“The night his father died, he didn't give Elias a map or a key. He gave him a secret that would make him the most hunted person on earth. Elias just didn’t know it yet.”Rain pounded the glass like it was trying to break in. Outside, the city was just a blurry mess of shadows. In the hallway, the old clock ticked toward eleven, every chime feeling way too loud in the empty house.Elias twisted in his sheets. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know something was up. He could feel it—that weird sense you get when you know someone else is awake in the house. His dad was still up.Usually, his dad just stayed in his office with piles of boring paperwork and way too much coffee. But tonight felt off. Voices he didn't recognize…deep and low were echoing from downstairs, pulling Elias right out of his half-sleep."I am telling you for the last time, Mr. Kane," a smooth voice said, sounding more like a businessman closing a deal than a man in an argument. "You have done enough.""I have

The bus finally reached Ashvale District just as the morning sun started to peek through the dark storm clouds. Compared to the fancy area Elias just left, this place looked very old and forgotten. The roads had big cracks in them, and the tall apartment buildings looked like they might tip over at any second. People were already busy on the sidewalks, setting up small stalls to sell things or fixing rusty cars by the side of the road.The driver pulled the brake and the bus came to a noisy stop."Last stop!"Everyone else started getting off the bus, but Elias stayed in his seat for a little longer because he had nowhere to go. He didn't have any family or friends left, and he definitely didn't have a home anymore. All he had were a million questions that he couldn't answer."Hey!" the driver called out. "You planning to live on my bus?"Elias tried to smile, even though he felt sad inside."No... I'm leaving."He stepped out onto the sidewalk where the air smelled like wet ground an

Elias struggled to get any sleep that night. Even though the room Gabriel had provided was warm, dry, and finally quiet, he couldn't stop thinking. For the first time since the fire, he could lie down without listening for footsteps in the hall, but sleep just wouldn't come. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his father's face and heard that final, terrible gunshot. He lay there staring at the ceiling and wondering why his dad had kept so many secrets about the Black Archive, the pendant, and Gabriel himself. Everything felt like a confusing puzzle he couldn't solve. A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts, and he sat up to see who it was."Who is it?""It's Gabriel," a voice replied.Elias opened the door and found Gabriel standing there holding a cup of tea."You haven't eaten," Gabriel said."I'm not hungry," Elias answered."That's what people say when they're broke," Gabriel noted.Elias frowned slightly. "I have money."Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"Eli

The pharmacy on Miller Street felt way more crowded than Elias remembered. A long line of grumpy people waited near the counter, and everyone was complaining about the sticky heat while the pharmacist ran around trying to find medicine. Elias could feel the heavy envelope tucked inside his jacket and thought about the weird instructions Gabriel gave him. Gabriel had just told him to give the envelope to the pharmacist, and that was it. The whole thing felt like a strange mystery, and it made Elias feel a little bit nervous as he waited his turn.When Elias finally got to the front of the line, he cleared his throat to get the man's attention and said, "Excuse me." The pharmacist looked up with a tired face and asked, "Yes?" Elias took a breath and told him that he had something from Gabriel Thorne. Right away, the man's face changed like he knew exactly who that was. "Gabriel?" he asked, and Elias just nodded as he pushed the envelope across the counter. The man grabbed it quickl

Elias tossed and turned all night, his brain stuck on repeat with images of that creepy basement. He couldn't stop picturing the dusty photos, those weird files, and that massive steel safe that looked like it was holding the secrets to the universe.He remembered the two guys hunting for the "Black Archive" and felt a massive knot of anxiety in his stomach. Gabriel said he was helping, but then why hide everything about Elias's own dad? If he's lying to me, I'm in way more trouble than I thought, Elias realized. By sunrise, he had a plan: keep his eyes open and trust nobody—especially not Gabriel."Elias!" Gabriel's voice boomed from downstairs, making him jump. He quickly shoved the pendant under his shirt and ran down to find Gabriel messing with an old radio, his fingers moving fast. "You didn’t sleep," Gabriel said, not even looking up. Elias leaned against the doorframe, watching him. "Neither did you." Gabriel shrugged, muttering that old men don't need much sleep. Elias man