Skeleton key
This was the first time I even knew my father had a second branch of his company.
The black van stopped outside the building Sky High's second branch, now used as an event center for my adopted father's memorial.
Police officers were everywhere. Their cars and bikes filled the street corners.
Journalists, reporters, random people all gathered just to see the funeral of one man, Mr. Kin.
But many of them weren't there for the memorial.
They came because of the bounty placed on our heads that morning.
Leslie turned the van around and parked behind the building.
We jumped out and ran into a narrow alley beside the kitchen.
Garbage cans lined the walls it smelled awful.
We waited quietly for one of the workers to come out.
Finally, a chef stepped through the back door.
Aura hit him from behind with her gun and dragged his body into the garbage pile.
"Sorry, dude," she said under her breath.
We slipped into the building through the kitchen door.
Inside, everything was bright and busy chefs working, guards walking past, and cameras everywhere.
Leslie whispered, "All we need to do is get to the master office."
Awol frowned. "And where's that?"
"Top floor," Leslie said. "We'll have to take the elevator."
Aura rolled her eyes. "You didn't say we'd have to go up there! This place is packed with cops and guards!"
Nico snapped back, "Are you dumb? Of course it's packed! They're expecting us!"
I stepped in. "We divide and conquer. Two groups."
Leslie nodded. "Good idea. Some of us search for the key, others watch the hallways."
So we split up:
Me and Aura went first,
Nico and Leslie followed behind,
and Awol stayed at the elevator, watching our backs.
Leslie gave us each small walkie-talkies to keep in touch.
"Hey, why am I the one doing watch duty?" Awol complained through the radio.
"While the spoiled rich kid goes with the crazy girl?"
Aura growled, "Did you just call me crazy again? Want me to knock you out?"
Nico hissed, "Both of you, shut up! You'll get us caught before we even start!"
We moved quietly up the stairs, sneaking through the shadows.
Finally, after what felt like hours, we reached the top floor.
Leslie cracked the master office door. She tried four different passcodes.
The fifth one worked beep and the door unlocked.
Inside, it was silent. Too silent.
We searched every drawer, shelf, and wall for the Skeleton Key. Papers flew, drawers slammed.
Then I stopped.
"Wait, guys," I said.
Aura turned. "What is it? You found the key?"
"No, but"
Nico sighed. "Then why are you wasting time?"
Leslie snapped, "Keep searching! Before someone finds us!"
"Listen," I said louder. Everyone froze and turned toward me.
"If we find the key, what do we even do with it?
Give it to the cops? You think they'll just believe us and let us go?"
Aura blinked. "Oh… I didn't even think about that."
Nico cursed under her breath. "Damn, that didn't cross my mind either."
Leslie said coldly, "You just need to find it and keep it safe. That's all that matters."
Aura frowned. "How can we trust you? You keep telling us half-truths.
How do we know you're not just after the key yourself?"
Nico agreed. "Yeah, if we get it, how does that clear our names?"
Before Leslie could answer
Gunshots echoed from downstairs.
Awol's voice cracked through the walkie-talkie, full of static:
"They're here! The thieves are here! They're coming for something!"
Leslie's eyes widened. "They're here for the key. This whole memorial it's just a cover to steal it!"
Aura shouted, "Hey! I found something!"
She held up a shining diamond-shaped crystal, glowing faintly.
Nico frowned. "That's not a key, idiot! That's a gemstone!"
Aura shrugged. "So what?"
I yelled, "Stop arguing! There are cops and killers outside we need to move, now!"
Then came another sound metal footsteps in the hallway.
"Run!" Leslie shouted.
Gunfire exploded bang! bang!
Awol burst into the office, slamming the door shut behind him.
"They're everywhere!" he yelled. "I told you they weren't cops they're terrorists!"
Aura cursed. "Damn it! We wasted too much time!"
Leslie's voice was sharp. "If we want to get out alive, we need to find the key, right now!"
I turned toward a bookshelf, touching the edge of one of the books
click.
The wall opened.
Behind it was a small metal box inside it, a strange object.
Not a normal key more like a shining metal piece, shaped like a puzzle.
I held it up. "Guys… I think I found it."
Nico groaned, "This isn't the time for jokes, Alex."
Aura snapped, "Rich boy, if you're lying, I swear I'll"
Leslie spun around. "Wait… no. He's telling the truth."
Everyone turned and looked at me.
For a second, everything froze.
We all stared at the object glowing in my hand the Skeleton Key piece.
For that short moment, we felt relief even hope.
But then
more gunshots.
Closer this time.
And the happiness disappeared.
Aura:
Everyone stay back, I have a plan.
She walked toward the curtain, dragging one of them down. Holding it up, she shouted at Awol:
Aura:
On my one, open the door!
Awol:
Why should I open the door? Can't you see people coming at us with guns?!
Aura:
Yes! If we stay inside, we'll die. We need to go out and fight! Why are you scared? Aren't you the one who carries a katana first?
