Chapter 5 – Shadows Within Shadows

 

Chapter 5 – Shadows Within Shadows

The sun set blood-red over Dublin’s docklands. Heat shimmered off the corrugated containers stacked five-high along the piers. Cranes hummed as they loaded shipments bound for Spain, Morocco, and the Americas. Salty, Sarah, and Hanin moved swiftly between shadows, the girl clutching Sarah’s hand, wide eyes darting at every echo.

“Stay close,” Salty whispered, scanning the container numbers with an old dock worker’s instinct. Finally, he spotted it – EIR-MR-9032, the one his old contact, Paddy Boyle, said would be unsealed for a fresh shipment at midnight before departure.

They ducked behind a forklift as a squad of AI patrol drones hovered past, blue spotlights scanning the cracked tarmac for heat signatures. One paused, its camera-lens eye whirring. Salty held his breath, wrapping a protective arm around Hanin. Sarah’s chest pressed against his arm, her heart thudding fast. After three long seconds, the drone moved on, its metal wings clinking softly.

They slipped to the container door. Salty knocked three times, paused, then twice more – an old stevedore signal. The lock clacked open from inside. Paddy’s lined face appeared, lit by the dim emergency strip lights within.

“Jesus Christ, Salty,” he whispered hoarsely. “I thought you were long dead.”

“Not yet. Is there space for one more?” Salty jerked his thumb to Hanin, trembling behind him.

Paddy glanced back. Inside, the container was lined with rough blankets and jerrycans of water. About twenty people sat silently, exhaustion etched into their faces. Paddy nodded once. “Get her in quick. Ship leaves at 01:00. Spanish coastguards are less strict these days. She’ll be processed and placed with an aid agency if they find her.”

Salty crouched in front of Hanin. “You hear that, little one? Spain. Safety. Warm sun and no fences.” She blinked at him, tears welling, then hugged his neck tightly. He felt her small frame shaking against his broad chest.

Sarah kissed Hanin’s forehead, whispering something in Arabic. The girl smiled weakly and disappeared into the container. Paddy closed the door quietly.

Salty stood, eyes dark with determination. “Paddy, what do you know about The Snake? Connor Devane.”

Paddy flinched. “He’s moved up in the world. Controls half the trafficking routes from Belfast down through Dublin. AI bribes, Garda payoffs, container clearances – he’s got tentacles everywhere.”

“Who’s backing him?” Sarah asked softly.

Paddy hesitated, then glanced around and lowered his voice. “It’s bigger than him. He’s just the middleman. There’s a consortium – rogue customs officers, port officials, politicians. They call themselves The Horizon Network. They’re using Devane to funnel labour for black market factories and brothels. AI surveillance is rerouted or disabled on their orders. No one questions the data gaps.”

Salty clenched his fists, veins bulging in his forearms. “So Ireland’s not just broken – it’s rotten from the top down.”

Paddy nodded grimly. “Be careful, old friend. The Snake’s protected. You go after him, you’re going after powerful people.”

Salty placed a heavy hand on Paddy’s shoulder. “Thanks, brother.”

They slipped away into the humid night, boots crunching over broken glass and rusted bolts. The wind carried the smell of brine, diesel, and something darker – the scent of a city rotting behind neon screens and AI drones.

Sarah walked silently beside him. Finally, she spoke. “We can’t take them all down alone.”

“No,” Salty agreed. “But we can start by cutting off the head of the snake.”

She smiled despite the fear in her eyes. “Then let’s make sure we’re ready.”

As they reached the outskirts of the docks, the first sirens wailed in the distance. The AI drones were scanning again, alert protocols raised. But Salty felt calm. For the first time in years, he had a mission worth dying for.

He glanced at Sarah, moonlight illuminating her strong, beautiful face. Together, he thought. And whatever came next, Dublin would never forget them.