Tariq POV — Present Tense

Night air hits cold against my face as I push through the alley behind the precinct. I move quickly but not carelessly—phone pressed to my ear, heart beating an uneasy rhythm I can’t shake.

“Repeat that,” I say.

The voice on the other end is tight. Controlled. A trained calm that only means trouble.

“An order was filed thirty minutes ago,” he says. “Target: Karen Carter. By name.”

My jaw tightens.

“Where did it originate?”

A longer pause ...