10:02 p.m. – Entrance 9B, Crescent City Docks
Fog curled along the pier like spilled smoke. Ryan approached the marked location: a rusted shipping container with peeling paint and the faint odor of regret.
He knocked twice, paused, then tapped once more. The secret ONYX CORE signal.
Nothing.
Then a hiss of hydraulics.
A side panel slid open, revealing a pitch-black stairwell descending into the unknown.
"Because nothing says 'welcome back' like a creepy staircase under a fish warehouse," Ryan muttered.
He stepped in.
Inside ONYX CORE Field Site "VANTA"
Dim lights flickered. Concrete walls. Old tech humming. New agents stared at Veltrix with a mix of awe and confusion—like they'd just seen a unicorn in night vision goggles.
A gruff voice broke the silence: "You're late."
It was Director Marlowe, head of ONYX CORE's deep ops division. Gray beard, darker temper.
Ryan shrugged. "I had to tuck in a glitter general and decode a cereal box. I'm sure you understand."
Marlowe didn't laugh. He handed Ryan a folder.
Inside: a blurry photo of a man with eyes like ice and a grin that promised violence.
LARSEN.
"Intel says he's resurfaced," Marlowe growled. "In the city. Possibly embedded in media, government, or worse."
"Worse than media?" Ryan asked.
"We believe he's hunting something."
Ryan flipped the next page. It wasn't intel.
It was a photo of Emily.
His fingers froze.
Back at the House – 10:44 p.m.
Emily sat in bed, laptop open. She was rewatching her broadcast from earlier… but not for herself.
She paused at the moment the feed glitched.
Rewound. Froze the frame.
There, hidden in one flicker: a symbol. Not visible to the naked eye. Not random.
A glitch wolf.
"What the hell…" she whispered.
She grabbed her phone and opened a search app.
"Glitch wolf symbol + encrypted broadcast + espionage?"
The first result? An article.
Title: The Silent Code: Symbols Used by ONYX CORE Operatives.
She frowned. "That's not real. That can't be real."
She clicked it anyway.
Back at ONYX CORE
Ryan slammed the folder shut. "You think he's targeting my family?"
Marlowe said nothing.
"Tell me what this is really about," Ryan snapped.
Marlowe handed over a small metal key. "He's after the Vault. Only you know where it is. Only she knows how to open it."
"…Emily?"
Marlowe nodded.
"Because of her past as an investigative reporter. She uncovered things she didn't even know were sensitive."
Ryan rubbed his face. "And I'm guessing telling her she's a national security asset is off the table?"
"Unless you want a divorce," Marlowe said. "Your call, Veltrix."
Midnight – The Bruce House
Emily closed her laptop. Her eyes were narrowed. Focused.
She walked to the hallway closet and stared at it for a long moment.
Then, slowly… tapped the wall behind the towels.
Nothing happened.
But she whispered, "A secret should remain a secret."
Behind her, the hallway light flickered.
[TO BE CONTINUED…]