The Veil Of Ages

The research lab was quiet, save for the low hum of climate-controlled storage units and the occasional flicker of the security lights overhead.

Ethan sat at his desk, his tablet screen glowing softly in the dim room.

He wasn’t supposed to be here this late. But after what Nadia had said in her last message, he couldn’t just go home and pretend everything was normal.

"Someone is watching you."

The words echoed in his mind as he scrolled through Argon’s restricted archives. The transfer log from 1995 still burned in his thoughts.

> Artifact #X-9912
Description: Unverified Weapon – Origins Unknown
Status: Classified – Relocation to Section 4 Approved
Reason for Reclassification: Security Risk

Who had access to this file? Who decided it was too dangerous to be studied?

If he couldn’t access the file itself, maybe he could find out who could.

He opened a new search.

Restricted Files – Access Logs.

The system prompted a clearance check. His current access level wouldn’t let him view the full records, but maybe… just maybe…

Ethan bypassed the general search and tried something different.

Search by User Credentials – Senior Researchers

The results loaded.

His breath caught.

There were names.

People inside Argon who had accessed Section 4’s archives.

And at the top of the list—

Dr. Reginald Aldrich.

---

A Pattern in the Names

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

Aldrich wasn’t surprising. Of course, the head of research would have access to everything. But then, as he scrolled down, other names stood out.

Dr. Evelyn Graves.

"Graves has been looking into Section 4?"

Ethan frowned. She had encouraged his curiosity, given him access to old records—but she never mentioned that she had clearance for the deeper archives.

And then, another name.

Dr. Isaac Lorenz.

That one stopped him.

Lorenz wasn’t a historian like Graves or Aldrich. He was part of Argon’s security division.

So why was he looking at research files?

Ethan’s fingers hovered over the screen. This wasn’t just about forgotten history anymore.

Security had been involved.

That meant whatever was in Section 4 wasn’t just sealed away—it was being guarded.

---

A Call at the Wrong Time

His phone vibrated.

He nearly jumped, snapping the tablet screen off before glancing at the caller ID.

Aryan.

Ethan sighed and picked up. "You have a weird habit of calling me exactly when I’m doing something I shouldn’t be."

Aryan’s voice came through, casual but sharp. "That’s because I know you, dumbass. What are you doing?"

Ethan hesitated. He could lie, but Aryan would probably figure it out anyway.

"Following up on something Aldrich said earlier," he admitted.

Aryan groaned. "Of course you are. And what exactly did our dear corporate overlord tell you?"

Ethan leaned back in his chair. "That history is controlled. That some artifacts are meant to be locked away."

There was a pause. "And you took that as a challenge, didn’t you?"

Ethan smirked slightly. "Obviously."

Aryan sighed. "At least tell me you’re not stupid enough to leave a trail."

Ethan’s stomach twisted slightly. The security logs.

Shit.

"I gotta go," he muttered.

Aryan’s voice sharpened. "Ethan—"

But he had already ended the call.

His fingers flew across the tablet screen. He needed to erase the search history—fast.

He pulled up the system logs—

And froze.

A new entry had appeared at the bottom of the access list.

> Current Session: Unauthorized Search Detected

For a split second, his mind went blank.

Then—

The screen flashed red.

> SECURITY ALERT: ACCESS RESTRICTION VIOLATION.

Ethan’s pulse spiked. Shit. Shit. SHIT.

He yanked the power button on the tablet, but it was too late. The system had already flagged him.

The doors to the lab hissed open.

Footsteps.

Someone was coming.

The First Encounter

The moment Ethan saw the security alert, he knew he had made a mistake.

A big one.

> SECURITY ALERT: ACCESS RESTRICTION VIOLATION.

The screen flashed red.

A mistake he couldn't afford.

Then—the doors to the archive room hissed open.

Footsteps. Measured. Controlled.

Not a guard. Not someone rushing in to check the system.

Someone who already knew he was here.

---

Dr. Isaac Lorenz – The Enforcer

Ethan shut his tablet immediately, heart pounding. Too late.

The man who stepped inside wasn’t wearing a lab coat like most of the researchers. Black suit, dark rectangular glasses, posture too stiff, presence too controlled.

