The sergeant spotted a girl with a pink backpack in the middle of the rain-soaked street, but at the sight of the officer, she dropped the bag and dashed away.
Patrolling the city center like he had for years, the sergeant moved cautiously through the unusually empty streets, the rain pouring relentlessly. The patrol cars headlights caught glimpses of rare pedestrians hurrying home under umbrellas. His instincts told him rainy nights often brought surprises.
At the intersection, something caught his eyea lone girl standing motionless in the roadway, like a forgotten doll in the downpour. A gray cloak draped her thin frame, and a pink backpack swayed behind her.
He slowed, pulling over.
“Hey, kid!” he called, stepping into the rain.
His voice echoed in the quiet street. The girl flinched, turnedthen bolted.
“Stop!” he shouted, giving chase.
As she fled, she yanked off the backpack and flung it onto the wet pavement before vanishing into a dark alley.
He picked it upsoaked but heavy. Something inside
Unzipping it, he froze.
Neatly packed bundles wrapped in plasticamphetamines, prepped for sale. But worse: beneath them, a stack of forged child passports, SIM cards, and a flash drive.
A chill ran down his spine. Drugs and fake IDs for kids? This was far darker than street dealing.
He scanned the areano sign of her.
Gripping the bag, he realized: this wasnt just a lost child. Hed stumbled onto something far more sinister.
