Price of Silence

The alley was quiet in the way that felt wrong. The streetlights flickered above, casting broken shadows against damp brick walls.

Somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed, then faded. Alessio stood near the back entrance of an abandoned building, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets, shoulders tense, eyes darting every few seconds.

He hated places like this.

“Relax.” The voice came from