Her hands clenched around the phone. She had no plan, just the address Alpha sent her and a heartbeat that felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. People walked by her, laughing and chatting, eating simit from street carts. Life was going on, as if her whole world hadn't just fallen apart. She opened her ride app and marked a spot a few blocks away from the warehouse Alpha mentioned. If she was being watched, she didn't want the driver to take her straight there.
When the cab pulled up, she hopped in without a word. The driver didn't ask questions. She stared out the window as the city blurred by, the minarets, aging bricks, and glowing kebab shop signs. Everything around her was alive and colorful, while all she could think about was Ayla's cries, looping in her head.
The car finally stopped in a nearly deserted industrial area just as night began to fall.
She handed the driver some cash and made sure to leave a tip before stepping out quietly.
