Chapter 3: Tangier’s Shadows
The city of Tangier shimmered under the neon haze of streetlights, a labyrinth of narrow alleys and winding roads that had long been a refuge for ghosts like Jasper Hawke. It was a place where deals were made in whispers, where secrets traded hands in the dim glow of underground cafés. Tonight, it was the only place he could disappear.
Jasper weaved through the bustling streets on his motorcycle, the scent of the ocean mixing with the aroma of sizzling meat from late-night food vendors. His shoulder burned from the graze, but he ignored it. He had a more pressing concern—meeting the contact Langley had arranged.
A small café on Rue de la Kasbah. A man named Idris.
Jasper parked the bike in a darkened alley and checked his surroundings before stepping onto the cobblestone street. His instinct was always the same: scan for tails, memorize exits, anticipate trouble. It was second nature now.
Inside, the café was dimly lit, filled with locals murmuring over tea and quiet games of chess. A jazz tune crackled from an old speaker, blending with the clatter of porcelain cups. In the back corner sat a man in a crisp white suit, a steaming cup in front of him. His gaze flicked up as Jasper approached.
“You’re late,” Idris said, his accent touched with a French lilt.
Jasper pulled out a chair and sat. “Got delayed. Traffic’s murder.”
Idris smirked. “I see humor is your shield.” He slid a small envelope across the table. “Inside is a new passport, cash, and a ferry ticket. You need to leave Morocco. Quickly.”
Jasper pocketed the envelope without looking. “Where am I going?”
“Spain. From there, Langley has arranged a route to London.”
Jasper leaned back, considering. “And Karim El-Amin? He’s still moving weapons. That doesn’t stop just because I do.”
Idris stirred his tea. “Karim is no longer your concern.”
Jasper caught the slight shift in the man’s expression—subtle, but there. A hesitation.
“I don’t like unfinished business,” Jasper said.
Idris exhaled. “Then let me be blunt. Karim knows you were at that meeting. And he isn’t the one calling the shots. The men you saw with him? They work for something much larger. An operation that doesn’t tolerate loose ends.”
Jasper wasn’t surprised. He had suspected as much.
“And what does that mean for me?”
Idris lowered his voice. “It means Karim is already looking for you. And if you don’t leave tonight, you won’t leave at all.”
Jasper glanced around the café. Normal customers, normal conversations. But something in the air had shifted. A tension creeping in, like a storm waiting to break.
Then he saw them.
Two men entering from the front, another from the side entrance. They weren’t locals. Their movements were too precise, their eyes scanning too deliberately.
Idris saw them, too. His expression didn’t change, but his fingers tightened around his cup.
“Well,” Jasper murmured. “Looks like they’re early.”
Idris kept his composure. “The back exit leads to a narrow passage. If you—”
A loud crack split the air. The café erupted into chaos.
Jasper moved before the first body hit the floor. He grabbed the table, flipping it over as cover. A bullet shattered ceramic where he had just been sitting. Patrons screamed, scrambling for the door.
The two gunmen near the entrance advanced, weapons drawn. The third was moving to cut off the escape route.
Jasper’s mind worked fast. He had seconds to act.
He reached for Idris, yanking him down just as another shot tore through the air. “Stay low,” he ordered.
Then he moved.
One fluid motion—pulling his own weapon, popping up just enough to take a clean shot. Two rounds. The first gunman collapsed, clutching his chest. The second dove for cover.
Jasper didn’t wait. He grabbed Idris by the collar and dragged him toward the back exit. The third gunman fired, his bullet ricocheting off a metal counter.
Jasper spun, squeezing off two shots. The man dropped.
The exit was a narrow passage leading into the tangled alleys of Tangier. They ran, boots pounding against the stone streets.
A black SUV screeched to a stop at the far end of the alley. More men stepped out.
Idris gasped. “They’re everywhere.”
Jasper exhaled sharply. “Yeah. I noticed.”
He reloaded, eyes scanning for an opening. This wasn’t just Karim’s men anymore. This was something bigger. Someone had just declared war.
And Jasper Hawke wasn’t about to back down.
