Jake's eyes scanned the dimly lit room. Shadows clung to the corners.
He approached the bookshelf.
Every spine seemed to whisper the same thing: death.
How to Die Peacefully.
How to Forget the Past.
How to Reset the Brain.
How to Be Reborn.
How to Move Life in Fast Motion.
How to Skip Life.
How to Live Normally.
How to Sleep Forever.
And countless others.
Then one title froze him.
My Beautiful Mind.
"All of these… except this one," Jake muttered under his breath.
He tugged at the book. It didn't move. He tried again. Nothing.
A faint, mechanical click echoed from somewhere behind him.
Jake's eyes darted around. That's when he noticed Locki's computer.
It was ancient. Dusty. Forgotten. Yet somehow working.
He powered it on. The screen glowed with a password prompt.
He typed. Failed. Again. Failed.
Frustrated, he pressed on the keyboard — it didn't budge.
He pried it with a pocket knife. Underneath, a message glared back:
F.S.T.R..Z..D..E.N.MY.
Jake smirked faintly. "Hm... interesting."
He typed it.
Wrong.
Jake sighed calmly, Desperation creeping in, he typed random words chair, pen, book… script.
The screen flickered. Then unlocked.
The desktop was empty… except for the Recycle Bin.
Jake opened it. A single document waited, it was titled:
Six Pillars of Foster…
Foster?, Jake thought.
Jake pulled out a USB and saved it silently into it. And turned back to the bookshelf.
Without thinking, he kicked it. Wood cracked. A hidden compartment revealed itself. A map lay inside.
On the back, a cryptic message was scrawled.
Jake pocketed it and moved toward the next room.
The cupboard there contained: death certificates, a missing person report, and an accident report.
No names. Just age-stained papers, darkened by old tears.
Someone had wept over these.
Jake's heart tightened.
Locki…
I never imagined… that he endured all this. He swallowed hard.
Elsewhere
A man rose from his chair, tension coiling in his muscles.
What just happened? He thought.
He tapped a device. Active. Pulsing. Something or someone was on the other end.
A voice echoed:
"I want to meet the head of this organization."
The man froze. He hadn't recognized it.
Switching to live footage, he saw Carter.
What is he doing here?
He grabbed his phone. Dialed.
"Yes. Connor speaking," the voice answered.
"Sir Connor, Carter is here," the man said.
"Carter? Who?" Connor's voice trembled.
"Carter Klien." The man replied.
A pause. Then panicked voice came.
"What Carter Klien?! Where is he? You should have informed me sooner!"
At the reception, a woman glanced at computer screen, a message popped.
"Take him to Manager Connor."
"It's late," she said cautiously. "We're closing soon, but Manager Connor is available."
Carter nodded. "Lead the way."
The office door opened.
Connor rose. His eyes… wrong. Pupils too dark, too still, as though painted on.
"Sir Carter Klien… I can't believe I see you here," Connor said.
"I also can't believe," Carter replied evenly.
"Sit," Connor gestured to a leather couch.
Carter lowered himself. Connor picked up the telephone, ordering tea and snacks as if nothing were strange.
Carter's voice was calm.
"Mr. Connor, I have questions."
"Yes."
"You know about Locki."
Connor's expression flickered. "Yes… we know."
"Then tell me Nachio has three heads now. It wasn't always like this. Why?"
Connor's blood ran cold. He forced composure.
"The previous leader's son… he created the current structure."
"What's his name? And the three heads?"
Connor faltered. "I… I don't know. They're only called Number One, Number Two, Number Three. Only the highest ranks know their real names."
Carter nodded slowly.
"And the son?"
"Eric. He commands the three. He's above them."
"Where can I meet him?"
Connor shook his head. "I don't know. One day the old leader fell ill. Eric appeared the next day. He… changed everything."
Carter's eyes narrowed.
"Locki's wife?"
Connor hesitated. "We… we don't track that."
Carter's jaw tightened.
"And CPU and CRU organizations?"
"I've never heard of them," Connor admitted.
Carter leaned back. "Very well. That will be all."
He stood. Connor escorted him to the door.
Before leaving, Carter hugged him subtly — planting a tracker. A voice recorder already lingered in the office.
Outside, Carter slid into his car. A message from Jake blinked on his phone:
Come to my base immediately. Alone. Without devices.
He frowned. Then drove off.
Suddenly — a ship tore across the sky.
Alien. Massive. Impossible.
And gone, in less than a heartbeat.
Carter's grip tightened on the wheel.
I've seen alien ships before… but nothing like this.
The accelerator pressed down. Shadows raced past as he sped toward the unknown.