Thalia and Theo returned to their room almost immediately after their aunt (Tia) disappeared. It took them a few minutes to regain their bearings after coming into direct contact with her killing intent. Thalia cursed under her breath after her Tia left, while Theo tried to stop feeling sorry for himself and helped his sister to her feet.
The following day, the two siblings woke up to the smell of bacon. After they dressed, they rushed down the stairs, where two omelets and bacon awaited them. Their aunt was in the kitchen, whistling and humming. She wore comfortable leggings and a white crop top, topped off with her white "Got Bacon?" apron.
"Hey, Theo, who cooked this omelet?" Thalia whispered to her little brother as they took their seats at the dining room table. Theo picked up his knife and fork, eager to dig in.
"I don't know, but it definitely wasn't Tia," he replied.
"I've tasted her cooking; she only has two flavors: burned and undercooked." He laughed before choking on his food from eating too fast.
"It doesn't really matter all that much, I guess," Thalia said as she sat down and began to eat her omelet. It was by far the best she had ever had. Each bite was an explosion of flavor across her taste buds, making her want to eat more. She could definitely see why Theo almost choked.
After eating, Thalia and Theo thanked their aunt, who smiled and giggled. "I'm glad you both liked them! You'll need the energy for today's activities," she said mysteriously. The siblings exchanged confused glances but ultimately shrugged off her comment, realizing she had no intention of explaining further.
They made their way to the monorail platform, but this time, they were not headed to the assembly hall. Instead, they were on their way to the Box. The Box, short for Pandora's Box, was where the institute stored all the relics captured during missions. Most of these relics were retrieved from illegal contractors involved in acts of terrorism. A significant collection also came from deceased registered contractors. Only graduates of the institute and members of the police force, known as the Golden Tips, were allowed to legally contract and carry a relic.
When the monorail stopped at the station, Thalia got off first, stepping onto what appeared to be a deserted platform surrounded by grass and wildlife. Theo followed her.
"Are we sure this is the right place?" Thalia asked. "Isn't the security here a bit too relaxed for what is supposed to be the infamous Pandora's Box?" Honestly, she was questioning the same thing. "Everyone talks about how Pandora's Box holds all of New Roark's most powerful relics. They say some relics inside could single-handedly destroy a city block."
"That's less of a rumor and more of a cautionary tale," a smooth voice echoed in their ears. Thalia immediately raised her guard and looked around. It was strange because there was no one in sight. Given that this area was restricted, it was unlikely anyone could wander in. A special monorail exclusively shuttled passengers from the station to Pandora's Box, and a team of elite contractors, equipped with detection and defense-type relics, guarded the area. There was no way an intruder could penetrate this deep into their defenses without triggering any alarms.
"Hey, look over there under that massive tree," Theo said, pointing at a man in an all-black suit.
The man's top hat obscured his face as he slept against the tree. As Thalia moved closer, she noticed he was wearing white gloves and wing-tipped shoes. He looked like he had just come from a funeral or was on his way to a wedding.
As they got closer to the man, he suddenly stood up without using his hands for support, shaking off his suit with a handkerchief that seemed to appear out of nowhere. He flipped his top hat over his shoulder-length blonde hair, and Thalia immediately noticed the black eye patch covering his right eye. His left eye sparkled as they approached, its blue color reminiscent of the ocean's tide. He smiled at the siblings, revealing a perfect, blindingly white grin, but it unnerved Thalia; the smile felt oddly fake.
"Hello, madam and gentleman. How are you doing this fine morning?" the man said, maintaining his unsettling smile.
"Um, we're fine. I don't mean to be rude, but who are you, and how did you get here?" Theo asked, clearly puzzled.
"Great question!" the man replied, still smiling. An awkward silence followed, and no one spoke for a moment. Then, the man spun around on his heels and started walking toward a small brown shed in the middle of the field.
"Hey! You didn't answer his question, and you are testing my patience!" Thalia yelled after him.
Only the man was no longer within earshot, and he was already halfway to the building. It was strange, as there was no way he could have gotten that far in the brief moment Thalia looked away. She wondered what exactly was happening. Summoning the wind beneath her, Thalia flew over to the man, landing directly in front of him.
"Stop!" she commanded, extending her arm. "If you go any further, I will not hesitate to attack!" The clouds began to roll in, and the bright, sunny sky darkened as they obscured the sun overhead. Thalia's eyes gleamed a brilliant blue. Raising her arms, she felt the air crackle with energy as electricity danced along her arms and fingertips.
A loud boom of thunder erupted from the dark clouds above. "I won't repeat myself. Who are you?" Thalia demanded. Her aura overflowed, glowing fiercely blue, while electricity danced around her body. In that moment, she resembled the human embodiment of a lightning bolt.