Hidden Clues

The taxi slowed to a stop, and the Vinico, Jade and I stepped out into the heart of North District.

Towering before us was Union Station—one of the city’s busiest and most iconic transit hubs. Its grand façade loomed, bathed in the golden light of late afternoon, rows of massive arched windows reflecting the fading sun.

We pushed through the towering brass doors, joining the constant flow of bodies moving in and out of the station. Inside, the grandeur unfolded. Vaulted ceilings stretched high above, adorned with ornate chandeliers, their golden glow washing over the marble floors. Beneath our feet, polished mosaic tiles gleamed, a stark contrast to the desolate, forgotten underground stations we had been crawling through earlier.

The constant sound of footsteps was everywhere; the soft chime of train schedule updates flickering across screens, and the distant crackle of announcements over the speakers.

It was magnificent. Overwhelming. It felt almost too alive compared to the places we'd been searching through.

Vinico turned to Jade, his expression a mix of curiosity and frustration. “Alright,” he said, gesturing vaguely. “You can shift odds in our favor for everything—cameras, people, even keeping us from getting caught. So why can’t you just make it so we find the underground station immediately?”

Jade squinted at him. “Do you think my meta nature works like a magic wand or something?”

Vinico crossed his arms. “Well, kind of, yeah. You make it seem that way half the time.”

Jade sighed, her tone teetering between patience and exasperation. “It’s not that simple.” She glanced around the station, eyes scanning the crowds like she was already adjusting probabilities. “I’ve already shifted the odds in our favor—a lot, actually. Right now, we’re way more likely to find the auction sight. But it’s not like an apple that’ll just fall into your hands from the sky. I can’t make us blindly walk into it.”

Vinico frowned, unconvinced. “Why not? Sounds like you could.”

Jade exhaled through her nose, then stepped closer to Vinico, tilting her head slightly.

“Okay, genius,” she said slowly, “imagine flipping a coin. Now, imagine I make it so the coin is way more likely to land on heads. Like, 90% chance.”

Vinico nodded. “Right. So we’d probably get heads.”

“Yeah.” Jade shrugged. “But it could still land on tails. And I can’t just decide how it lands—I can only increase the odds.”

Vinico opened his mouth—then hesitated, clearly chewing on that explanation.

"My powers sound limitless, but they’re not. There are rules—logic—I have to follow. If I shift the odds too far in our favor, it’s like stretching a rubber band. The more I pull, the harder it snaps back.”

Vinico raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What kind of snapback are we talking about?”

Jade glanced at me her eyes conveying that she was already tired of talking with him and all the energy inside a container labeled Vinico had been drain for the day, Still, she explained with straight face, “If I push too hard, our luck will tank. Like, catastrophically. Say I force the odds so we find the station in the next five minutes. Sounds great, right? Except the moment we find it, something else would balance out the scales. Maybe a superhero shows up to crash the party, or a group of villains attacks us out of nowhere. It would create chaos—and instead of helping, I’d be putting us in more danger. And we might even not reach home alive.”

Vinico’s eyes widened slightly, and I couldn’t blame him. The idea of manipulating probabilities like that was as fascinating as it was terrifying.

“So,” Jade continued, “instead of forcing things to happen all at once, I nudge the odds. Gradually. Maybe we’ll cross paths with someone who knows about the station, or we’ll stumble on a clue that leads us there. I can’t just conjure it out of thin air, but I can make sure we’re heading in the right direction without everything blowing up in our faces.”

Vinico shook his head, muttering. "Wow. Your powers are way less fun than I thought."

Jade rolled her eyes, exhaling. "It’s not all glamour and easy wins."

As their conversation continued, I let my gaze drift upward. And then, I spotted them. Louvel, Placid, and Temple were leaning casually against the railing on the second floor of the station. I lifted a hand in a quick wave, catching Louvel’s attention. He nodded back, nudging the others to follow his gaze.

"Come on," I said to Jade and Vinico, already heading for the stairs. “Let’s go meet them.”