Dr. Isaac Lorenz.

The "Security Consultant" at Argon Heritage.

But now, looking at him, Ethan knew that was just a polite way of saying something else.

"This guy isn't here to study history."

Lorenz stopped just inside the door, tilting his head slightly, almost curious.

"You work late, Mr. Carter."

His voice was even, too calm.

Not accusing. Not concerned.

Just watching.

Ethan forced a casual shrug. "Research doesn’t stop when the clock does."

Lorenz took a slow step forward.

"Of course," he said, his tone agreeable, almost amused. "Though, I have to wonder…"

Another step.

"You must have been very focused, considering you just triggered a security alert."

---

Covering His Tracks

Ethan kept his face neutral. Don’t react. Don’t admit anything.

"That was a mistake," he said smoothly. "I was pulling up some old transfer records, and I guess I clicked something I shouldn’t have."

Lorenz exhaled lightly through his nose.

Not quite a laugh.

"How unfortunate," he said. "Especially since your clearance level doesn’t allow searches in that database."

Ethan gripped the tablet under the desk, mind racing. Lie, or deflect?

"If I act scared, he’ll push harder. If I act cocky, he’ll see through it. Best move? Play dumb, but not too dumb."

"I didn’t know that," Ethan said, keeping his voice casual, but slightly apologetic. "I was looking into artifact transfers for a project. Some of the older files have broken links—I probably clicked on something flagged as restricted."

Lorenz studied him, saying nothing.

Then, slowly, he reached into his coat pocket.

For a terrifying moment, Ethan thought he was pulling a weapon.

Instead, he pulled out a sleek black phone.@@novelbin@@

Tapped the screen once.

The security alert on Ethan’s terminal vanished.

Ethan barely kept his expression neutral. He has override access.

Lorenz wasn’t just here to check the breach.

He was here because he already knew what Ethan had been looking for.

---

A Dangerous Game

Lorenz put the phone away.

Then, finally, he spoke again.

"Tell me, Mr. Carter," he said. "Are you the type of man who believes in accidents?"

Ethan tensed slightly. "Depends on the context."

Lorenz smiled faintly. "A good answer."

He turned slightly, pacing around the research lab, his hands clasped neatly behind his back.

"You remind me of someone I knew once," he mused. "A researcher. Bright, ambitious. Always asking questions."

Ethan watched him carefully. "What happened to him?"

Lorenz stopped pacing.

Then, very deliberately, he turned his head—just slightly.

"He asked one too many."

Ethan didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

A warning.

A clear, unmistakable warning.

"Back off, Carter. Or you won’t like what happens next."

---

A Test of Will

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Ethan tilted his head slightly. "Am I supposed to be scared?"

Lorenz chuckled softly. "That depends."

He turned fully to face him now, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.

"Are you planning to keep digging?"

Silence.

Ethan exhaled slowly. Then—he smiled. Just a little.

"You already know the answer to that, don’t you?"

Lorenz’s lips curled slightly.

"Yes," he said. "I do."

And then, to Ethan’s surprise—he stepped aside.

And gestured toward the door.

Ethan blinked. Wait. He’s letting me go?

Lorenz saw his hesitation. "I don’t believe in needless punishments, Mr. Carter," he said. "But I do believe in… patience."

His next words were quiet, but they sent a chill down Ethan’s spine.

"You’ll show me what kind of man you are soon enough."

And then he stepped out, leaving Ethan alone in the silence.

---

A Dangerous Victory

Ethan exhaled sharply as soon as the door closed. His hands were still clenched.

That wasn’t a normal security check.

That was a message. A test.

Aldrich had been subtle—giving him a warning, trying to see if he would pull back.

But Lorenz wasn’t subtle.

He knew what Ethan was looking for. He let him off the hook—for now.

Which meant one thing.

They were watching him now. Closely.

His next mistake wouldn’t get him a warning.

It would get him erased.

But despite the danger, despite the cold sweat still clinging to his skin—

Ethan smiled.

Because for the first time, he knew he was on the right path.

And he had no intention of stopping.

---

End of Chapter 6