The morning sun streamed through the mansion's tall windows, but I couldn't shake the flicker of that strange light from last night. Milo sniffed around my feet, oblivious to the storm of thoughts in my head. I got up, freshened up,ate and left for the lab.
"Come on, Milo," I muttered, tugging on his leash. "We're going to need all the help we can get today."
I found Dad in the lab, tinkering with a hovering drone that looked like it was halfway between a coffee maker and a rocket. He looked up, eyebrows raised.
"Morning, Kim. Everything okay?" he asked.
I hesitated, trying to sound casual. "Uh… Dad, I was thinking… maybe I could check something in the lab? Just, you know, for… research purposes?"
He narrowed his eyes, always perceptive. "Research purposes. Right. And what, exactly, are you researching?"
I bit my lip. "Just… anomalies in the mansion's systems. A glowing sensor thing. Nothing dangerous. Promise."
He leaned back, stroking his chin. Milo sniffed the air near him, tail wagging.
"Hmm… very well. But be careful. And don't touch anything you don't understand," he said finally. "Rules still apply, Kim. Even when curiosity knocks."
I practically leapt with relief. "Thanks, Dad! You won't regret it!"
Milo barked as if cheering me on, and I dashed to the lab, expecting Jayden to already be there. And, of course, he was—lounging casually among the drones, headphones in, eyes fixed on a floating holographic screen.
"Late morning visitor," he said without looking up. "You're early, surprisingly responsible today."
I smirked, dropping my backpack by the table. "Don't get used to it. Milo wanted a walk, and I wanted a reason to get out of my room."
Jayden finally looked up, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Ah, so the dog is part of the team. I see. I should've guessed. Name?"
"Milo," I said. "He's… kind of my only witness when Dad isn't around. He's a gift from Aunt Nora—my adopted mother's junior sister—on my 14th birthday."
Jayden crouched to scratch Milo behind the ears. Milo leaned into it happily, then trotted around my legs. "Noted. Good pup. Might be useful for moral support… or distraction."
I rolled my eyes. "Only moral support. Don't get any ideas."
We got to work, setting up holograms of the mansion and isolating the Silver Door's energy readings. Milo lay at my feet, tail flicking with each pulse of the holographic screen.
"And… again with the Silver Door?" I groaned, tapping the display. "It's like a headache I can't shake."
Jayden leaned over the hologram, his eyes serious now. "I don't think it's just a door, Kim. Whatever is behind it… it's active. Changing. And it's got patterns. See this spike here?" He pointed to a jagged line pulsing across the display.
I squinted. "Yeah… but what does it mean?"
"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I have a feeling it's not random. Whoever—or whatever—is behind that door… is watching."
My stomach twisted. "Not again…"
Before we could dig deeper, the lab door burst open.
"Gooooood morning, geniuses!"
Alex barged in, hair tousled, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Whoa! Holograms? Drones? Silver Door stuff? Oooh, can I press something? Can I?!"
I groaned. "Alex, we're trying to work—"
"Work is boring! Look at the lights! Oooh, is that a new sensor? Can I…?"
But science is interesting?? I asked so tired of him always interrupting us.
Yes". He replied so nonchalantly
Jayden pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Why do I even try?"
That is actually the Alex I've known,endured and enjoyed this past few years.
Despite the chaos, Milo barked happily, as if agreeing with Alex that life was better with a little chaos.
I sighed, leaning back. "Fine, fine. But stay out of the code. And Milo, sit."
Alex plopped onto the counter, muttering happily about lines of code and energy spikes. Milo curled at my feet, and Jayden gave me that rare, sharp look that meant: we need to be careful.
And just as I was about to focus again, the hologram flickered violently. Red lines across the screen twisted and pulsed faster. Milo growled low, ears flat.
Jayden's hand shot out, trying to stabilize the display. "Something's triggering it… and it's not us."
My heart jumped. "Not us?"
"Nope," he said, voice low. "And I have a feeling… it's about to get a lot more interesting."
The room went silent for a moment. Even Alex froze mid-sentence, eyes wide at the pulsing, erratic hologram.
The Silver Door wasn't just a mystery anymore. Something—or someone—was awake. And watching.