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Close?
No, a few feet away.
“Mr. Villanova,” the quiet voice from a few feet to his left confirmed his suspicion. He looked to the side casually, seeing nothing but the dark umbra of a shadow at the edge of the boathouse.
“Shadow Man,” he greeted, keeping his voice level. The myth. The only one he knew of that everyone in the underworld stayed far away from. They said if the Shadow Man came calling, you’d never be heard from again. He sure fucking hoped that wasn’t true in his case.
“The note said to come alone,” the voice, with a slight accent he couldn’t place, said without inflection.
Alpha shrugged. “Can’t drive with the bad eye. You wanted to meet?”
There was silence for a long minute, a long minute that Alpha stared at the river, keeping his ears open. A slight rustle before the voice came back. “The killer wants to frame you.”
Alpha huffed. “That’s obvious.”
“He’s made a deal with The Syndicate.”
What?
Alpha looked to the side, just able to make out a tall silhouette. “What kind of deal?”
“He’s to deliver them something, and they would help him take you down.”
Interesting. He’d not heard of the organization making deals with rogue killers.
“Why tell me about it?” Alpha asked, the itch in his eye getting worse.
A lighter flicked on, showing the flesh on a gloved hand, before flicking off again.
“You leading the city suits my purpose in the grand scheme of things.”
He had a purpose? Alpha didn’t voice the question. He knew nothing about this man, and that made him a wild card he didn’t know how to deal with.
“So the killer works for The Syndicate?” Alpha verified.
“He kills because he enjoys it,” the man clarified. “The organization is simply a means to an end… your place in the narrative.”
“You talk like there’s a bigger picture.”
A dry chuckle. “There always is.”
The chat was interesting, to say the least. “Do you know who the killer is?”
“Yes.”
Alpha waited for him to fill in the blank, but he didn’t. “And you won’t tell?”
The man waited for a beat. “Call your brother in Tenebrae. His undercover dog has information that will help you.”
Alpha tensed, the knife stilling in his hand. His connection with Dante was not common knowledge, neither was the fact that Dante had sent one of his guys, Vin, undercover in the organization a few months ago. Who the hell was this guy?
“Was that all?” Alpha tried to keep the anger contained, seriously pissed at the cryptic replies. He wasn’t there to play whatever mind games this guy came with. “That’s the truth you wanted to tell me?”
A small pause. “You don’t remember, but this killer is the same man one who took your eye years ago.”
Lead filled his veins. Alpha straightened to his full height, taking a step closer to the silhouette that didn’t move. “How the fuck do you know? Who is he?”
The man didn’t reply.
