Shadow Code: Descendant's Wrath

Chapter 3

Alistair sat at his desk, staring at his laptop screen with a mix of exhaustion and frustration. He'd been running on little sleep, his mind racing through potential suspects, but with the police's inability to gather evidence from the crash site, he was left with virtually nothing to work off of. His desperation gnawed at him, and he spent every waking moment since returning from the hospital trying to dig up any information on who might want him dead.

His thoughts looped in endless circles. Who could be responsible for the attack? He considered people who might hold a grudge against him, but the list was nebulous, and he struggled to pinpoint any one person who might have taken things this far. His careful precautions over the years to keep his physical location hidden seemed to have been for naught.

The fear that someone had managed to find him and launch such a targeted attack sent chills down his spine. It was a breach of the security he had painstakingly built around his life, a betrayal of his sense of safety. He knew he could have enemies from his past jobs, but the thought that one of them had found him unnerved him more than he wanted to admit.

The sudden sound of a knock at the door jolted him from his thoughts. Alistair's irritation flared; he had no time for interruptions, and the last thing he wanted was to deal with someone at his door. His heart raced with a mix of dread and anger as he approached cautiously. The possibility of another attempt on his life crossed his mind, but he was not going shy away from his own front door now.

He approached the door slowly, grasping for anything he could hold as a weapon. The first thing he could grab was a small cast iron figure of a giraffe. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before opening the door. His instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but he had to confront whoever was on the other side. His grip tightened around the doorknob, his frustration and fear vying for control over his next move.

He opened the door and was faced with Chloe. She stood there, arms crossed, looking confused and annoyed and pleased to see him. Alistair made sure to keep the giraffe well hidden behind his back. He didn't know why she was here, but he didn't want to startle her.

"You're fucking alive!" Chloe remarked, unimpressed, which Alistair couldn't blame her for. It had been days since he'd showered or shaved, his clothes were a mess. He was altogether unimpressive and manic before her.

"Chloe," Alistair stated, glancing down the halls to ensure she was alone. "What are you doing here?"

"Well after you abandoned me at your brother's wedding, I suppose I wanted an answer," Chloe retorted. "And then I didn't hear from you for days and I thought, 'I think I never want to see this asshole again'."

"And never wanting to see me again led you to my apartment?" Alistair asked.

Chloe frowned. "Then I was worried that something might have happened to you," she continued. "It's not like you to just disappear."

Alistair was amused. "To you, maybe," he said quietly. "I'm fine, Chloe, really."

"Then aren't you going to invite me in?" She asked.

Alistair hesitated. He wasn't in the mood for her company, even though he could appreciate that she cared enough to check on him. "I..."

Chloe tried to peek through his door with little success. "What?" She asked. "You hiding someone?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Alistair hit back with a playful smile. Oh, she was fun. He sighed. "Fine, you can come in for a minute. I'm in the middle of something so you can't stay long, okay?"

"Sure," Chloe said, practically pushing the door open before he could open it further for her.

Alistair's annoyance surged as Chloe pushed past him into his apartment. Her boldness both irked and amused him, but given the recent attempt on his life, he didn't have any time to play.