The Veil Of Ages

Ethan stood outside Professor Aldrich's office, his fingers hovering over the brass handle.

It was strange—Aldrich never called interns in for personal meetings. Not unless something needed to be dealt with.

The words Dr. Graves had said before he left her office echoed in his mind.

"You'll find out soon enough."

A deep breath. A final moment of hesitation. Then he turned the handle and stepped inside.

---

The Man Behind the Desk

Aldrich's office was not what Ethan expected.

He had imagined a cold, corporate space—clinical, minimal, filled with nothing but documents and high-tech security. Instead, it was lined with bookshelves, each one packed with aged tomes, scrolls, and bound manuscripts. The scent of old parchment mixed with the faint smell of polished wood.

At the center of it all sat Professor Reginald Aldrich, the man who controlled everything that happened within Argon's research division.

The lamplight reflected off his silver-rimmed glasses, casting sharp lines over his expression. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed back, his suit crisp, his posture immaculate. But what stood out the most was his eyes—calculating, steady, unshaken.

He wasn't an academic lost in books.

He was a man who understood power.

Aldrich didn't look up immediately. He finished signing a document before setting his pen down with careful precision. A calculated silence. A deliberate choice.

Then, finally, he met Ethan's gaze.

"You're adjusting well to Argon," Aldrich said, his voice smooth but measured. "Dr. Graves speaks highly of your efficiency."

Ethan straightened. "Thank you, sir."

Aldrich leaned back slightly, his fingers steepled together. "Tell me, Carter. How much do you know about Argon's mission?"

Ethan hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"I know we focus on artifact preservation and historical research," he said. "We ensure that history is properly documented and protected."

Aldrich's lips curled slightly. "Yes. That is what we tell the public."

The air in the room changed.

Ethan felt the weight behind those words. A confirmation of what he already suspected.

---

The Purpose of Power

Aldrich stood, walking toward a glass display case set near the bookshelves. Inside, preserved under climate-controlled conditions, lay a manuscript written in an ancient script.

"History," Aldrich murmured, his gaze on the text, "is the most powerful weapon of all."

Ethan remained silent, watching.

"People believe power lies in money, in armies, in weapons forged of steel," Aldrich continued. "But those things fade. The world is ruled by what is remembered. And by what is forgotten."

His fingers brushed over the glass case before he turned back to Ethan.

"Some artifacts belong in museums," Aldrich said. "Some are meant to be studied, to expand human knowledge."

Then his gaze sharpened.

"And some are better left undiscovered."

Ethan swallowed. He knew this was a test.

"Why?" he asked. "Why hide them?"

Aldrich smiled faintly. "Because power in the wrong hands can change the world in ways we are not prepared for."

He moved back to his desk, picking up a folder. "Dr. Graves has given you access to older records."

Ethan kept his face neutral. "Yes, sir."

"And you've been… curious."

Ethan's heartbeat picked up slightly. So that's what this was about.

Aldrich set the folder down. "Curiosity is good, Carter. It drives progress. But let me offer you a piece of advice."

He leaned forward slightly. "Be mindful of where your curiosity leads. There are things even history prefers to forget."

---

A Silent Warning

Ethan forced himself to remain calm, though the weight of Aldrich's words pressed down on him.

This wasn't just a warning. It was a direct message.

"I know what you've been looking for."

"I know what you've seen."

"And if you keep going, you will be watched."

Ethan nodded, keeping his voice steady. "Understood, sir."

Aldrich studied him for a long moment. Then, satisfied, he leaned back.

"Good," he said. "That will be all for now."

Ethan stood, gave a respectful nod, and walked out of the office.

---

A Choice Made

As Ethan stepped back into the hallway, he exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders to shake off the tension.

He should have felt relieved. Aldrich hadn't punished him, hadn't removed his access, hadn't threatened him outright.

But somehow, that made it worse.

Aldrich wasn't trying to scare him away.

He was giving him a choice.

Step back and be safe. Or keep going… and deal with the consequences.

Ethan clenched his jaw.

