Chapter 62: A New Shadow

“Go on, Elaine,” Grey said, waiting to hear why Elaine and her team had come into his office.

Elaine’s gaze then shifted to Liam. “Hello, Liam. We’d appreciate it if you stopped avoiding us. We’ll leave you to your business with the director, but know that we’re waiting for you at the Lobby.”

She turned to the director and bowed her head slightly. “Thank you, sir.” Then she moved toward the door as she had said her piece. The rest of her team filed out first, with Elaine following behind before closing the door.

No one spoke while Elaine delivered her message, leaving the room in awkward silence. And after they left, Liam turned to Quinn. “You were saying?” Quinn nodded and continued.

“For the last few weeks, I’ve been gathering intelligence on the Quillforte family branch in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s a small branch, not as big as the others, but what they’re doing there is troubling.” Then she pulled out several photographs.

The images showed human beings floating in cylindrical chambers filled with liquid, as they were experimental subjects. Other pictures revealed people, men, women, and even children wearing hospital gowns and confined in cell-like holdings.

“I infiltrated their facility as one of their agents. That’s how I managed to slip these pictures out,” she explained to Liam.

“What are they doing to these people?” Liam asked, picking up the photographs one by one.

Then the director leaned forward. “House Quillforte has an insatiable hunger for knowledge. Among the thirteen families, they’re known as the keepers of history, art, mysticism and scientific knowledge. Most of their branches across the world are research institutes. They study nearly anything and send whatever information they learn to their main branch in New York.”

Liam said nothing, still trying to process everything, then Quinn added, “This branch is currently studying transformation-type visors.”

“We’re being reduced to experimental subjects for these people,” Liam said, disgust evident on his face. “How long has this been going on?”

“Long enough,” Quinn replied. “Governor Degyn also knows about this, but since it involves the families, he’s too scared to do anything.”

Liam sighed, and Grey spoke up. “We’re putting an end to their operations in Ohio, but not as USOV. That would cause too many complications.”

“Then as what?” Liam asked.

“There are no name tags. This is part of what we do to reduce the reach and influence of family leaders. For years, it’s been this way, discreet and quiet, slowly doing what we can in the shadows. This is your first step into those shadows, Liam.” Grey explained to him.

“How many USOV agents are in on this part of the organization?” Liam asked.

Grey replied, “If you’re wondering about Team C, none of them are in. And in the Michigan branch, only a few people—the agents you see in this room and the agents of Team A. We carefully evaluate the people we involve in what we do.”

Liam muttered, “Hmm…” his mind processing what the director had just revealed. Grey continued, “Additionally, it isn’t just our agents alone, but you’ll learn all of this eventually. Our true network, how the families operate, whom to trust, all of it.”

Liam nodded and asked directly, “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow,” Grey replied. “More details regarding the mission will be given to y’all on your way. I suggest you prepare yourself.”

“You said ’you all’?” Liam asked, wondering if it wasn’t just him and Quinn.

Grey scoffed, “You’ll be meeting the rest of the team tomorrow.”

Then Quinn stood up, “I’ll excuse myself now, Director.”

Grey nodded, and she bowed her head slightly before leaving. Grey then turned to Liam. “I think you have some people waiting for you,” he said, gesturing toward the door. He was referring to Team C, who had stepped in earlier to confront him.

“And I’m supposed to tell them that one of the family leaders got their hands on my sister?” Liam said, giving Grey a strange look.

“That is for you to figure out,” Grey replied, returning his attention to the documents before him.

Liam sighed and made his way out of the office, walking toward Team C, who stood together in the lobby. They could see him slowly descending the stairs and approaching towards them.

Eventually, Liam stood before them, with his head turned away due to embarrassment or shyness—or both—while he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Hey… guys.”

“Pay up,” Sarah said, stretching her left hand toward Silas, who sighed in defeat and dropped a hundred-dollar bill into her palm.

“Uh…” Liam was confused by what was happening, and Amir who noticed, explained, “They made a bet. Sarah bet on you showing up, and Silas bet on you disappearing again.”

But then Elaine interrupted, “Forget all of that. The truth is, we wanted to apologize for the part we played that night. If we hadn’t made you come to the restaurant with us, you would have been at home to Yaela against those who kidnapped her.”

Liam looked confused by what Elaine was saying.

“Yeah, man, we truly are sorry, and we understand that’s why you’ve been angry at us and avoiding us,” Amir added.

“Yeah, but know this, hotshot—we’ve been trying to search for Yaela around the city every single day since we heard, and we won’t stop until we find her,” Sarah said, and all of them nodded in agreement.

Liam, who had been confused the whole time they spoke, shook his head and said, “Wait, wait, wait. You guys are getting it all wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Elaine asked, now unsure of what Liam was trying to say.

Liam sighed. “Guys, I’m not angry, not at you at least. The restaurant had nothing to do with Yaela getting kidnapped.”

Amir stepped forward slightly. “But if you were there before the kidnapping happened, I’m sure they would never have been able to get past you.”

Liam scoffed. “That’s the funny thing, I was there, and whoever took Yae away got past me.”

“That’s impossible,” Silas expressed his shock. “Who could have? How?” They all had the same expression of disbelief, wondering who could have gotten past Liam or how that could have happened.

“I couldn’t explain it even if I wanted to,” Liam simply said, and then Sarah asked, “So if you weren’t mad at us, why did you keep ignoring us for a whole week? Seems a little unfair, no?”

Liam sighed. She was right, but how could he truly tell them that he was scared that the family leader who took Yae could come for them too. After all, the threat was clear, and they were the only other people he cared about besides his sister.

Instead, he simply said, “I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t know how to react and just wanted to focus on finding my sister.”

“It’s fine,” Elaine said, taking hold of his right arm, which startled him a bit, but then she continued, “We understand, and don’t worry, whoever these people are, we’ll find them and we’ll get your sister back.” She sounded assured, and the others had the same encouraging expressions.

Liam looked up at them. “Thank you, guys.”

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