WHO AM I

SHADOWS IN THE DARK

The warehouse was cold, and the dim lighting only added to the eerie atmosphere. As the group followed Kira through a maze of old crates and broken-down machinery, Lila felt a shiver run down her spine. The place felt like a time capsule of forgotten secrets.

“Nice decor,” Jasper said, his voice echoing in the empty space. “Really cozy.”

Cathy nudged him, her eyes wide with warning. “Shh.”

Kira led them to a small room at the back of the warehouse, where a single table and some chairs were set up. It looked like this was where she did her thinking—or whatever it was someone like Kira did. She turned around and motioned for them to sit.

“So, here’s the deal,” Kira began, sitting on the edge of the table. “You’re all in over your heads. Whatever you think you know, it’s not enough. There are bigger players involved, and they won’t stop until they get what they want.”

Lila exchanged a nervous glance with Noah, who was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, clearly deep in thought. “Who are these people?” Lila asked. “What do they want with me?”

Kira sighed, as if the weight of explaining it was almost too much. “You’re valuable because you’re connected to Phillip. And Phillip has something they want—a key, of sorts.”

“A key?” Noah asked, frowning. “A key to what?”

“To a fortune,” Kira said flatly. “Not just any fortune—old money. Hidden money. Money that could change the world.”

Jasper’s eyes widened. “Whoa, so this is like one of those Indiana Jones things? We’re on some treasure hunt now?”

Kira smirked. “Something like that. Except, instead of booby traps and temples, you’ve got people with guns who won’t hesitate to take you out.”

“Well, that escalated quickly,” Jasper muttered, looking around nervously.

Cathy crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Kira. “Why should we trust you? How do we know you’re not just leading us into a trap?”

Kira shrugged. “You don’t. But the fact that I haven’t killed you yet should count for something.”

Lila swallowed hard. This was all happening too fast. Treasure? Guns? Fortune? It felt like something out of a movie, not her life. She wasn’t prepared for this. But there was no turning back now.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the room. Kira froze, and everyone’s heads turned toward the door.

“Did you invite company?” Jasper whispered, his voice trembling slightly.

“No,” Kira hissed, her hand moving toward a concealed weapon at her side. “Stay quiet.”

The footsteps grew louder, closer. Lila’s heart pounded in her chest. Who was it? Was this it? Were they about to be caught?

The door creaked open slowly, and the tension in the room was palpable. Everyone held their breath.

A figure stepped through the door, and to Lila’s surprise, it wasn’t some shadowy villain. It was Phillip.

He looked disheveled and out of breath, but alive. His eyes locked onto Lila’s, a mixture of relief and urgency in his gaze.

“We need to go,” he said quickly, not wasting a second. “Now.”