The main cast revolves around a central trio, but the most compelling for me is definitely Arden, the cynical detective who's seen too much. She's got this worn-down edge that makes her sharp, but not unkind. Then there's Leo, the charming risk-the-whole-operation-for-a-hunch type. Their dynamic drives a lot of the tension.
A character a lot of people sleep on is the fixer, Silas. He's only in a few chapters, but he's the one who pulls strings from the shadows. You're never quite sure if he's helping Arden or setting her up. That ambiguity adds a layer of paranoia that I loved. The antagonist, Vance, is less of a cartoon villain and more of a corrosive force—a businessman who genuinely believes he's improving the city, which makes him scarier.
Honestly, I found some of the secondary characters like Arden's tech-savvy niece more memorable than the supposed love interest, but that's just me.