Hollow stood motionless, his emotionless gaze fixed on the guard's golden eyes. The spear's tip pressed against his throat, but he showed no sign of fear or concern.
"Identify yourself," the guard demanded, his voice low and threatening.
"I am Dr. Herlio, a researcher." Hollow pointed at his ID badge, waiting to gain the guard's trust.
The guard narrowed his eyes, studying the badge intently. His spear remained steady, but a flicker of doubt crossed his face.
"Dr. Helio?" he repeated, his tone skeptical. "You should know you don't have access to this floor."
"I apologize, I haven't been informed about this beforehand," Hollow replied, his voice calm and steady. He paused for a moment, then added, "Would you mind...?" looking down at the spear that was pressing against his neck.
The guard's golden eyes remained fixed on Hollow, suspicion evident in his gaze. However, after a moment's consideration, he slowly lowered his weapon, though he kept it at the ready.
"Thank you," Hollow said, his tone neutral. "May I ask whom I'm addressing?"
The guard straightened his posture, a hint of pride entering his voice. "I am Dagan Cyrus, Head Royal knight."
Hollow's eyes widened in disbelief, he knew the man standing before him looked familiar, but to think he was a relative of the boy he met- Elyas?
"You Dr. Herlio are trespassing and are thus menacing the security and success of the project," His eyes were threatening, still skeptical about how this 'doctor' had the needed clearance to access the elevator. "Go back to the facility, if I find you here another time things will get ugly for you."
"Understood, you have my apologies." Without another word, Hollow walked back to the elevator, escorted by the royal knight.
The moment the elevator doors closed, separating him from Dagan, Hollow knew his time was limited. His cover, while not completely blown, was hanging by a thread. The risk of continuing the mission was too great.
Without hesitation, Hollow focused his power. Dark mist swirled around him, and in an instant, he vanished from the elevator.
___________________ Meanwhile on the other side of the elevator ________________
"Doctor Herlio huh..." This encounter was very suspicious.
Dagan couldn't shake off his doubts. He activated his handpiece, projecting a holographic display. Scrolling through the database, he located the file for Dr. Herlio. His eyes widened as he saw an image completely different from the man he'd just encountered.
"You can't be serious," he sighs, his palm on his head, disappointed at how easily he was deceived.
"Intruder!" Dagan shouted, immediately triggering the tower's alarm system. Red lights flashed throughout the building as sirens blared. "All units, we have a security breach! Find the impostor!"
______________________________________________________________________________________
Back on the streets of Babylon, Hollow materialized in a narrow, shadowy alley.
The scorching heat hit him immediately.
The encounter with Dagan Cyrus had revealed an intriguing connection. The boy he'd met earlier, Elyas - could he be related to this head royal knight?
Hollow's thoughts were interrupted by the distant sound of alarms. He peered out of the alley, watching as the massive tower pulsed with red warning lights. People on the street began to take notice, pointing and murmuring in confusion.
He knew he had to move quickly. It wouldn't be long before the royal knights expanded their search beyond the tower.
He removed the stolen white blouse, holding it in his hands for a brief moment. Suddenly, a dark purple mist materialized around the garment, swirling ominously. In an instant, the blouse was engulfed and vanished completely, leaving no trace behind.
As he stepped out onto the busy street, merging with the crowds, his mind was already formulating a new plan. The direct approach had failed, but the secrets within that tower - the mysterious energy source, the king's project, and now this potential connection to Elyas - were too important to abandon. There was also the shipment to the Twin Suns Order's HQ, and whatever that captain may be plotting.
Thankfully, he had hired someone to investigate the headquarters, the person awaited him with potentially crucial information at their meet-up location: a small tavern at the corner of the city.
However, fate had other plans. As he turned a corner, a familiar voice caught his attention.
"Hey, mister! Would you like to try some homemade local pastries?"
Hollow's gaze fell upon Elyas, the young boy he had encountered before. He stood behind a small, makeshift stall, proudly displaying an array of colorful and aromatic pastries. His face lit up with recognition as he spotted Hollow.
"Oh, it's you!" Elyas exclaimed, his smile widening. "Crazy coincidence!"
Hollow approached the stall, his face as impassive as ever, "Hey."
"I've got a special offer today," Elyas continued enthusiastically. "Buy one, get two free! You've got to try these, my mom's the best baker in all of Babylon!"
He recalled the boy's earlier mentions of his family's financial struggles. Despite his own emotionless nature, a flicker of concern for the child's welfare crossed his mind.
"I'll take a dozen," Hollow said flatly.
Elyas's eyes widened in surprise and delight. "Really? Wow, thank you so much, mister! You won't regret it, I promise!"
As Elyas busily packed the pastries, chattering excitedly about the different flavors, Hollow's gaze swept the surrounding area. He was acutely aware that his presence in the city might draw unwanted attention, especially after the incident at the tower.
"Here you go!" Elyas said, handing over a large package filled with various pastries. "That'll be... well, with the discount, it comes to..."
Hollow handed over a sum that was noticeably more than the asking price. "Keep the change," he said, his tone neutral despite the generous act.
Elyas's expression was filled with surprise, mixed with doubts about whether to accept the man's generosity or decline it, "Are y-you sure? you've been so generous ever since we met..."
