As dawn broke over the sprawling metropolis, Mara found herself standing by the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of her room, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the sun made its gradual ascent. The soft, golden hues spilled over the cityscape, illuminating the streets below and casting long shadows that stretched away from the buildings. The city looked deceptively calm and serene, a stark contrast to the chaos she had witnessed at the docks only hours before, where desperation and danger had ...