Later that night, Nora stood in front of the old cabin again. The wind howled through the trees, making the silence feel even more oppressive. As she stepped inside, her flashlight revealed the mess of papers, the broken furniture. But what caught her attention was a large map spread out across the floor.

It was a map of the town, with several locations marked by the same symbol Ivy had drawn in her journal. The Shadow had been planning something—a much larger operation than Nora could have ever known.

Suddenly, a shadow moved across the cabin. Nora froze. A voice broke through the darkness, cold and familiar.

“You should’ve stayed away, Nora.”

It was The Shadow. He stepped into the dim light, his face half-shadowed, making him appear even more menacing. Behind him was a tall figure—Alex, looking disheveled and defeated.

“You betrayed me,” Nora said, her voice trembling but strong. “I trusted you, Alex. I trusted you, and you let her down.”

Alex didn’t meet her eyes. His hands were bound by ropes, and he looked pale, as though he hadn’t slept in days.

The Shadow smirked, stepping forward. “You think this is over? You think you can stop this?” He took a long pause, letting his words sink in. “This is bigger than you. Bigger than Ivy.”

“What are you talking about?” Nora demanded, stepping closer. “What is this group, and what did you do to Ivy?”

The Shadow laughed darkly. “You still don’t get it, do you? Ivy was just a pawn. Just like you’ll be.”

Nora’s blood ran cold. “You... you killed her, didn’t you?”

The Shadow didn’t answer directly. Instead, he turned to Alex. “Tell her, Alex.”

Alex’s eyes filled with guilt. “I... I didn’t mean for it to happen. Ivy was supposed to leave. She wasn’t supposed to be a threat. But she... she knew too much. She wasn’t the person I thought she was. She... she wanted to bring it all down.”

The Shadow’s expression darkened. “And she paid the price.”

Tears welled in Nora’s eyes. “You killed her.”

The Shadow’s smile never wavered. “We don’t kill. We make people disappear. And you’ll be next, Nora.”