"You're the man of your family now, you'll need it", Hollow puts the sum on the counter and walks off.
"Elyas's face cycled through a range of emotions - surprise, gratitude, and a touch of uncertainty. "Thank you so much, mister! This... this really helps us out!" he called after Hollow started walking away. Then, as if suddenly remembering something important, he added, "Oh, and be careful! There seems to be some kind of dangerous intruder running free in the city!"
Hollow paused mid-step, his back still to Elyas. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him - he was the very "dangerous intruder" the boy was warning him about. For a brief moment, the absurdity of it all threatened to crack his emotionless facade.
Without turning back, Hollow nodded slightly. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, his voice flat.
With a package of pastries in hand that he wouldn't be able to finish off, Hollow continued towards his original destination.
Moments later, a group of royal knights, their armor gleaming in the harsh sunlight, strode purposefully into the alley where Elyas's stall stood.
The knights began questioning people, their voices authoritative and urgent. "We're looking for this man," one of them announced, holding up a photograph. "He's dangerous and believed to be in the area. Has anyone seen him?"
Elyas, still beaming from his successful sale and the generous tip, glanced curiously at the commotion. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the photograph in the knight's hand.
Elyas cracked a short laugh, "Of course it was him."
____________________________________________________________________________________
As Hollow pushed open the weathered door of the tavern, the cool air inside provided a welcome respite from Babylon's scorching heat. He was still munching on one of Elyas's pastries.
A haze of smoke hung in the tavern's air. A few patrons hunched over their drinks, paying little attention to the newcomer. Hollow made his way to a corner table, setting the bag of pastries down as he settled into a cozy booth seating.
A tired-looking waiter approached. "What'll it be, sir?" he asked, his voice gruff.
"Whiskey," Hollow replied flatly. "Extra ice."
As the waiter shuffled away, Hollow reached up and loosened his tie. Sweat had begun to bead on his forehead, the heat outside was relentless.
Moments later, the waiter returned, placing a glass of amber liquid before him, ice cubes clinking softly. Hollow nodded in thanks, taking a long sip. The whiskey burned pleasantly as it went down.
He sat back, calmly.
Minutes ticked by. Hollow nursed his drink, occasionally taking another pastry from the bag.
The tavern door swung open once more.
A man stepped inside, his appearance unremarkable - the kind of face you might see a dozen times a day in Babylon's bustling streets without taking particular notice.
The newcomer's eyes swept the room in a casual yet purposeful manner. His gaze settled on Hollow for a brief moment before he made his way through the smoky interior.
Without a word, the man slid into the booth across from Hollow. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, his face betraying no emotion.
Hollow took another sip of his whiskey, the ice cubes clinking gently against the glass. Then he pushed the bag of pastries towards the man, silently inviting him to sample Elyas's wares.
The contact's eyebrows raised slightly, he hesitated for a moment. Out of all the things he had heard about Agent Hollow, such a gesture of his wasn't expected.
"Thank you," he murmured, his voice low. He took a small bite, chewing thoughtfully as he gathered his thoughts.
"About that shipment," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's more complicated than we initially thought. "It's related to Project Oasis."
Project Oasis, Hollow has already heard of it before. It was back at the tavern in the festival venue.
"The king sent the knights of the Order on an expedition to find suitable land to expand the city- or rather, build an entirely new one."
"But the expedition failed," added Hollow.
"Right, but they found something far more precious than any water, some sort of device lost in the ancient civilization ruins they stumbled upon." The man then paused, grabbing a treat from the bag.
"That device, that is what the king's entire project is built upon, but to think the Order would operate separately from the king's orders..."
"So," Hollow inquired, "What is the shipment about?"
"Ah, right my apologies. A team of knights conducted an additional investigation of the ruins and managed to find another device supposedly linked to the first one. They name it: "The Key."
"The Key," Hollow repeated, his voice low and measured. "And this is what's being shipped to the Order's headquarters?"
The informant nodded, "Exactly. But The Order isn't just following the king's commands anymore. They're pursuing their own agenda with this artifact."
Hollow's eyes narrowed slightly, "Elaborate," he said flatly.
The man leaned in closer, his voice dropping even lower. "The Order believes this 'Key' can unlock powers beyond what the king is planning. They're keeping it secret from him, conducting their own research."
"What kind of powers?" Hollow asked, taking another sip of his whiskey.
The informant shook his head. "Details are scarce, this is all I've got."
"Valuable information, My thanks," Hollow said, his tone flat but sincere.
The informant nodded. He seemed to hesitate for a moment as if weighing whether this last piece of information was worth sharing or not.
"There's... one more thing," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It might be nothing, but... there are rumors about strange occurrences around the ruins where they found these artifacts. People experiencing vivid nightmares, hearing whispers when no one's there. Some of the knights who were on the expedition... they've been acting oddly since their return."
Hollow's gaze sharpened, his full attention on the informant. The whole picture started to become clearer, but he couldn't confirm anything just yet.
"Thank you," Hollow said again, his mind already processing the implications of this latest revelation. "If you hear anything more, you know how to contact me."
The informant nodded, finishing the last of his pastry. He stood up slowly, trying not to draw attention. With that, he slipped away, melting into the tavern's smoky interior and disappearing out the door.
Hollow remained at the table, deciding what his next move would be.