Whispered Shadows

Chapter Thirty

Shadows Unveiled

Noa

The storage facility is the definition of nondescript. A long row of identical metal doors lines the alley, the whole place illuminated by flickering fluorescent lights and smelling faintly of dust and mildew as if it hadn't been opened in years. It's completely different than the storage unit Gia had, it is as clean.

My hands feel clammy despite the chill in the air as Ryder punches in the code Asher manages to extract from the mysterious key Shadow left us.

The lock beeps and the heavy door creaks open. I glance at Ryder, whose broad shoulders are tense, his jaw set in a grim line. Asher stands behind us, scanning the area like a sentinel. The three of us haven't spoken much since we arrived. The weight of what we're about to uncover seems to settle like a storm cloud over us.

"Ready?" Ryder asks, his voice low but steady. He glances at me briefly, his jade-green eyes searching mine for hesitation.

I nod, swallowing hard. "Let's do this."

Fluorescent lights overhead flicker occasionally, casting an eerie glow over the cramped space. Boxes are stacked in uneven piles, a mix of neatly labeled containers and ones that look haphazardly thrown together in a rush. Ryder and Asher comb through them methodically, their voices low as they sort through the clutter.

The inside of the unit is darker than I expected. Ryder flicks on the light switch, and the single bulb hanging from the ceiling casts a weak, yellowish glow over the space. It's larger than I thought it would be, but every inch of it feels suffocating.

Stacked cardboard boxes, an old desk, and a corkboard leaning against the wall dominate the unit. On the corkboard are pinned photographs, newspaper clippings, and scribbled notes on faded scraps of paper.

"This has to be it," Ryder mutters, pulling open a box marked with Gia's name in faded marker. Inside are random items: a few sketchpads, a couple of old cameras, and some film canisters. It's personal, but none of it feels... important.

My stomach churns as my gaze lands on a picture of me taped at the very center. It's one I didn't even know existed—me walking out of the campus library, my expression preoccupied, completely unaware that I was being watched.

"Maybe you should stand outside for this," Ryder murmurs, his tone filled with anger he's barely containing. He steps in front of me slightly, like his mere presence can shield me from the sight of my photo.

I shake my head, stepping closer to the corkboard. "I need to see this," I whisper, scanning the chaotic mess of information. Next to my photo is one of Gia, her face captured mid-laugh, carefree and alive. The juxtaposition is jarring, and it makes my throat tighten.

My fingers reach out to it. This is the exact image I have of her in my head. The one I force my brain to see when it tries to go down other rabbit holes that I can't allow.

Asher digs through another box nearby, shaking his head. "This isn't adding up. Shadow leads us here, we find a storage unit filled with her stuff, but nothing concrete. It's like they wanted us to waste our time."

Ryder exhales sharply, clearly frustrated. His broad shoulders tense as he picks up a framed photo of Gia from the box he's working on. She's smiling brightly, her face full of life, and for a moment, his hard expression softens. But it doesn't last long.

He joins Asher, glancing over the papers that lay out on the desk. Meanwhile, I step closer to a box marked with a single word: Memories. The writing looks familiar—Gia's handwriting.

"This is a dead end," he finally says, setting the frame aside. "If Shadow wanted us to find something meaningful, they would've been more direct. This feels like... misdirection."