Ares's POV
The boardwalk lights shone weakly against the fog. Waves slapped against the pillars below, carrying the faint smell of diesel and salt.
Leonard was already walking back when I arrived… breathing hard, shoulders tense. His jacket was ripped at the sleeve, and frustration burned in his eyes.
"I couldn't catch up with him." he said, shaking his head. "Whoever that biker was, he knew the shortcuts."
Jasmine stood near the railing, clutching a manila folder tight to her chest. Her bag was gone. Her hair clung damply to her cheeks, and there was that look again… the one she always wore when she was holding herself together by sheer force.
Leonard turned to her. "You okay?"
She nodded faintly. "Just shaken. Not hurt."
He sighed. "Good. But you need to be more careful. Whoever came after you tonight wasn't just trying to scare you."
Jasmine's voice was quiet. "I know."
