The alleyway was a dark, soulless chasm, the only sound the distant hum of the city and the ragged beat of Mercer's heart. He stood frozen, his eyes scanning the shadows, his mind racing with possibilities. What had just happened? Who was the figure, and what did they want with Sophia?
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus, to think. He had to get out of there, to get back to Lucius and find out what was going on. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being pulled into a game, one that was bigger than him, and he didn't know the rules.
As he turned to leave, he spotted a piece of paper on the ground, a note scrawled in red ink: "Meet me at the old clock tower at midnight. -D"
Mercer's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. Who was D, and what did they want? He knew he had to be careful, that he was walking into a trap, but he couldn't resist the pull of the unknown.
He made his way back to his car, his eyes scanning the streets for any sign of surveillance. He knew he was being watched, that he was a pawn in a game, and he had to be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.
As he drove to the clock tower, his mind was racing with possibilities. What was he walking into? Who was D, and what did they want?
The clock tower loomed before him, a monolith of stone and steel, its face a glowing moon in the darkness. Mercer approached with caution, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
As he reached the entrance, a figure emerged from the shadows, a woman with piercing green eyes and hair as black as the night.
"Alex," she said, her voice low and husky. "It's been a long time."
Mercer's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. Who was this woman? He didn't recognize her, but there was something familiar about her, something that tugged at his memories.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice firm and even.
The woman smiled, a look of sadness crossing her face. "My name is Anna, Alex. I'm your sister."
Mercer's world spun, his mind reeling with shock and disbelief. Sister? He didn't have a sister. He didn't have anyone.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Anna's eyes locked onto his, her gaze piercing. "I'm your sister, Alex. We were separated when we were kids. I thought you were dead."
Mercer's mind was racing, his thoughts spinning with possibilities. What was going on? Was this true? He didn't know what to believe, what to think.
As he stood there, frozen in shock, Anna's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I'm so sorry for what happened to you."
Mercer's world was spinning, his mind reeling with questions and, for a moment, he forgot about the Agency, about Blackstone Security, about everything. He forgot about the danger, about the risk, and he just felt.
To be continued...
Will Mercer believe Anna's claim, and what secrets will she reveal about his past? Find out in Chapter 7: "The Luntan Enigma".