hooks, and broken skylights. High above the concrete floor, emergency strobe lights left over from an old security installation flickered erratically, casting blinding white flashes followed by deep, sudden darkness across the cavernous room.
Yuri stood beside his open wooden crate, a heavy automatic r***e resting in his arms. Opposite him stood Bishop, surrounded by four heavily armed henchmen, money bags resting on a wooden pallet between them.
"The hardware is clean, Yuri," Bishop shouted over the rhythmic hum of a failing diesel generator in the corner. "Now tell me where Marco is keeping the ledger Lena gave him."
"I sell iron, Bishop," Yuri spat, stepping back toward his crate. "I don't deal in political gossip or wives' diaries."
Suddenly, the overhead strobe system shorted out, bursting into a blinding pattern of strobing white light.
Pft-pft.
Two suppressed gunshots echoed through the strobing darkness. Two of Bishop's guards dropped simultaneously, blood spraying against the rusted meat hooks hanging from the ceiling.
"Ambush!" Bishop screamed, diving behind a row of concrete pillars as his remaining men opened fire blindly into the shadows.
From the high steel rafters, Sable laughed—a wild, unhinged sound that bounced off the corrugated walls. Beside him, moving with absolute silence in the flashing light, Vega reloaded his weapon, his cold eyes tracking Bishop’s position in the strobe flashes.
Through the shattered front doors burst Detective Doyle, weapon raised, his badge gleaming under the strobing lights.
"Police! Drop your weapons!" Doyle shouted into the chaos, as gunfire, glass, and strobing light consumed the floor.
