Chapter 46

Carson lay in the unfamiliar hotel bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark, but the glow from the street lights outside seeped through the thin curtains, casting strange shadows on the walls. He'd been trying to sleep for hours, but his mind wouldn't quiet down.

He turned to look at the digital clock on the bedside table. 11:47 PM. Carson sighed. It was going to be a long night.

Sitting up, he switched on the lamp. The sudden light made him squint. The room came into focus - a small, tidy space with bland hotel art on the walls and a desk in the corner. His suitcase sat unopened by the door, a reminder that he was far from home.

Carson got up and walked to the window. He pulled back the curtain and looked out at the Manchester night. The city was still alive, even at this late hour. Cars moved along the streets below, their headlights cutting through the darkness. In the distance, he could see the lights of tall buildings, each one a possible home to hundreds of people. Was Ali