The city awoke as the sun slowly rose beyond the horizon, illuminating the sky with delicate pink and gold tones. The air felt lighter, as if a thick shroud had been lifted, for the first time in weeks. The unrelenting march of fate, however, was the only relief for those who were still intricately involved in the events that were taking place.
Elena sat by herself in the peaceful study of a dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by documents, maps, and a few photos. She had a laser-like focus and a mind full of hypotheses and calculations. Everything that had happened over the past few days had come together to form a single goal: she had to find the last piece of the puzzle that had escaped them all.
A tap at the door shocked her. She murmured, "Come in," in a steady but weary tone of voice. With a creak, the door opened and Julian appeared, his face a mask of resolve and worry.
He remarked, "We found something," as he entered and shut the door. The contents of