He wasn't going to stop.

Not now. Not when he was this close to the truth.

He just had to be smarter about it.

The First Mistake

Ethan walked down the quiet halls of Argon Heritage, his mind racing with the weight of Aldrich's words.

"Be mindful of where your curiosity leads."

It hadn't been a threat, but it hadn't needed to be. The meaning was clear—Aldrich knew what he had been looking for.

The man hadn't punished him. Hadn't revoked his access. Hadn't even warned him directly.

And that's what made Ethan uneasy. Aldrich was letting him decide.

And now, more than ever, he knew he had to keep going.

---

Back to the Archives

The artifact preservation lab was almost empty when Ethan arrived. Most of the research staff had already gone home for the evening.

Only the faint hum of temperature-controlled storage units filled the air. The dim glow of security lights cast long shadows across the polished floor.

Ethan sat at his workstation, pulling up his tablet. He needed to be careful. Aldrich had already suspected his digging, and if he wasn't subtle, he'd lose access before he even found what he was looking for.

His fingers hovered over the search bar.

Artifact Transfers → Deep Storage Section 4.

He had found a record earlier—a vague mention of an unnamed artifact relocated to Deep Storage in 1995.

It had been reclassified. Buried. Forgotten.

But maybe… not erased.

He scrolled through the files, eyes scanning through old reports. Most were standard inventory transfers—artifacts moved between museums, loaned for exhibitions, or sent for private research.

Then, something stood out.

> Transfer Log – 1995

Artifact #X-9912

Description: Unverified Weapon – Origins Unknown

Status: Classified – Relocation to Section 4 Approved

Reason for Reclassification: Security Risk

Ethan frowned.

"Security risk?"

Most reclassified artifacts were marked as historical uncertainties or hoaxes. But this one was flagged as a danger.

He tapped the entry, opening the attached file.

But instead of a full document, only a single line remained.

> File Unavailable – Access Restricted

Ethan cursed under his breath. A dead end.

But not entirely.

It meant the file hadn't been deleted—just locked away.

Which meant someone at Argon had access to it.

And if Ethan wanted answers, he had to find out who.

---

A Late-Night Conversation

His phone buzzed.

At first, he thought it was another security alert from the system, but when he checked, it was a message from Aryan.

> Aryan: Why do I feel like you're doing something incredibly stupid right now?

Ethan smirked slightly. His timing was uncanny.

> Ethan: Define stupid.

> Aryan: Digging into things you shouldn't. Getting involved in stuff that'll get you fired. That kind of stupid.

> Ethan: Then yes, I'm being incredibly stupid.

> Aryan: …Just don't get caught. Also, Renji wants to know if you died in your meeting with the boss.

Ethan chuckled.

> Ethan: Still alive. For now.

A moment later, another message popped up—this time from Renji.

> Renji: What did he say? Did he scold you? Or did he just stare at you until you felt like an idiot?

> Ethan: More like a warning. He knows I've been digging.

> Renji: Then stop digging, dumbass.

> Aryan: He's not going to stop. You know that.

> Renji: Yeah, but I have to at least try to be the responsible one here.

Ethan smiled, shaking his head. Even if they weren't physically here, their presence made him feel a little less alone in this.

Then, another message appeared.

From Nadia.

> Nadia: Ethan.

Just his name. Nothing else.

A cold feeling crept up his spine.

> Ethan: What is it?

 @@novelbin@@

For a long moment, no reply came. Then:

> Nadia: Someone is watching you.

Ethan's breath hitched.

> Ethan: Who?

Another pause.

> Nadia: I don't know. But you're not the only one looking into these things anymore.

---

The First Mistake

Ethan placed his phone down slowly.

Someone else was looking. Not just him.

Was it Aldrich? Or someone else in Argon?

Or… was it someone outside of the corporation entirely?

A creeping sense of unease settled over him.

He needed to be more careful.

Shutting off his tablet, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. There were too many missing pieces.

And yet…

He wasn't afraid.

If anything, this only made him more determined.

---

End of Chapter 5