Hannah was 23 years old, a year older than Luke. She studied business in a different part of the campus from him. They had known each other for only a year, but the challenges they faced together had made them a perfect team, practically inseparable.

They had met when Luke was working in a cemetery, and Hannah was trying to learn more about a deceased relative.

Hannah eventually discovered that Luke had a unique ability: he could see ghosts. One thing led to another, and quite unexpectedly, they ended up receiving rigorous training from a powerful ghost. And then they found themselves here, at this university.

Hannah sat on the rooftop of the humanities building, her eyes closed, leaning against the metal bars that separated her from the void. She had developed an ability that allowed her to see and hear what was happening at great distances—a hunter or spy's ability.

She had closely followed the conversation between Luke and the supervisor. Once it was over, she opened her eyes and buried her face in her hands.

"How did we end up like this?" she thought with a sigh.

"Lug was careful, he didn’t show off his powers, and they still found us." She continued thinking as she stood up and walked toward the staircase to go back down.

"They were diplomatic about it—either work for them or become a guinea pig, or worse... Of course, Luke thought he could protect himself. And it's not just misplaced pride; Luke is strong! Like, really strong. But them... They're something else. Too many, too organized, and they have a few people in the mix who are... dangerous. Like the supervisor, that guy doesn't seem special, his muscles, bones, everything about him is normal. But his confidence, it's not a bluff. He's really powerful, but I don't know how, and it bothers me. Luke needs to be careful; I have to talk to him. He needs to stop being so defiant."

Hannah talked to herself while walking to meet up with Luke.

It was only ten minutes later that they met at a small café to discuss. Luke seemed restless, hating being used and finding it even harder to see Hannah in such a precarious situation.

The small, polished wooden table that separated them by a few inches was adorned with two small cups and a piece of chocolate cake.

Luke's hands were under the table, and Hannah didn't need to see them to know he was nervously rubbing them together, his gaze appearing empty and thoughtful.

Hannah, on the other hand, was taking the situation more calmly. She knew they were trapped, so she had to calmly and methodically find a way to break free from the grip of this sprawling organization.

'The Laboratory,' as it was simply named, spanned the entire country. Paradoxically, Hannah and Luke knew very little about it. All they had gathered was that it was organized into five branches: South, North, East, and West Laboratories, as well as the main headquarters, also known as Central Laboratory. Each base was relatively independent, with its own protocols, leader, and freedom of action regulated by limits set by the headquarters.

Luke's discovery by the North Base remained shrouded in mystery.

One thing was certain, though: his unique abilities had made him a target for the insatiable Laboratory, always hungry for new discoveries. However, those same abilities had also saved him, as he was too valuable to be treated like a mere guinea pig or killed outright.

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Meanwhile, Hannah had managed to stay off the radar. The Laboratory was aware of her existence but remained oblivious to her powers. This enabled her to covertly assist Luke.

Hannah couldn't understand why such a powerful organization would trust an untested stranger like Luke, to deal with a dangerous agent who had gone rogue. It simply didn't make sense to her, and she felt that something was off.

This was the first thing she said to Luke after meeting with the supervisor, while sitting in a richly decorated café, a cozy spot they both loved, with polished furniture and books scattered about.

Hannah said, "I think the Lab is desperate. I don't know why, but something serious must have happened for them to need you." She spoke calmly, running her finger along the porcelain cup filled with steaming, amber liquid.

Luke didn't react; he let Hannah speak. In front of him was a small cup of tea and a generous slice of chocolate cake on a white plate. He hadn't touched it yet, waiting for his tea to cool down so he could drink it while eating.

Hannah continued, "From what I gathered, they've had their eyes on you for a while, but they only approached you at the cemetery recently. Then they asked you to work for them. Don't you find that strange?" she asked.

Luke rubbed his chin. "Maybe it's standard protocol," he said.

"Maybe. Or they might be in trouble. And that trouble is connected to the killer on the loose in this school. They said he betrayed them. What if he's not the only one?"

Luke glanced to his left before responding. "So, let's say they're in trouble. What do you propose?"

"We find the killer and interrogate him. Get all the information we can about the Lab," Hannah said.

"And then? We run?" Luke asked, distracted by the piece of cake he had just cut with his spoon.

"Yes, we run," Hannah said seriously.

Luke looked away from his cake for a moment to meet Hannah's blue eyes. He appeared thoughtful for a moment, then said, "So now you're ready to face the Lab? What's changed since the last time? You thought they were too dangerous and powerful for us," he said with a hint of bitterness.

"They're still too dangerous, but now I'm sure they'll dispose of you as soon as you’re no longer useful—a nuisance who know too much. I think the right choice is to stay ahead of them. We get all we can from the killer, and then we vanish," Hannah whispered confidently, almost convincing Luke.

Luke had relaxed, partially due to the cake he enjoyed while listening to Hannah. As he savored the sweet treat, he appeared so unconcerned that it was easy to forget he was on a mission for a formidable covert organization that could eliminate him at any time.

"Luke?" Hannah inquired, clearly irritated by his casual demeanor.

Luke swallowed his mouthful of cake, then spoke. "Alright... So I lay low until we find this scumbag, interrogate him, and then disappear. Easy."

"Yeah, just remember not to show your powers, okay?" Hannah said with a touch of concern in her voice.

Luke made a cross over his chest with his index finger. "Cross my heart," he said before eating his last piece of cake.

Luke took a sip of his tea and then reminded Hannah of something.

"What if they don't want to get rid of me? What if they plan to keep me instead? And, Hannah, they don't even know about your abilities; you could disappear without too much trouble. You should go; I can handle this," he said, waving his spoon at her.

Hannah let out a sigh. "You always bring that up... But I won't leave you on your own. You're too impulsive and would end up getting yourself killed. Plus, it's clear they don't trust me either. We could both be as much of a problem for them as the killer. A well-organized group despises doubt and uncertainty, and that paranoid need for perfection is even higher during crises. It's not just a gut feeling, Luke. But even if it was, trust me, alright?" she said, slightly tilting her head as she spoke.

Luke nodded with a sigh. Deep down, he knew he needed Hannah, and in some way, he preferred having her close. Together, they had a chance. Neither of them liked the current situation, especially Luke. But his priority was to keep Hannah safe, and having the Laboratory as an enemy was far riskier than hunting a serial killer.

Luke had worked hard to take control of his life, but the power he had gained now trapped him. He had become a big fish in a small pond, attracting the attention of more dangerous adversaries.

He understood that the formidable force he now faced wouldn't spare him any mercy.