Back in the present, James T. stood at the edge of a rooftop overlooking the city, the moonlight casting a cold glow over his masked face. The artifact's faint hum still resonated in his mind a sound he had carried with him for decades. Tonight, he sensed its awakening.
The gauntlet.
The very relic he had sworn to protect all those years ago had finally found its bearer. But James's feelings were far from relief. His sharp eyes trailed the distant skyline, the chaos of sirens still audible in the distance. Somewhere out there, a boy had stumbled upon the artifact. Somewhere out there, the next chapter of this story was beginning—and James wasn't sure if the boy was ready.
"Fifty years," James muttered under his breath, his voice raspy with age yet steady with purpose. "Fifty years of waiting, and it finally moves. Are you watching, Your Majesty? Is this truly the one you spoke of?"
A familiar voice crackled in his earpiece, breaking his thoughts. "James, you're still brooding, aren't you?"
James tilted his head slightly. The voice belonged to someone from the shadows of his network an informant he'd worked with for years.
"I'm observing," James corrected, his tone calm. "Have you confirmed the location?"
"Yeah, it's in the south quadrant," the voice replied. "But… James, you might have company. Someone else is looking for it. She's already moving."
James's jaw tightened beneath his mask. He didn't need the informant to say her name. He knew exactly who they meant.
712.
Her name or rather, her codename was a reminder of her calculated, machine-like efficiency. 712 had been after the artifact for years, her motives shrouded in mystery but her methods ruthless. James had always been one step ahead of her, but tonight… tonight, he wasn't so sure.
He turned and began walking along the rooftop, his coat billowing in the wind. "Keep eyes on her," he ordered. "Let me know the moment she moves closer to the boy."
"You're not going to stop her?" the informant asked, surprised.
James paused. "Not yet."
There was a heavy silence before the informant replied, "Alright. But you know she's not playing around this time. She's got an entire unit with her."
"She always does," James replied before disconnecting the call.
Somewhere Else in the City
712 stood in the shadows of an alley, her sleek, black coat blending into the darkness. Her cold, calculating eyes scanned the glowing screen of the device in her hand—a tracker. The artifact's energy signature pulsed steadily on the display, leading her closer to its location.
She smiled, a hint of triumph lighting up her face. "Finally," she whispered to herself. "It's mine."
Behind her, a group of operatives, dressed in tactical gear, awaited her orders. They were armed, disciplined, and loyal to her cause, whatever that cause might be.
712 turned to them, her voice sharp and commanding. "Fan out. Locate the artifact, but do not engage without my signal. And remember…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "…if James gets in the way, deal with him. Permanently."
Back with K
K tossed and turned in his bed, the events of the day swirling in his dreams. The gauntlet's strange power still tingled faintly in his arm, even as he slept. In his dreams, he saw flashes of a man in a mask, a woman with piercing eyes, and a king's final words images that made no sense yet felt deeply familiar.
Suddenly, K bolted upright, his heart racing. He clutched his arm where the gauntlet had attached itself. The sensation was stronger now, as if the artifact was trying to tell him something.
"Daw," K whispered, his voice shaking.
The little AI companion hovered into view, its mechanical eye glowing softly in the dark. "Yes, K?"
"Something's happening," K said, his voice barely audible. "I… I think it's waking up."
Daw beeped thoughtfully. "It's possible. The artifact's energy output has increased slightly. But K, you need to stay calm. It's designed to adapt to its bearer you."
K frowned, gripping the edge of his blanket. "But why me, Daw? I didn't ask for this. I don't even know what this thing is!"
Before Daw could respond, K's window shattered with a deafening crash. Glass rained down as a figure leapt into the room a masked man cloaked in the shadows of the night.
James T. stood tall, his presence commanding and enigmatic. "You have no idea what you've stumbled upon, boy," he said, his voice calm yet firm. "But if you want to live, you'll listen to me."
K froze, his mind racing. "Who… who are you?"
James stepped closer, his masked face unreadable. "I'm the only one who can keep you alive."
Before K could respond, a loud explosion shook the building, the walls trembling as smoke began to fill the air. Daw beeped frantically, hovering closer to K.
"We've got company," James said grimly, turning toward the window. Through the haze, the sound of footsteps and shouting grew louder.
712's operatives were closing in.
James looked at K, his tone sharp and urgent. "If you want answers, follow me. Now."
K hesitated, glancing at Daw, who beeped in agreement. With no other choice, he grabbed his shoes and bolted after James, the mysterious man who seemed to know far more about the artifact and the danger surrounding it than K could ever imagine.