The lab was alive with curiosity and chaos. Jayden hovered over the holographic mansion layout, I nudged a mapping drone to spin, and Alex… well, Alex was running commentary on everything.
"Whoa! Look at this!" Alex exclaimed, leaning over the hologram. "That line of code! Is it breathing? Did it just blink? Oh wow—look at the Silver Door! Oooh, can we press a button? Just one?"
"Alex!" I groaned, ducking a drone that zipped past his head. "We're trying to focus!"
"Focus is boring!" he shot back. "Let's make it fun! Spin the drone again! Oooh, careful—don't hit the wall! Nice flip! Wait—what if the hologram eats it?"
Jayden pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Why is it always him?"
I sighed, swiping the hologram to highlight energy pulses around the Silver Door. "We're investigating anomalies, not hosting a drone circus!"
"C'mon, Kim!" Alex protested. "It's science and fun!" He grabbed a tiny stylus and poked the hologram, making one of the energy lines pulse faster. "Did I break it? Did I break it?!"
Before we could answer—or stop him—the door opened with a soft electronic whirr. Mr. Parker, flanked by two lab assistants, stepped in.
"Kim! Jayden! And… Alex?"
I froze. Drones scattered like startled birds. "Uh… just… tidying up?" I said weakly.
Alex waved cheerfully. "Hi! We were… uh… investigating!"
"Investigating unsupervised in the lab?" Mr. Parker raised an eyebrow. "Hmm."
Jayden grabbed my arm, whispering, "Swipe the hologram. Now." I did, and the projection vanished. The drones obediently returned to their charging docks.
"Everything… in order," I said, trying for calm.
Mr. Parker's eyes narrowed. "Very tidy. Carry on… with your other tasks."
As soon as the door clicked shut, I exhaled and sank into a chair. Alex plopped down beside me, grinning. "That was exciting! Almost got caught!"
Jayden smirked. "Almost? That's an understatement."
>>>>>>>>THE EVENING<<<<<<<<<<
The mansion had finally quieted down after the chaos in the lab. The drones hummed softly in their charging docks, and the holographic screens were safely powered down—at least for now. I clipped Milo's leash on and headed out for a stroll, the cool evening air brushing against my face. Milo bounced ahead, sniffing every blade of grass like he had a secret mission.
"Good boy, Milo," I murmured, letting him lead the way.
I barely noticed Jayden until he stepped out of the shadows near the gate, hands in his pockets, walking toward me.
"Going for a walk?" he asked casually, his gaze drifting to Milo.
"Yeah," I replied, trying not to sound too flustered. "He needs exercise… and I needed a break from the lab chaos."
Jayden crouched slightly to ruffle Milo's ears. "Wait… you have a dog?"
I laughed softly. "Yeah. This is Milo. He was a gift from my adopted mom's junior sister on my 14th birthday. Honestly, he's the only one I really get to talk to when Dad's on a trip or busy with work. Besides the drones, of course."
Jayden smiled, watching Milo roll on the grass. "So you've got your own little sidekick for sneaky adventures."
"Exactly," I said. "Loyal, non-judgmental… and way less opinionated than some people I know." Milo barked, like he agreed.
We started walking together, the soft rustle of leaves and distant hum of the mansion filling the quiet gaps. Then Jayden tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"So… the Silver Door. Can we talk about it now, or do I risk another groan?"
I groaned dramatically. "Not again… You're obsessed."
"Can't help it," he said with a grin. "It's not every day a house has a mysterious door that Dad refuses to open. And it's glowing red on holograms. That's… alarming."
I crossed my arms, Milo weaving between our legs. "Jayden, it's complicated. And dangerous. And… not something you should obsess over like me."
"Sounds like a challenge," he said lightly. "Come on, Kim. You and I both know curiosity doesn't respect your rules."
I groaned again, but this time it was half-laugh, half-resignation. Milo barked, tail wagging, as if he were egging me on to spill secrets.
"Fine," I said finally, shaking my head. "But don't get too excited. It's just… Dad's experiments, some energy fields, maybe a security measure or two. Nothing mind-blowing yet."
Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Energy fields? Security measures? That does sound mind-blowing."
I sighed. "You're hopeless. Just like Alex in the lab."
Jayden laughed, nudging me lightly. "I like hopeless, by the way."
We walked in silence for a moment, Milo happily trotting ahead, his tail like a metronome. But I couldn't ignore the pull of curiosity bubbling inside me. Jayden was right—the Silver Door was everywhere in my thoughts, and it was only a matter of time before I started poking at it again.
"Enough about me," I said, trying to shift the focus. "What about you? What's your story? You've been so mysterious, teasing, and yet somehow always one step ahead. Spill."
Jayden's gaze drifted to the sky, his voice dropping a notch. "It's not simple. I grew up traveling with Dad's secret research team… learned to hack, hide, survive. Made some choices I'm not proud of. Some things… I'll tell you later."
I frowned, intrigued. "Later? That's not exactly reassuring."
He smirked. "It's part of the charm. Secrets make people… interesting besides everyone has their story."
Milo barked again, breaking the tension, and I laughed. Maybe secrets were fine—for now. But with Jayden around, life had already started feeling more dangerous, more thrilling, and infinitely more unpredictable.
We walked in silence for a moment, Milo padding softly between us, the evening air crisp and comforting. I was just about to ask Jayden another question when his eyes suddenly flicked to something in the distance.
"Wait," he murmured, squinting. "Do you see that?"
I followed his gaze. At first, I saw nothing but the faint glow of streetlights bouncing off the mansion's glass walls. Then—a shimmer. Subtle, almost imperceptible. But unmistakable. A faint, pulsing light… coming from somewhere behind the trees.
"The Silver Door," I whispered, my stomach twisting. "It's… not supposed to—"
Jayden held up a hand, his expression serious for the first time. "I don't know what it is… but that glow shouldn't be visible. Not from here."
Milo growled softly, his ears perked, tail stiff.
My heart thumped like a drum. Curiosity screamed at me, warning lights blaring in my head. Part of me wanted to run back and check, another part knew we shouldn't.
Jayden glanced at me, smirk teasingly gone, replaced with a rare edge of caution. "Whatever it is… it's starting to move."
And then, as if answering his words, the glow flickered again—and vanished.
I swallowed hard. Something about the Silver Door was changing. Something Dad hadn't told me. And now… it was only a matter of time before the mystery came looking for us.