The city disappeared beneath a blanket of fog.
Its name didn't matter.
Not tonight.
Tonight, red would make sure the Wolf would answer for what he'd done.
The Neon lit signs bled through the mist in hazy streaks of crimson, blue, and violet, illuminating the rain slick streets below.
Most people would hurry home when the weather turned like this.
Red walked casually with her eyes concealed by her red hood.
Her fingers tightened around the dagger at her side.
Three years.
Three years since the Wolf had carved his way through her family.
Three years since she'd found her grandmother lying in a pool of blood, staring at a ceiling she would never see again.
Tonight, that changed.
Through the fog, Grimm Incorporated emerged like a fortress from a nightmare. Steel and glass vanished into the storm clouds above, its countless windows glowing like watchful eyes.
Somewhere inside was the man responsible.
The Wolf.
Red smiled beneath her hood.
The metal detector and two armed guards the only two obstacles between her and justice.
Red walked straight through it, prepared for what was to come.
BEEP.
The guard looked up.
Red's dagger snapped up before everything froze in place, unable to move like time stopped.
"That's not right," the fustrated voice said in the sky.
The artist erased the panel. Having red run in stricking range before going in for the kill.
"What about this?, is that better?," he muttered.
He sketched the guards reacting, one already halfway turning. Red's dagger came up, but he moved just out of range. That did not deter her, she stepped in and angled the hilt into the guard's jaw.
Crack.
The second guard didn't even get time to shout before she was on him.
The artist paused, staring at the rough lines on the screen. In his head, the scene was loud and Fast paced. He could clearly visualize the rain soaking her hood. Security alarms screaming. But on the digital page it just didn't pop like it should be.
He started sketching the interior. A long atrium. Elevators. Stairwells spiraling upward. He placed Red on the first floor, then another panel above it. Then another. Each one a little higher. Each one closer to the Wolf.
He added a railing along one of the stairwells, then frowned.
"Ugh,that boxed it in."
With a quick flick of his stylus, he erased it completely. The open space made the building look vast and dangerous . Like if she slipped, it was over.
That was better.
He leaned closer, drawing Red cutting her way through another pair of the Grimms lackeys.
Rain streaks went in last, falling down from the broken skylights above. Even without color, he could see it in his head. Blue neon. Red warning lights. The shine on wet concrete. The way her hood would glow under it all.
The fight still wasn't right.
He leaned back, exhaling through his teeth, then stood and set the stylus down. A practice saber rested against the wall. He picked it up, rolling the grip in his palm.
"Okay guess we give this a go," he murmured, "lets see what you got miss little red riding hood."
He exhaled once. The world around him bled away.
In his head, the floor became the top floor of Grimm Incorporated . The cold, slick marble floors under his boots, alarms wailing in the distance. Ruhbye stood in front of him, hood low, dagger in her grip.
He took his stance, but she moved first. She was so fast. Low to the ground a blur of motion was all he could glimpse. He parried the imagined strike with a clang. He turned his wrist to redirect her blade.
"Too obvious," he murmured, circling her phantom figure.
Red darted in again. He sidestepped, countering with a precise thrust aimed for her chest. This would end it with the killing blow.
But she spun.
Her dagger arm dropped, other hand snapping up. A throwing knife shimmered through the air, straight for his face.
The artist flinched, twisting to deflect an attack that wasn't there. His heart pounded.
He could almost see her ghostly image closing in, all fury and fire, going for the final strike.
The phone on his desk buzzed.
He jumped startled by the constant vibrations. The world snapped back into place. He was back to the hum of his PC, the glow of the half-finished panel lighting the room. He stared down at the saber in his hand, breathing hard, he exhaled through his nose before picking up the phone to answer.
"Yeah."
"Thank god, you finally picked up Aiden," Dee's voice came through crisp and professional, yet it was somehow more annoying than nails on a chalkboard. "We need to talk about page twenty seven."
Aiden rolled back sitting in his gamer chair, fingers returning the stylus to page twenty seven. "Okay, What about it."
"The fight scenes are all to fast again," Dee said. "People want character development just as much as the cool techniques. This is supposed to be our breakout book remember. We agreed on this being an action comic but it cant be all sword fights."
Aiden glanced back at the screen. The character stood mid swing, muscles tight, eyes focused. "It is a duel. Not a telenovela. If this were real there wouldnt be much talking. It would be over in two seconds flat. "
Dee let out a short laugh. "You say that everytime its not about winning here.
"while we are at it this wolf character," dee shot in not giving aiden a moment to talk. "Lets get rid of his police baton and try giving him two swords. Make them huge like the abime characters you watch. Give the colorist something fun to work with on the cover."
