The night was cold, and the silence in the car was suffocating. The only sound was the hum of the engine as Jace drove us down an isolated road, away from the building and away from the chaos that had nearly consumed us.
I couldn't stop thinking about what the man had said. Your mother knew too much. And she wasn't the only one. What did that mean? Why had my mother been involved in something so dangerous, so secretive? Why hadn't she told me anything?
And why was I being dragged into it all now?
Jace's eyes flickered to me, and I could see the same storm swirling in his mind. He hadn't said a word since we escaped, but I knew he was just as confused and scared as I was.
"You okay?" he asked, breaking the silence.
I swallowed, trying to shake off the fear that still clung to me. "I don't know. I don't know what to think anymore. It's like… everything I thought I knew was a lie."
Jace didn't answer right away. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he kept his eyes focused on the road. "I know. But we're not going to stop until we figure this out. We have to know what your mom was involved in — and why they're so determined to keep us quiet."
I nodded, feeling a flicker of hope despite everything. "I don't know where to even start."
Jace was quiet for a moment, then turned down a side road, his headlights cutting through the darkness ahead. "I think I know someone who can help."
We drove for what felt like hours, the darkness swallowing the world around us. Eventually, we pulled into a small, quiet town — one I didn't recognize.
Jace parked in front of a dilapidated building, its windows dark and its doors barely hanging on their hinges. The place looked abandoned, but Jace didn't hesitate. He threw open the door and motioned for me to follow.
"This is where my dad used to come when things got bad," Jace explained, leading me inside. The air inside was thick with dust, and the floorboards creaked under our feet.
We moved through the building, following a narrow hallway that seemed to stretch endlessly. At the end of the hallway was a door, and Jace knocked twice before entering.
Inside, there was an older man sitting at a cluttered desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and books. His face was lined with age, and his eyes were sharp, despite his years.
"Jace," the man said, his voice rough but not unfriendly. "What are you doing here?"
"I need answers," Jace replied, his voice steady. "And I need your help."
The man's gaze flickered to me, then back to Jace. "Answers about what?"
Jace stepped closer to the desk, his voice low. "About my dad. About why he disappeared. About everything he was involved in."
The man didn't move, but I could see a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "Jace, I told you before. Your father didn't want you getting tangled up in this."
"I don't care what he wanted," Jace said, his voice cutting through the room like a knife. "I want to know the truth. About my dad. About my family. About Elena's mom."
The older man sighed, rubbing his forehead. "You don't understand what you're asking for."
"I don't care," Jace shot back. "I need to know."
The man studied him for a long moment before finally nodding. "Alright. But once you know, there's no turning back."
He reached into one of the drawers of the desk and pulled out a thick file, placing it on the table. He pushed it toward Jace, who opened it without hesitation.
Inside were photographs, documents, and maps — all relating to my mom, my family, and things I couldn't begin to comprehend.
"Your mother," the man began, his voice softer now, "was involved in something much bigger than just keeping secrets. She was a part of a group. A group that was working against a powerful organization — one that's been pulling strings for years."
Jace's eyes narrowed as he scanned the papers. "What group?"
The man paused, clearly reluctant to say more. "They called themselves The Keepers. They worked in the shadows, gathering information, keeping track of the people who were dangerous. Your mom, Elena, she was one of them."
I felt the floor shift beneath me, my mind reeling. My mom had been involved in something that dangerous? A secret organization? And she hadn't told me?
Jace's voice cut through my thoughts. "And my dad? What happened to him?"
The man looked away, his face hardening. "Your father got too close to something. Something he shouldn't have. He disappeared because of it. And your mom… She was the only one who knew what really happened."
Jace slammed the file shut, his fists clenched. "Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't she warn me?"
The man stood up slowly, his eyes locking with Jace's. "Because your father's disappearance wasn't just about him. It's about you, Jace. And about Elena."
I turned to Jace, confusion clouding my thoughts. "What do you mean? Why me?"
The man sighed deeply. "The Keepers believed that there was something hidden inside both of you. Something that could either destroy or save everything."
I couldn't breathe. This was too much. Too many secrets, too many unanswered questions.
Jace looked at me, his face hard with determination. "What are we supposed to do now?"
The man reached for another file and handed it to Jace. "Find the others. Find the truth before they do."