The sound of footsteps outside the warehouse grew louder. Heavy, steady. Kael and Riven froze, listening.
"More than one," Riven whispered.
Kael's heart thudded in his chest. He could hear at least two, maybe three people walking around the building. The air felt heavy, like something was about to break.
Riven's hand brushed against Kael's arm, quick but steady. "Stay close."
Kael nodded, even though his mouth had gone dry.
The old metal door creaked as someone pushed it wider. Flashlights cut through the misty dark, their beams sliding over the boxes. Kael ducked behind one, and Riven crouched beside him.
Two men entered. Both dressed in dark clothes, their faces partly hidden. Behind them, the same mysterious figure from earlier appeared—hood still covering most of their face.
Kael's stomach tightened. It's them again.
The hooded figure didn't move forward, just stood near the door while the other two scanned the warehouse with their lights.
Riven leaned close to Kael and whispered, "They're looking for us."
Kael whispered back, "What do we do?"
Riven's eyes narrowed. "We wait."
The two strangers walked deeper inside, beams flashing over walls, over broken stairs, closer to where Kael and Riven hid. The warehouse seemed to hold its breath.
Kael's hand itched toward his pocket where he kept a small folding knife. Not much against guns—but better than nothing.
The strangers stopped a few feet away. One of them kicked a box, muttering, "Empty."
The other grumbled, "They're supposed to be here."
Kael's pulse raced. They're hunting us specifically.
Then the hooded figure finally spoke. Their voice was low, but it echoed in the closed space.
"They're here. I can feel it."
Riven's jaw tightened. He stood slowly, stepping out from behind the box. "Looking for us?" His voice was calm, but sharp enough to cut.
Kael's breath caught. What is he doing?
Both strangers spun toward him, flashlights snapping to his face. One cursed and reached for his side.
Kael couldn't hold back. He stood too, stepping beside Riven. "We're not hiding."
The hooded figure tilted their head slightly, almost like they were pleased.
"You came," they said softly.
Riven's voice was steel. "Who are you? Why are you following us?"
Instead of answering, the hooded figure lifted a hand. One of the strangers pulled out something from his coat—a folder. He tossed it to the ground. Papers spilled across the dusty floor.
Kael's eyes fell on the top sheet. It was another photograph. Old, faded. His breath stopped.
It was him and Riven again. Only this time, they weren't in military uniforms. They were in suits, standing in front of a grand old building. Riven's hand rested on Kael's shoulder in the picture—familiar, almost protective.
Kael bent down, staring at it. His fingers shook when he touched the edges. Another flash of memory burned behind his eyes—
The world was like an old film. Kael was standing in front of a courthouse. He wasn't Kael then. He was someone else, someone older. Riven stood beside him, face half in shadow, but the same sharp gaze.
"You don't have to do this," Riven said, low and urgent.
"I already have," Kael's past self replied. His voice was heavy, burdened.
People were shouting in the distance. Kael turned toward Riven, their eyes locking. For one second, the noise of the crowd vanished.
Riven whispered, "Then I'll stand with you."
That look—trust, fierce and unshakable—burned into Kael's mind.
The memory snapped away, leaving him dizzy.
Riven was staring at him. "You saw it again."
Kael swallowed hard. "Yes… we were together. Somewhere else. Another time."
Before Riven could answer, one of the strangers stepped forward. "Enough games. We need to leave."
The hooded figure raised a hand, silencing him. Their voice was calm but carried weight.
"You've both seen enough to know the truth is close. But truth has a cost."
Kael's chest tightened. "Why us? Why these… memories?"
The hooded figure tilted their head. Though the shadows hid their face, Kael felt like they were smiling faintly.
"Because the past never dies. It only waits."
Riven took a step forward. "You're going to explain. Now."
But the hooded figure only turned toward the door. "Not yet. When the time comes, you'll understand."
With that, they slipped out into the night. The two strangers followed, their flashlights vanishing in the fog.
Kael and Riven stood in the empty warehouse, silence pressing heavy around them.
Kael exhaled shakily. "They're playing with us."
Riven crouched, gathering the papers left on the floor. His movements were sharp, controlled, but Kael could see the tension in his jaw.
"They're giving us pieces," Riven said quietly. "Just enough to keep us chasing."
Kael rubbed his face, exhausted and unsettled. "And it's working."
Riven didn't deny it. He handed Kael another paper. It was a document—half-burned, edges curled. Only a few words were clear: Project Lazarus.
Kael frowned. "What's this supposed to mean?"
Riven folded it carefully. "We'll find out."
As they walked out of the warehouse, the mist clung to their skin. The city was silent, like it was holding its secrets tight.
Kael glanced at Riven. The hood of his jacket was still up, shadows hiding most of his face. But Kael could feel the weight in his presence, the unspoken trust between them growing stronger with each step.
For a moment, Kael remembered the flashback again—the way Riven's past self had looked at him. Like no matter what, they'd stand together.
Kael's throat tightened. Maybe that hasn't changed.
But then he shivered. Because if the past was coming back to haunt them… it meant danger wasn't far behind.
And somewhere in the fog, he swore he saw the hooded figure again—watching. Waiting.