"You cant just throw in some big fake villian swords," aiden shot back. "Every change has to elevate something. Im not going to make him like hes on steriods carrying a big slab of metal on his back. Not only does it change his character but how is he even suppose to fight with those."
There was a pause on the line.
"Aiden," Dee said, lowering his voice. "This is a business and im good at this. Im just looking out for you on your big debut. Marketing can wait on the final pages, but I need to know youre with me on this."
"I get that, but Im not changing something so foundational to the character just for the covers sake and thats final."
Another akward pause. Followed by Dee's name called in the background.
Behind him, the lock on his apartment door clicked.
Aiden turned just in time to see Lila slip inside. Her brown hair was escaping its ponytails in every direction, and the exhausted look on her face told him she'd had another terrible shift.
She made a beeline for the fridge.
"Sorry about that had to grab my frap but Im back," Dee announced snapping aidens away from his favorite home invader. "The readers dont even know this whole hema stuff you practice."
"They will easily be able to follow if the story respects them," Aiden said.
Lila pulled out an energy drink, popped the tab, and took a long chug. She made a face like it burned going down, then flashed Aiden an exaggerated thumbs up.
He shot her a look. She responded by puffing her cheeks and widening her eyes in mock innocence.
Dee continued. "If this book tanks, there is no second volume. You need to think about that. I believe in you but you got to believe in me too."
Aiden rubbed his forehead. Lila slumped down on the couch crossing her legs, watching him, swaying slightly from exhaustion. Her work uniform was rumpled. There was a smear of something dark on her sleeve. Coffee, or ink, or maybe spaghetti sauce? It was impossible to tell.
"I didnt say that," he said quietly. "Its just I dont want to lie with my art."
"I wouldnt ask that of you but we all need to compromise aiden," Dee replied. "That is how careers survive."
Lila lifted her empty can and mouthed the word help at him.
Aiden closed his eyes. He imagined the late nights. The deadlines. Lila dragging herself to work every morning after staying the night. He knew she deserved better. Yet she came by every night after work.
"Fine," he said sighing. "We can talk about the cover later . Just send me the notes."
Dee's voice relaxed instantly. "Good youre doing the right thing. I will email you the adjustments. Try not to overthink it."
The call ended.
Aiden stared at the phone for a moment before dropping it onto the desk. Lila wasted no time getting up from the couch. She stepped closer, studying his face.
"You okay," she asked.
"Yeah," he said, though it came out thin. "Just tired."
"Same." She bumped his arm with her shoulder. "Your fridge is empty by the way. You are a such a mess baby."
He snorted despite himself. "Please tell me that wasnt my last energy drink."
"Those things are bad for you. I'm totally doing you a favor."
He stared at her lovingly. Her sass lifting the stress and exhaustion more than any drink could.
Aiden glanced back at the monitor. The duel on the screen looked frozen in time, caught in the moment before impact. Something about it suddenly felt wrong, like the figures were waiting for him to hit play on some remote.
"Hey," she said, pressing her forehead against his without waiting for an invitation. "You look awful, are you getting sick."
"Hey easy, Im fine," Aiden muttered, his face feeling flush from her touch. "I could say the same to you, long day?"
"You could say that," Lila replied, before burying her face into his chest with a dramatic sigh. "But at least I can step away and see you."
Aiden shot her a look. "I missed you."
"I Missed you too," she said, looking up at him with an eager stare. "And that's why I'm here. You need to get out of your head for a bit."
Aiden leaned back in his chair pulling her in by the hips into his lap. "I'm fine as long as you replace that drink, Lila."
"Hey, dont kill the moment jerk," she said, her tone softening. "Look, I get it. Deadlines and all.... But you sitting here all night, staring at your screen, isn't going to change anything."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So, what do you suggest?"
Lila grinned. "Breakfast. Tomorrow. 9 a.m. My treat."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "You just got off work lets just spend time together before you have to go home."
"I'm doing it for you," she said, her grin softening into a small pleading smile. "You need this. Trust me."
Aiden pushed back meeting her gaze. "You are impossible."
"Stop fighting and just say yes already."
For the first time in days, Aiden felt a faint flicker of relief. "Fine," he said. "But only for a little bit okay."
"Deal," Lila said, pushing away and heading for the door. "And bring your sketchbook or youre in trouble teach."
Aiden rolled his eyes before shooting her his ultimatum, "Or you can stay the night."
Lila paused at the door.
"Nice try," with a devilish grin. "See you at nine, teach."
The door clicked shut as adian said goodnight to empty room.
Back at his desk, Aiden tried to focus on his screen again, but his thoughts wandered. He glanced at the time display showing 10:47 p.m. and sighed. His eyes felt heavy, his mind foggy. He leaned back in his chair, intending to close his eyes for just a moment.
Sleep came quickly and with a little luck he would actually make it on time to his date for a change.