Lena

Chapter 3: A Glimmer in the Darkness

The dull thud of her footsteps on the wet asphalt was almost swallowed by the persistent drizzle that continued to fall. Lena felt exhausted. Not from the sprint she had made as she hurriedly left the abandoned café, but from the mental weight of the situation. The successive revelations and the enigmatic presence of Marc, who had always been a guide for her, had turned into an oppressive shadow.

She paused for a moment under a flickering streetlight, her breath short, glancing around. The street was almost deserted, except for a few indistinct figures hurrying under their umbrellas, eager to get home. The autumn chill was beginning to bite, seeping through her coat.

She took a moment to think. The folder she clutched to her chest, these incriminating documents, were they worth putting her life in danger? Lena knew she had already gone too far. The truth she was striving to uncover was no longer just a journalistic investigation; it had become a matter of survival.

Her phone vibrated again in her pocket, interrupting her thoughts. She quickly pulled it out. Samuel. This time, she could no longer delay the conversation. She needed support, someone she could still trust.

"Lena, where are you?" Samuel's voice was filled with worry, but there was also a hint of reproach. "You're still unreachable, and I feel like something serious is going on."

Lena hesitated, looking around as if someone might be watching. "Samuel, I can't explain everything right now... but you have to trust me. I'm onto something huge, and it's bigger than anything you can imagine."

"How huge?" he asked, his voice becoming more urgent.

She took a deep breath. "People in high places. They're all involved, and they're following me, Sam. I think Marc knows more than he's told me. He's not who I thought he was."

A heavy silence followed on the other end of the line. Lena knew Samuel was trying to digest the information.

"Go to the office," he finally said. "I'll be there in an hour. We need to figure this out. If Marc has trapped you in something dangerous, we'll find a way out."

"I... I'll try," Lena responded, her eyes fixed on the empty street. "But I need to be careful. I'll contact you as soon as I can."

She hung up before Samuel could protest. It was time to move. Meeting at the office seemed risky, but it was also her only chance to make sense of this chaos. She had to organize the information she held before exposing it because once the truth was revealed, she knew she would become a direct target.

As she prepared to leave, a sound caught her attention. It was subtle, but she heard it clearly: footsteps, behind her, in another alley. She didn't turn her head right away, preferring to keep her movements natural. But inside, her heart was racing. Someone was following her.

Slowly, Lena moved toward another corner of the street, searching for an exit. Her instinct told her not to confront this unknown person directly. But escape was no longer an option. The figure suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, moving quickly, almost stealthily.

She took a deep breath. There was no other choice.

"Who are you?" she called out abruptly, her voice strong despite the fear growing inside her.

The man stopped dead, a few meters away from her. A hood partially obscured his face, and under the dim streetlight, Lena could barely make out his features.

"It's not what you think," he replied in a rough voice.

Lena frowned. She hadn't expected that response. "Then explain," she retorted sharply, her gaze fixed on the man. "Who are you, and why are you following me?"

The man lowered his hood slightly, revealing a face she didn't recognize. He looked young, probably in his thirties, but deep circles marked his eyes. He was visibly exhausted, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"My name is Julien," he finally said. "I work for Marc."

Lena recoiled slightly. "What?"

"Listen, I know you have no reason to trust me," Julien continued, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "But Marc isn't the man you think he is. He sent me to watch over you... because he's afraid you're in danger."

Lena remained silent for a moment, processing the stranger's words. "Why should I believe a single thing you say?"

Julien hesitated. "Because Marc is trapped. He's in the middle of all this, but he's trying to protect those he can. He gave you that folder because he knew he couldn't keep it anymore. If they find out he gave you this information, they'll kill him."

Lena's heart raced. Could it be true? Had Marc used her to protect himself? Or was this just another manipulation attempt?

"How do I know you're not lying?" she asked, wary.

"I can show you proof," Julien replied quickly. "But not here. There are people everywhere watching you. They know you have that folder."

Lena clutched the folder tightly, the weight of the documents suddenly feeling heavier. The information she held had become a ticking time bomb.

"Alright," she finally said. "Where?"

"There's a safe place a few streets from here. Come with me." Julien extended his hand, as if encouraging her to follow.

Lena knew she had to make a quick decision. Every minute spent here in the street put her in danger, and she couldn't afford to stay still. But following a man she didn't know? That was an enormous risk.

She hesitated, her eyes locked on Julien, searching for truth in his gaze.

Then, she took a step forward.

"Lead the way," she said firmly.

Julien nodded, and without another word, they ventured into the darkness of the adjacent street, each step bringing them closer to a truth Lena wasn't sure she wanted to know.