THE UNREVEALING

Samantha's POV Through the flimsy drapes, the first rays of morning sunshine poured across the hardwood floor creating gentle, golden patterns. I had hardly slept, if at all. Though my body felt weighty, my mind was racing over every element of Royce's words—the escape, the nagging sense that we were still in the heart of a trap. Perched on the edge of the aged couch, I turned once again to view the message on my cell. You are exactly where I most need you. The words tormented me; each one served as a reminder that Royce was still in charge regardless of our distance or intensity of effort. Nonetheless, why? His wants were what? It was personal, more than simply the program—more than just power. Last night, I could see it in his eyes—the almost amused attitude. Alex came out of the rear room with day's worth of stubbles on his jaw and somewhat messy hair. Though he was as worn-out as I could have imagined, there was still that spark of will in his eyes—the one that never seemed to disappear no matter how difficult the circumstances were. Nodding at my phone, he inquired, "Any word from him?" I gave my head a shake. "Just the same message from last night". Alex scowled and ran a hand through his hair to settle next to me. "We have to work out his motivation for doing this. What is his ultimate goal? More than we could ever know is happening here. "I had been thinking the same thing," I said. "But every time I try to piece it together, it feels like something we are not seeing—something missing." His face softened, and he stretched out to lay a hand on my shoulder. We'll sort things out. Have we not come this far yet? I put on a little smile. Sure. We currently have. The room descended into a comfortable calm for a minute, disturbed only by the faint crackle of the fire from the night before. But I sensed something changing between us—an unsaid recognition of the distance we had traveled together. Though I wasn't sure when Alex had evolved from an ally to something more, I could sense that whatever was occurring between us was real. Lila's voice sliced through the quiet just as I was ready to speak. "I believe I came upon something." Alex and I both turned to see her seated at the old wooden table, laptop in front of her and a focused look on her face. We hurriedly followed her, drawn by the intensity in her voice. "What is it"? Leaning over to get a closer look at the screen, Alex questioned. Lila pulled a set of papers while her fingers sped across the keyboard. "I stumbled over this when sorting some of Royce's past records. Here there is a pattern: meetings, motions, and transactions all appear to point back to the same spot. Royce has been connected to this property, just outside the city, for years but never directly. "Why would he be so careful about it?" I muttered loudly. If he is concealing anything there... Then, Alex said, his voice low, "then it might be the key to understanding all of this." "We should have a look at it." Lila cast a doubtful gaze at me. "We could be in danger if we go there. Royce may be looking for us. I nodded, my eyes turning stern. I know. It is worth the risk, though, if this location provides the solutions we are seeking. Tension rising as we neared what we believed would be a crack in Royce's web of lies, the trip to the property felt more protracted than it actually was. The address sent us down a narrow, remote land surrounded on all sides by tall trees. It seemed alone, cut off from the world—a wonderful spot for someone to keep secrets. When we at last arrived on the property, it looked just as Lila's records had shown: a vast estate encircled by a huge iron fence with a big gate at the front. Though there were indications of recent improvements, it appeared ancient, the type of venue most likely in use for decades. Modern cameras positioned on the entrance blindingly displayed red lights. Alex commented, looking around, "Looks quiet." Too silent. "We cannot just stroll through the front door," I replied, heart thumping as I weighed our choices. "There must be still another way in." Lila gestured toward the rear of the estate, where the deep woodland appeared to provide some shelter. The groundskeepers utilize a service entrance on the other side. Our finest attempt may be this. Moving fast, we stayed in the darkness as we were around the outside. Every leaf rustling made my pulse accelerate, my nerves taut. This property seems distinct from Royce's others—more than just a safe home. Here there was a sense of history, and I couldn't get rid of the idea that anything we unearthed would mark a turning point. Although the service entry lacked security like the main gate, a keypad locked it. Lila left the system behind her fingers working neatly as she proceeded to work on it. I looked at Alex, who nodded reassuringly, his face calm despite the risk we were running. The gate snapped open, and we stepped within the silent silence of the grounds all around. Our footsteps muted by the thick grass underneath, we walked warily toward the main structure. When we arrived at a side entrance, I saw it was just barely opened. My pulse skipped a beat, then I looked at Alex, gesturing for me to keep back as he peeked inside. He murmured, "It's clear," pulling the door open more. Still crisp, though. We slipped inside, the place darkly lighted and eerily quiet. Old artwork and dark wood paneling adorned the long and narrow passageways. We seemed to be traveling through time, and the farther we went, the more uncomfortable I was. "Exactly what are we looking for?" Lila murmured, her voice hardly heard. "Anything that ties Royce to this place," Alex said gently. " Documents, recordings, whatever he is hiding." We divided up, each of us looking in separate rooms for any hint that may help to explain why Royce had brought us here—or why we had ended up here. I was in a little room with shelves of ancient books and documents all about. The middle has a big oak desk covered in papers. Something caught my attention as I rumbled through the papers: a picture hidden between two files. Though faded and ancient, the face in the image was not confusing. Royce, younger, was standing next to an elderly man who remarkably matched him. The man was grinning, his arm suggesting they were nearby slung over Royce's shoulder. "Search for something." I turned to find Alex standing in the doorway when his words shocked me. I grabbed the picture. "I believe so. This man strikes Royce like he Would be his father. Alex snatched a picture from me and wrinkled his brow. "If this is his father, then this home could be more than simply a safe place. It may be a family estate. At that moment, a cold passed through me. Still, why would he send us here? This area means what to him? We both stopped before Alex could answer the sound of a door creaking open some distance down the hall. Steps repeated, slow and methodical, getting near. As I looked at Alex, my heart accelerated and the identical idea shot across both of our brains. We were not alone. The footsteps got louder, more forceful, as though someone coming knew just where we were. My pulse thumping with the knowledge that we were headed directly into another of Royce's traps, I felt my breath stop in my throat as I looked at Alex. And this time there might not be any way out.