Alex:
Hey, am I the only one who thinks this is not a good idea?
Nico:
We have no choice. We have to fight!
She grabbed her short sniper tight in her hands. I held my short pipe tighter in my arms.
Leslie:
Took the key from me. She placed time bombs in every corner of the office.
Alex:
What's your deal? Why are you placing bombs everywhere?
Leslie:
We need a distraction when we escape, so the so-called cops and FBI won't follow us but be distracted by the fire.
Nico:
You're insane!
Aura:
I like it, girl. Now you're talking my language.
Awol:
Are you guys ready? I'm opening the door any moment now!
As Awol opened the door fast, men rushed in, pointing guns at us.
Aura:
Threw the curtain toward their faces as she fired her sniper. She missed, but one bullet hit one of the men.
Nico:
Ran straight ahead before the men could react, using a bat to knock the gun from their hands.
Leslie:
Slid on the floor and shocked them with her stun gun.
Awol:
Damn it! I couldn't even use my katana!
Alex:
All I did was sit and watch.
We ran down to the other floor of the building successfully but got separated at the third floor.
Awol, Nico, and Leslie were on one floor. The walkie-talkies in our hands got jammed by some kind of signal.
Alex and Aura were still trapped, with guards everywhere.
We ran into one of the rooms. For a moment, everywhere was silent until I heard two voices talking. A man and a woman.
The woman's voice was familiar to me. I walked closer to the door.
Aura tapped my shoulder.
"Hey kid, where are you going? Stay still, or we'll get caught."
Alex:
"I can hear her voice... my stepmom my adopted mother."
Mrs. Kin.
She was the kindest person I had ever met. She treated me well since my first day in the family. The only thought in my head was: she's the only one who can help us, the only one who can clear our names.
I peeped through the corner of the door. I didn't see the man at first, but what I heard next broke me.
"I told you, you could kill my husband, but you killed him before he could even tell us where the key was."
I froze. I couldn't look again. Aura, standing behind me, had also heard everything.
Aura whispered softly, "Isn't that your mom, Mr. Kin's wife?"
Before I could reply, my hand accidentally pushed the door open. I saw the man she was talking to a tall man in a black suit with a robotic arm.
Aura quickly dragged me back into the corner before they could see us.
We waited in silence for hours.
When Mrs. Kin and the man finally left the room, we sneaked out. Awol, Nico, and Leslie had already escaped and were at HQ.
The building was cleared the police and everyone else were gone. The terrorists had escaped too since they didn't find what they came for.
Aura and I used the same route we entered to get out.
We walked through the streets until we found a corner. I sat down, lost and broken. I couldn't believe what I saw or heard.
Aura was quiet, just looking at me with pity. She didn't have words this time.
I stood up. "If we're going to do this, let's do it. Let's help ourselves. There's no one else who will."
Aura looked at me for a while. "Don't worry, I have something to cheer you up."
She took me to one of her favorite spots where she always stood to look at the moon. We stayed there until morning.
Finally, we found our way back to HQ.
Leslie:
"Where have you guys been?"
Awol:
"Yeah, I thought you were right behind us, but you disappeared!"
Nico:
"We should just be glad they're back."
Aura:
"Ha! Look at you guys acting like you care if we got caught or not."
Alex:
"No time for that. Let's talk about the real issue the key. Leslie, what now?"
Nico:
"Yeah, are you going to continue what we started? What are you going to do with the key? And why haven't you talked about clearing our names?"
Aura:
"I can't believe I forgot how is this key supposed to clear our names?"
Awol:
"What's going on? Did I miss something?"
Alex:
"Come on, Mrs. Ninja, aren't you going to say anything?"
Leslie:
"Fine. If you guys really want to know, your father was trying to uncover a secret organization hidden behind the government and the police. Before he was killed, he found something big a piece of the Skeleton Key.
That organization is called The Alchemy.
They've been working in the shadows to find all four keys. They already have three. This is the last one.
If they get it, they'll have power over the world's technology. That's why I need your help. And since you're all fugitives, I can help clear your names but you must help me stop them."
Nico:
"Ha! Funny. You want us to help a bunch of killers, and you'll clear our names? Aren't those people the government? Who do you even work for?"
Aura:
"Yeah, how can we trust you now?"
Awol:
"I said it! You're a secret agent or a spy!"
Nico:
"Shut up for once. Can't you be serious?"
Alex:
"So if we help you find these people, you'll clear our names? Then I'm in. I want to find the truth more than anyone."
Awol:
"What happened to him? Why is he acting strange?"
Aura:
"And I'm going to help too."
Nico:
"Seriously? What's wrong with both of you?"
Awol:
"Okay, sis. I guess we have to do this. Since the crazy girl and the spoiled rich kid are ready, we can't back down."
Nico:
"Fine. I'm in."
Leslie:
"For now, we work for ourselves not the government."