The warehouse loomed before them, a skeletal shell of rusted steel and shattered windows. Moonlight sliced through the holes in the roof, painting jagged shadows across the cracked concrete floor. 🏚
Feriha's heart hammered in her chest. Every instinct screamed at her to run. But she knew there was no turning back.
Ravihan motioned her to stay close. "Stay in the shadows. Watch my back."
She nodded silently, gripping the strap of her bag like a lifeline. 😐
They entered. The door groaned, echoing through the empty building. The smell of rust and decay hit Feriha immediately, mixed with something faintly metallic;blood. 📌
Ravihan signaled her to stop. Ahead, in the center of the warehouse, a single lamp burned, swinging slightly from a chain. Beneath it, a circle of white lilies surrounded a chair.
And on that chair… the survivor.
Feriha froze. The figure slumped forward, but alive. A blanket barely covered her small frame. She recognized the child immediately. The same face from the photos;the one she remembered faintly from her past. 😓
"Is she… okay?" Feriha whispered.
Ravihan shook his head. "Not for long if we don't move."
A soft, deliberate clap echoed through the warehouse. ✨
Selene stepped into the circle of light, her silver coat catching the lamp's glow. She smiled;cold, sharp, and inhuman. 🕯
"Detective Sen. And the girl who remembers too much," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "Welcome to my little stage."
Ravihan raised his gun. "Step back, Selene." 🔫
Selene shook her head. "No need. I won't touch you… yet. I want to see how clever you really are. How far you'll go to save a child who isn't even yours anymore."
Feriha felt a chill. "What do you mean… 'isn't mine anymore'?"
Selene's smile widened. "Ah, you'll understand soon. But first, a game." 🏹
Ravihan's jaw tightened. "We don't play games with killers."
"Oh, but you do," she said, stepping closer to the survivor. "Every step you've taken has been my game. Every file, every message, every warning. You think you're following the trail… but really, you're following me."
Feriha's hands shook. The survivor's eyes fluttered open, and recognition sparked in her gaze. 👀
"Feriha…" the child whispered, voice barely audible. "You… you're here."
Selene laughed softly. "Oh, she remembers. That's why this will be so much fun." 😅
Ravihan stepped forward, shielding Feriha. "Don't hurt her."
Selene tilted her head. "Hurt her? My dear detective, I don't need to. Fear is enough. And you," she said, pointing at Feriha, "have been carrying it inside you all these years, whether you knew it or not." ☺
Feriha's mind raced. She realized—slowly, terrifyingly;that the survivor was more than a witness.
Selene circled the lilies, her heels clicking. "This child… this little sister of yours… she holds the key to everything. And you, Feriha, are the lock. But only if you remember."
Feriha's pulse spiked. Memories;broken, jagged flashes;shot through her mind:
Cold metal walls.
Small hands gripping hers.
A whispered promise: "I won't leave you."
Blue ribbons, endless hallways, muffled cries. 💠
Selene's voice cut through the memories. "Do you remember now? Or will you leave the truth behind like you always have?"
Ravihan tightened his grip on her arm. "Feriha, focus. The survivor;she's your link. Find the strength." 💡
Feriha swallowed, her mind reeling, her chest tightening.
The warehouse was silent now, save for Selene's deliberate breathing and the soft murmur of the survivor's fragile voice.
Feriha realized with icy certainty: the next move could be life or death;for all of them. ☠