The night in the secluded cabin was thick with tension. Serena lay on the worn couch, staring at the flickering embers in the small fireplace, her mind too restless to allow for sleep. The fire's soft crackle filled the silence between her and Rebecca, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by her laptop and a scattered pile of papers. Serena's thoughts kept circling back to Alexander, trapped inside the Covenant's fortress. He had chosen to stay behind so that they could move forward with the artifacts, but the weight of that decision felt like a knot in her chest.
"How many contacts do you think we can trust?" Serena finally asked, breaking the silence.
Rebecca didn't look up from her laptop but answered quickly, "Two or three, maybe. There's Jonas. He's worked with secret organizations before—he's unpredictable, but he might know more about the Covenant. Then there's Elena; she's more low-key, but she's got her ear to the ground on a lot of artifact-related dealings."
Serena nodded, shifting her gaze to the dark window. The wind outside howled softly, and she found herself wondering what kind of night Alexander was having inside the Covenant's walls. "We'll start with Jonas," she said. "I don't trust him, but we need the information. If anyone knows how to play the game with an organization like the Covenant, it's him."
Rebecca's fingers tapped quickly on her keyboard. "I'll reach out to him in the morning. If he's willing to talk, we might get something useful."
Serena stood up, unable to sit still any longer. "We don't have time to wait," she said, pacing the small room. "For all we know, the Covenant could be twisting Alexander's arm right now, trying to use him as leverage. They'll want the information we have—the knowledge of other artifacts. We can't let them get that."
Rebecca glanced at her, concern flickering in her eyes. "I know you're worried about Alex, but we have to play this smart. Rushing in without a plan could make things worse."
Serena stopped pacing and turned to face her. "I'm not saying we rush in. But we need to be prepared for the possibility that the Covenant isn't going to just contain the *Sangreal* and the *Crux Ignis*. They want control, Rebecca. They'll use Alexander to get what they want."
"I agree," Rebecca said, leaning back against the wall. "But we need leverage. Right now, all we have are two incredibly dangerous artifacts, and a deal that's hanging by a thread. If we can figure out what the Covenant's true intentions are, we might be able to turn this around."
Serena rubbed her temples, trying to ease the pressure building behind her eyes. "It just feels like we're always a step behind. The Covenant is playing a game we don't fully understand, and Adrian's out there, probably waiting for us to fail so he can swoop in and take the artifacts for himself."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes darkening at the mention of Adrian. "He's definitely a wildcard. If he figures out we didn't follow through on our end of the deal, he'll come after us. But right now, we have bigger problems to deal with."
Serena sighed, dropping into a chair by the fire. "So what's the plan? We can't just sit around waiting for Jonas to reply."
Rebecca looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. "We need to cover our bases. I'll work on tracking down Jonas and Elena, but we should also try to figure out more about the Covenant itself. There's bound to be information on their past—other organizations they've crossed, other artifacts they've dealt with. Maybe we can find a weakness, something we can exploit."
Serena nodded. "Good. Let's divide and conquer. You focus on the contacts. I'll see what I can dig up on the Covenant's history."
Rebecca gave a small smile. "Sounds like a plan. But Serena—promise me you'll stay grounded in this. We can't lose sight of the bigger picture."
Serena looked at her, understanding the unspoken message. Rebecca was right—this wasn't just about Alexander or the artifacts anymore. The stakes were higher than they'd ever been. The *Sangreal* and the *Crux Ignis* could change the balance of power in the world if they fell into the wrong hands, and Serena couldn't afford to let her emotions cloud her judgment.
"I promise," she said softly. "But I won't stop until I get Alexander out."
Rebecca gave her a nod of understanding before turning back to her laptop. "We'll get him out, Serena. We just need to stay focused."
Serena settled back into the chair, her mind already shifting into problem-solving mode. They needed to learn everything they could about the Covenant's weaknesses, their motivations, and their true plans for the artifacts. If they could figure out how to turn the tables on Kieran and his organization, they might stand a chance of getting out of this alive—and with the artifacts safely neutralized.
Hours passed in a blur of research and planning. Serena pored over the limited information they had on the Covenant, trying to piece together the puzzle of their origins and how they operated. But the deeper she dug, the more elusive the answers became. The Covenant had been operating in the shadows for centuries, and any records of their activities were carefully hidden or destroyed.
Rebecca had more luck on her end. By the time the first rays of sunlight began creeping through the cabin windows, she had managed to secure a tentative meeting with Jonas, their less-than-trustworthy contact. He had agreed to meet them the next day, though the cryptic message he'd sent in return didn't exactly inspire confidence.
"He's agreed to talk," Rebecca said, glancing up from her phone. "But he's being cautious. He wants us to meet him in a neutral location—somewhere he feels safe."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "That's a good sign, right? If he's being cautious, it means he's not working with the Covenant or anyone else who's after the artifacts."
Rebecca shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe he's playing both sides. Jonas is unpredictable. We need to be prepared for anything."
Serena's jaw tightened. "Then we'll be ready. We don't have time to waste."
With the meeting set and their plan in motion, Serena felt a flicker of hope, though it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of what lay ahead. The next steps were critical. If they couldn't get the information they needed from Jonas—or if the Covenant decided to act before they had a chance to intervene—everything could fall apart.
After a quick breakfast of coffee and stale bread, Serena and Rebecca prepared to leave the cabin. Their destination was a small, run-down bar on the outskirts of a nearby town, a place Jonas had chosen for its lack of attention and security. The drive was tense, and the cold mountain air seemed to seep into every part of the car, adding to the feeling of impending danger.
As they pulled up to the bar, Serena felt the familiar rush of adrenaline flood her veins. She had no idea what kind of information Jonas would have, or if he could be trusted, but this was their best shot at getting ahead of the Covenant's plans—and finding a way to rescue Alexander.
They stepped out of the car, the creaking door of the bar swinging open as they approached. Inside, the dim light revealed a handful of patrons nursing drinks at the bar, and in the corner booth, Jonas sat waiting, his sharp eyes watching them as they entered.
Serena's heart quickened as she exchanged a glance with Rebecca. This was it. Their next move in the game.
Whatever happened next would set the course for everything to come.