Shadow Reckoning

Word spread fast.

Within hours, every major gang in Guardian City knew about the warehouse massacre. Shade's return wasn't just a rumor anymore—it was a nightmare whispered in the alleys.

Lauren Chase, now a high-ranking agent in the city's task force, sat in her office staring at crime scene photos. Bodies littered the warehouse floor. Blood painted the walls.

She recognized the brutality. The efficiency.

It was him.

She ran a hand through her hair, frustration mounting. He had vanished for two years. No sign, no trace. Now, he was back, waging a one-man war on the underworld.

And he wasn't holding back.

A knock on her door. "Come in."

A young officer entered. "Ma'am, we got a lead on Sable. He's gone underground, but we picked up chatter—there's a club downtown where his men operate. The Red Lotus."

Lauren exhaled. If Shade hadn't already found that lead, he would soon.

She grabbed her coat.

If she didn't get there first, the night would end in more blood.