Location; Ruins of the Tavaran Institute – Underground Sector D
The sharp crunch of broken tiles echoed under Damien's boots as he and Nora stepped through the remains of the Tavaran Institute. Moonlight poured through shattered windows, casting silver streaks across the debris-covered floor. The place was a haunting reminder of what Tavara once aspired to be—an empire of progress, now a graveyard of secrets.
Eli had stayed topside to secure the perimeter, leaving Damien and Nora to navigate the tunnels below. They moved with practiced caution—flashlights in hand, weapons holstered but ready.
"This place feels... haunted," Nora murmured, scanning the corridor.
"It is," Damien replied. "By ambitions too big and men too proud."
They reached a steel hatch embedded in the floor, half-covered by a fallen column. Damien bent and pried it open with a crowbar. The hinges groaned, revealing a ladder that plunged into darkness.
Without hesitation, Damien began the descent.
"I still can't believe my father might be alive," Nora whispered as she followed.
"He was a genius," Damien said. "Disappearing might've been his smartest move."
At the bottom, they stepped into Sector D—once a restricted zone dedicated to classified research. The walls here were lined with reinforced glass and rusted panels, some etched with the Tavaran crest, others bearing symbols long banned by global research protocols.
Nora moved toward a half-destroyed terminal. Her fingers danced across the dust-covered keys, rebooting a nearby holographic display. A crackling interface flickered to life, displaying the name: Project: Genesis Protocol – Key Two Status: Dormant.
"There," she pointed. "It's still in this sector. We're close."
Damien stepped forward when a faint metallic clink echoed behind them.
He froze.
Another clink. Then a low hum.
Nora reached instinctively for her weapon. "We're not alone."
Suddenly, a figure dropped from the ceiling, landing catlike a few feet ahead—a woman, draped in tactical gear, face concealed behind a dark visor.
She didn't speak. Instead, she lunged at Nora with blinding speed.
Damien intercepted her mid-strike, fists colliding with hers in a brutal exchange. The woman twisted, feinting low, forcing Damien to duck as she launched a spin-kick that sent him stumbling back.
Nora fired once, the shot grazing the intruder's shoulder.
The woman hissed and vanished behind a bank of servers, moving like a ghost.
"Who the hell was that?" Damien growled, blood on his lip.
"Too skilled to be one of Aveline's grunts," Nora muttered, checking the corridor.
They pressed forward, aware that every corner might hide another shadow.
Finally, at the end of the hall, they reached a sealed vault marked GENESIS CORE. Nora inserted the family key Marcus had given them into a small, recessed slot beside the door.
The lock turned with a hiss.
Inside was a narrow pedestal, atop which hovered a crystalline orb—larger than the last key, its light pulsing gently, responding to their presence.
Nora stepped forward, reaching for it. The orb responded to her touch, syncing instantly with the first key in her possession.
As it began to merge, holograms flared to life—data maps, archives, tactical protocols, and buried secrets flowing like rivers of light.
Nora gasped. "This… this is more than infrastructure. It's blueprints. For AI constructs, autonomous medical systems, even neural backups."
"Technology years ahead of what the world thinks exists," Damien muttered.
Just then, another voice rang out.
"Well, well. I see you two have been busy."
They turned sharply to find a man entering through the other door—flanked by armed guards, his face clean-shaven, his posture calm yet cold. His tailored suit was offset by a single red lapel pin.
Damien's eyes narrowed. "Kade Faulkner."
The notorious financier-turned-black-ops dealer smirked. "It's been a while, Sinclair. Your family's pet project was always the talk of legends. Looks like the legend is real."
"You're working with Aveline now?" Nora asked, her voice hardening.
Kade shrugged. "I work with those who can change the world. Right now, she holds most of the cards. But if you hand over the key, I might be persuaded to... redistribute the power."
Damien moved subtly between Kade and Nora. "Try taking it."
Kade sighed. "I hoped you'd be smarter. But no matter. She already knows you're close to unlocking the protocol. And when she finds the last key—your father, Nora—she won't need you anymore."
"Then I guess we better find him first," Damien snapped.
Gunfire erupted as Damien launched smoke bombs. He grabbed Nora's hand, pulling her toward an emergency exit.
They burst into the night, the stolen crystal now merged with the first, glowing bright between them.