I stayed at the window, eyes locked on the car as it slid to a stop below. The headlights flared once before dying, leaving the men stepping out in shadow. They moved like they owned the street, slow and deliberate, spreading out until they’d boxed it in. Even from up here, I could feel the weight of their presence, heavy and electric, like the hum before a storm breaks. They were getting ready, and if I didn’t make the first move, it’d be over before I knew it.