The moment we reached the second floor, Louvel, Placid, and Temple were already watching us.

"Guys," I gestured toward the trio, "this is Louvel, Placid, and Temple."

Then, turning toward my teammates, I introduced them, "And this is Jade and Vinico."

Placid stepped forward first, her energy noticeably brighter, probably thinking about making connections before taking the entrance exam next year. "Good to meet you," she said with a polite smile. "North’s told us a bit about you."

Vinico extended his hand immediately, flashing a grin, "Vinico," he said, his voice dripping with exaggerated confidence. "The multipurpose multitasker of the team."

Temple smiled at him, her head tilting slightly, "Multipurpose?"

Vinico’s smirked. "It means I’m invaluable."

Meanwhile, the three of them had let their eyes linger on Jade, curious, studying.

She simply said, "Hii."

And that was all from her. She slipped right back into her usual reserved state, her posture closing off slightly. Honestly, I expected that. It had taken months for her to open up to Alex, Lore, and the rest of our group. There was no way she was about to start fresh with a whole new set of people today. That was just who she was. I didn’t push her.

Instead, I clapped my hands once, drawing attention back to the mission, "Alright, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s get down to business."

Louvel nodded, his smile fading into something more serious. “What’s the plan?”

“This is connected to what I asked three of you about on Wednesday,” I said, refreshing their memory. “We’re looking for any hidden room, secret area, or secluded space in this station that could hold an auction—an illegal one.”

"Underground?"

"Probably," I nodded. "But not necessarily. It could be behind locked doors, disguised as something ordinary, or even hidden in plain sight. We need to search every corner of this place—quietly and carefully."

To my words, the trio’s earlier casual expressions dissolved completely. Placid and Temple exchanged a quick, silent glance before nodding. Louvel exhaled, rolling his shoulders like he was getting into the zone.

Outside the grand windows of the station, the sun had already started to set, casting long orange shadows across the floor.

“We’ll cover different sections. Less suspicious that way." I added. “There’s still another place we need to check after this.”

Vinico, ever the realist, raised a hand slightly to interject. “I can’t split here. There are at least a hundred supers stationed here for security. If I start multiplying, they’ll notice, and we don’t want that kind of attention. Also, I really don’t feel like explaining to the City Protectors and a bunch of heroes why I’m running a clone army through Union Station.”

I nodded, appreciating the practicality of his observation. “Fair point. We keep this under the radar,” I said. “We’re splitting into teams of two. Vinico, you’re with Louvel. Temple, you’re with Placid. Jade and I will take the north end. Cover as much ground as you can, but stay discreet. If you find anything, don’t make a scene—just call me.”

The group agreed.

“We move now,” I said, motioning toward the main hall. “Speed and subtlety. Let’s go.”

The duos dispersed immediately, spreading out.

Vinico and Louvel headed toward the station’s older wing, where buses, aged staircases, and abandoned ticket counters offered plenty of hidden nooks. Temple and Placid took the lower platforms and train tracks, keeping to the quieter areas where prying eyes were less likely.

That left Jade and me, navigating through the grand central hall, weaving between the thick crowd.

If it weren’t absolutely necessary, I’d have called this one of the most mind-numbing jobs I’d ever done. Wandering around Union Station, searching for clues like we were in some low-budget detective show, was about as thrilling as watching paint dry. The crowds didn’t help either; there were so many people and so much security that sneaking anything illicit into this place seemed borderline impossible.

To make matters worse, the station itself was a sprawling maze of hallways and doors—so many damn rooms, most of them probably filled with wires, mechanical panels, or dusty equipment I couldn’t even begin to identify.

I sighed, glancing around in mild frustration. “If there’s really an auction happening here, I have to admit, they picked a damn good place to hide it.”

Jade, walking beside me with her hands stuffed in her coat pockets, hummed softly. "Mmm. At least it’s pretty, though."

I looked at her. "What?"

“This station. It’s kind of beautiful, don’t you think? I like old places like this.”

