The three black vehicles disappeared into the distance.Ethan remained outside for a few seconds, watching until they were completely out of sight.Then he turned and walked back into the shelter.His mind was filled with questions.He went straight to the main room where Grace, Sophia, Lily, and Emily were gathered.Victor and Marcus were nowhere to be seen.Ethan didn't care about them at that moment.He stopped near the table.Sophia looked at him."Why did they suddenly retreat?"Ethan didn't answer.He walked past her and sat down.Sophia frowned."What's going on?"Ethan still didn't answer.His eyes remained fixed on the floor.The countdown.That was what bothered him the most.The apocalypse was supposed to begin in forty-eight hours.But suddenly, the System had stopped the countdown.Why?What could possibly cause something like that?Ethan slowly raised his head.His eyes moved to

Ethan remained seated on the edge of his bed, staring at the photograph.The strange symbol on it refused to leave his mind.A circle.An eye inside it.And the message written beneath it.YOU WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE.ASK VICTOR WHO SENT THE CAR.Ethan turned the photograph over again."Who exactly are you?"He placed it beside him.His thoughts shifted toward Sophia.If Marcus was telling the truth, then Sophia wasn't simply trying to become his friend.She had a reason for getting close to him.But what was it?I need to test her but before I do that let me do some research .Ethan reached for his phone.He opened the browser and searched Sophia's name.Nothing useful came up.He tried again, adding her family name.Still nothing.He searched for information about her school, her previous relationship, and even her connection to Kael.Nothing.Ethan frowned."Nothing?"He se

Ethan remained in the control room. His eyes stayed on the security monitors. The strange symbol had disappeared. The unknown messages had disappeared. But the feeling remained. Someone was watching him. He picked up his phone again. Nothing. No unknown number. No messages. No trace. Ethan slowly placed the phone back on the table. "Whoever sent that message knows I'm investigating." He looked toward the hallway. "And they know exactly what to say to scare me." He walked away from the control panel. He wasn't going to stop. If anything, the warning had made him more determined. He needed answers. And he needed them before someone else decided to give them to him. A few minutes later, Ethan found Grace in the storage room. She was checking the supplies. "Grace."<

Ethan remained where he was.His eyes stayed fixed on the trees where the man had disappeared.Sophia walked closer."Ethan?"He didn't answer.She looked around."Are you okay?"Ethan finally turned toward her."Yeah."Sophia glanced at the unconscious creature lying several meters away."That man..."She paused."He saved you."Ethan shook his head."No. He did it to take the System as payment."Sophia frowned."What do you mean?""He asked for the System."Sophia's expression changed."The System?"Ethan immediately realized what he had said.He looked away."I mean the power."Sophia stared at him for a moment."Right."Grace approached with Emily and Lily."Is it dead?"Ethan looked at the creature."It won't be bothering us."Grace nodded.Emily stayed close to her."Can we go back inside?""Yes."Ethan looked toward the trees again."Let

The figures continued moving through the trees.Ethan stood beside the man in black.His eyes moved from one attacker to another.There were six of them.The same men who had attacked the shelter.One of them raised his weapon."Take the Guardian alive."Ethan's expression hardened."Again with the Guardian."The man in black glanced at him."Stay behind me."Ethan ignored him."I'm not letting anyone take me."The first attacker rushed forward.Ethan raised his hand.The Guardian Shield appeared.BOOM!The attacker slammed against it.Before he could recover, Ethan pushed his hand forward.The barrier expanded.The man was thrown backward.Another attacker charged from the side.Ethan turned.The black-clothed man moved faster.He appeared in front of Ethan and blocked the attack.CLANG!The attacker's weapon struck his arm.The man in black grabbed the weapon and twist