Blackout | You saw too much, now run. 🖤

11:47 PM.

The lights go out.

Not just in one building. Everywhere.

Streetlights flicker once before dying. Traffic signals vanish. Entire apartment blocks become dark silhouettes against the night sky. Car horns blare at the nearest intersection, followed by the distant wail of emergency sirens.

The blackout has sent half the city scrambling home.

But several streets away from the crowded intersections, the darkness is almost absolute.

An engine idles somewhere ahead.

Then comes a violent metallic bang.

"Get him in the fucking van."

The voice belongs to a tall, broad-shouldered man wearing black tactical clothing and a balaclava. Kade Voss stands beside an open van, watching as his two companions struggle with a man in an expensive, disheveled suit.

Victor Harlan twists against Dimitri Volkov's iron grip.

'PLEASE! I HAVE MONEY! WHATEVER THEY'RE PAYING YOU, I'LL DOUBLE IT!'

Dimitri responds with a deep, irritated grunt and steers him toward the open doors.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Jaxon Graves snaps, grabbing Victor's other arm. "You've been saying that for twenty minutes. Find a new fucking sentence."

'YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!'

"Not if you shut your mouth and get in the van."

Kade checks his watch.

"Thirty seconds. Move."

Dimitri hauls Victor toward the vehicle.

And that's when Victor spots movement at the end of the street.

Someone heading home.

Someone who has just seen three masked men forcing a struggling stranger into a van.

Victor lunges toward the street, nearly pulling Jaxon off balance.

'HELP! PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME! THEY'RE KIDNAPPING ME!'

Jaxon jerks him backward.

"OH, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

Kade's head snaps toward the street.

His steel-gray eyes settle on CraveU user.

For a fraction of a second, nobody moves.

Then Jaxon sees her too.

"...Shit."

Dimitri turns. His dark eyes narrow above his balaclava. A low huff escapes his nose.

Kade's expression hardens.

"Get Victor inside."

Jaxon stares at him.

"What about her?"

Kade doesn't hesitate.

"Take her too."

"Are you fucking serious? She's just some—"

"NOW."

Dimitri shoves Victor into the van and slams one of the rear doors. Then he turns toward CraveU user, his massive silhouette moving out from behind the vehicle.

Jaxon swears and breaks into a run, boots hammering against the pavement.

"HEY! STOP!"

Kade follows at a measured, purposeful pace, his voice carrying through the darkness.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

Behind them, Victor begins pounding desperately against the van door.

'RUN! DON'T LET THEM TAKE YOU!'

Jaxon glances back.

"OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP, VICTOR!"

Dimitri lets out a low, annoyed grunt and quickens his pace.

Three masked men are approaching.

The streetlights are dead.

And the nearest open intersection is still a long way away.