I followed her gaze for a moment. She wasn’t wrong. I let out a small breath. "Yeah... I guess it is."

She turned to me with a small smile. "See? You’re capable of appreciating nice things."

I chuckled, nudging her gently with my shoulder. "I never said I wasn’t."

She grinned, bumping me back. "You act like a grump sometimes. I have to remind you to enjoy things."

I sighed dramatically. "Oh, the burden you must bear."

Jade laughed, the soft, breathy kind that made me forget we were on a mission. Yet, the more we searched, the more I realized something humbling: My sense of direction was atrocious. By the time we looped past the same vending machine twice, I came to terms with the infuriating truth—Without Jade, I’d probably get lost forever in a station like this. Finally, I caved. With a sigh, I dropped onto a stiff, unwelcoming chair near one of the station’s massive pillars—the kind designed to look grand but offer absolutely no comfort.

Jade, followed suit with zero signs of fatigue. She perched effortlessly on the edge of her seat, her posture perfect, her expression infuriatingly composed. Because, naturally, she was built out of pure, unrelenting stubbornness.

Then, she glanced at me. "You know, this almost feels like a date."

"Oh?"

She shrugged. "I mean, think about it. We’re walking through a historic station, admiring the vibe, holding hands—"

"We’re not holding hands," I pointed out, amused.

Without hesitation, she reached over and took my hand, her fingers sliding easily between mine.

I blinked.

Her gaze flicked down to our joined hands, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Okay. Now it’s a date.”

A chuckle rumbled from my chest.

She squeezed my hand lightly, then threw me a teasing look. “Are you going to buy me coffee? Because I’m pretty sure that’s a requirement for a proper date.”

I sighed theatrically. “Well, I was going to, but now I feel like you’re just using me for snacks.”

Jade laughed again, leaning into my side slightly. "I wouldn’t only use you for snacks."

"Oh? What else am I good for?"

She pretended to think. "Carrying my things. Warming me up when I’m cold. Oh! And making sure I never get too bored."

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a sideways glance. “So basically, I’m your personal pack mule, heater, and entertainment system?”

She grinned, not even pretending to deny it. “Mmm. When you put it like that, it makes me sound kind of spoiled.”

I huffed a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “Kinda?”

Jade tilted her head, nudging me lightly with her shoulder. “I can’t help that I have high standards.”

The station’s loudspeaker crackled to life, announcing yet another delay. I exhaled, leaning my head back against the pillar, staring up at the high-arched ceiling with its intricate designs. Jade, however, seemed unbothered. She stretched her legs out, resting her heels against the edge of my chair like she owned the entire space.

I sighed dramatically and let my head slump onto Jade’s shoulder, tilting it just enough to make it clear I wasn’t going to move anytime soon.

“I feel so sleepy right now, and tired,” I muttered, my voice edging dangerously close to a whine. Because if I couldn’t complain to Jade, then really, what was the point of having a best girlfriend-slash-partner-in-crime?

She didn’t even blink. “Drama queen.”

I gasped, lifting my head to stare at her in betrayal. "Excuse you. I am a tragic hero suffering in silence."

Jade arched an eyebrow at me. "You are literally not suffering in silence. You're whining in surround sound."

I scoffed. “You wound me.”

"You'll live."

Then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed a door tucked away in a nearby corner.

It wasn’t the door itself that caught my attention, but the fact that someone in a black suit opened it and revealed a staircase leading down into what looked like a basement. Probably just another storage room or server space, I thought. But still, it was worth checking out. My eyes scanned the area. Two security guards. One was positioned on the upper floor above us, leaning casually against the railing, while the other was stationed just a few meters away. The distance wasn’t a problem—my legs worked fine—but slipping through the door without attracting the downstairs guard’s attention? That was another story.

I sat up straight, nudging Jade’s shoulder to get her attention. “You have to distract that security guard over there,” I whispered, nodding toward the man in question.

