Serena The red neon sign in the window of the 24-hour diner was clouded with a low, irregular hum, casting a soft, warm glow across the booth. Outside, the city was dead silent. The storm had passed, leaving behind wet asphalt that reflected the yellow streetlights like a dark mirror. Inside, the air smelled of stale coffee, burnt grease, and copper—a stark, grounding contrast to the sterile, scented air of the executive tower we had fled hours ago. Across the table, Eli was fast asleep. He had crumbled the second we slid into the booth, his small body exhausted by the long, terrifying night. He was curled up on his side on the red vinyl, his head resting on my rolled-up denim jacket, his dark eyelashes casting soft shadows against his cheeks. One of his tiny hands was still loosely wrapped around a plastic diner spoon he had insisted on holding before his eyes drifted shut. Damien sat across from me, his hands wrapped around a thick ceramic mug of untouched black coffee. With
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