Jade furrowed her brows, turning to look at me like I’d just asked her to solve world hunger. “How am I supposed to do that?” she asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “What do you mean, ‘How am I supposed to do that?’” I hissed back. “Go talk to him or something for a second and distract him. You’re a girl; you should have more experience with this sort of thing. Has a guy never flirted with you? Just follow their methods.”

“Excuse me?” she hissed, twisting toward me with an expression that promised violence.

I blinked, suddenly realizing I had made a grave mistake.

She scoffed, mock-offended. “Did you seriously just say, ‘You’re a girl, so you should have more experience with this’?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it, feeling a sudden need to reevaluate my life choices. “…That came out wrong.”

Jade eyes were dangerously sharp. “Oh no, I think it came out exactly how you meant it.”

"Unbelievable."

“FYI, I don’t know how to flirt.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded. “What do you mean you don’t know how to flirt?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“Every girl I know knows how to flirt.” I gestured vaguely, like the answer should have been obvious. “It’s normally men who are dumb about it!”

Jade crossed her arms, her silver eyes narrowing with irritation.

“Well, excuse me for not fitting your stereotype.” She snapped, voice dripping in sarcasm. “And do you really think I let anyone near me?”

She tilted her head slightly, her tone growing annoyed. “If someone even thought bad about me, they’d probably trip and fall on their face before they got within ten feet of me. Trust me, I’ve seen it happen." Irritation practically radiating off her.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. The air between us grew awkward quickly. Jade’s glare could cut glass, and I suddenly had the sinking feeling that I’d somehow managed to hit a nerve. I glanced back at the security guard, suddenly feeling like this whole situation was spiraling away from me, giving up on my original objective of sending her to distract him.

After a long, very tense pause, I finally said, “So… you’re saying I was your first real relationship?”

Jade let out an exaggerated huff, crossing her arms even tighter, her annoyance obvious. “Yeah,” she said flatly, though I could tell she hated admitting it.

“How old are you again?”

Her glare intensified, silver eyes burning. “Why does it matter?”

I shrugged, trying—and failing—to keep my amusement in check. “I mean, I already know your birthday—December 29th. You’ll be nineteen soon.” I gave her a pointed look. “You’re telling me, in all those years, you never had a single relationship? Not even a casual thing?”

Jade scoffed. "Do I look like someone who had time for that?"

“What did you even do in school?” I pressed, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Even I, as useless as I was back then, had managed to stumble my way into a high school relationship. Jade? Jade was terrifyingly beautiful, sharp as a knife, and effortlessly magnetic. How the hell had she never been in one?

"Were you in an all-girls school or something?" I asked, half-joking.

She didn’t laugh.

“No,” she said, adjusting the already-perfect fabric of her woolen coat.

For a second, I thought it was a nervous tic. Though she masked it well. Her tone softened, her usual fire dimmed just slightly.

Stolen novel; please report.

“It wasn’t a normal school like here on Earth. We weren’t allowed to have thoughts like affection or love, nor did anyone dare. Our one and only goal was to come out on top. Otherwise....”

She stopped there. Like she had already said too much. The atmosphere around her shifted, subtly, but enough. Like a warning. Tread carefully. I leaned back slightly, my earlier teasing replaced with a weightier thought. There’s so much I still don’t know about her. Jade—who had always been fearless, always been unshakable—was suddenly a puzzle I had barely started to solve.

To me, it seemed like there were wounds she hadn’t shared, scars she still carried silently.How could I have spent so much time with her and still barely scratched the surface? The realization sat heavy in my chest. She wasn’t just guarded. She was built that way. Carefully, I reached out, hesitating for just a second before taking her hand in mine. Her fingers were cool, tense, and then, she squeezed back.

Not much. Just enough. Like she needed reassurance but wasn’t sure how to ask for it.

Then a sudden vibration in my pocket jolted me back to reality. My phone buzzed insistently, and I reluctantly let go of Jade hand, earning a small huff from her as I reached for it. Swiping the screen, I pressed it to my ear.

“Henry?”

His voice came through tense and urgent. “Vesper,” he said, and the single word was enough to make my back straighten. “Some tried to kidnap her.”

My grip tightened on the phone. “Is she okay? Do you need backup?”

“She called my name,” he said, recounting what had happened. “I teleported to her immediately, and the moment I showed up, the people trying to grab her bolted. They didn’t even try to engage—no confrontation at all. I think they panicked. Miscalculation on their part.”

I frowned. That was too clean. Too quick.

“So, they were after her specifically?”

Henry hesitated for a second. “…Yeah.”

“Vesper confirmed it. She’s shaken but sure about one thing—they were trying to kidnap her.”

“They must’ve known about her meta nature,” I said. “If they’re after her, they’re aware of what she can do.”

Henry let out a low sigh. “That’s what I was thinking.”

Her meta nature wasn’t exactly subtle. Vesper had an incredible ability: she could locate people, objects, or places simply by thinking for them. Whatever she emotionally or physically needed most at the moment, her powers would pull her toward it. It wasn’t hard to see why someone might want to exploit or neutralize that kind of ability.

“Do you know who they were?” I asked, though I already suspected Henry wouldn’t have that answer yet.

“No idea,” he admitted. “They were masked. Quick, too. But I’ll keep digging.”

I nodded to myself, already piecing together the few scraps of information we had.

“Alright,” I said. “You’re with her now?”

“Yeah. I’ll stay here for a while.”

“Okay, but we need to report this. Her parents, the City Protectors—they need to know.” I suggested.

“I agree,” He said. "I'll that right away."

"Remember to file a immediate watchlist request."

Though I had agreed to help Vesper, my plate was already so full that I couldn’t commit my full attention to unraveling the mystery of who was targeting her and why. My focus was stretched thin, and adding another crisis to the mix felt like trying to juggle knives while blindfolded. Still, I understood her hesitation to trust the City Protectors or the police. In cases like this, they were slow-moving and bureaucratic. If they didn’t deem her important enough—or worse, didn’t take her seriously—she’d be left vulnerable. And even if they did send someone, by the time they dispatched the so-called “big heroes,” it might already be too late.

I sighed internally. A kidnapping attempt like this wasn’t something to ignore. And with proper evidence, it would undoubtedly put her on a safety watchlist of metahumans whose meta nature could be exploited for greater harm; it all meant that she’d be monitored. Someone from the City Protectors would likely be keeping a secret eye on her from now on, even if she didn’t know it. That was both a blessing in disguise. A watchlist meant protection—sometimes effective. And the kidnapper might think twice before taking action. But it also was a curse, as the next time kidnappers took action, they'd be sufficiently prepared to deal with others trying to protect her.

I leaned against the cold surface of the nearby pillar, letting out a quiet breath as I processed the call.

My mind was already mapping out what little I could do: offer her the support she needed without losing sight of the bigger picture.

…

…

…

After what felt like a two hours of combing through Union Station, we all finally reconvened near the central hall. One by one, the duos arrived, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and frustration.

“Anything?” I asked seriously.

Vinico shrugged, leaning against a nearby pillar. “Nada. We searched every corner of the older wing. Louvel even tried sweet-talking a janitor to let us into a basement locked maintenance room, but it was just a supply closet. Nothing even remotely suspicious.”

Temple and Placid appeared next, their faces similarly grim. “We checked the lower platforms,” Temple said, her tone clipped. “Placid found some old, unused storage units, but they were just that—storage. Nothing on underground tracks, nothing hidden.”

Jade and I exchanged a glance. “Same here,” I admitted. “It’s like this place is too public for anything shady. There’s too much foot traffic, too many eyes. If there’s something going on here, it’s buried too deep for us to find in one night.”

Louvel let out a low whistle, running a hand through his hair. “So, what’s next? That was stop number three, wasn’t it?”

I nodded, pulling out Henry’s list and glancing at the final location. “There’s only one stop left. It’s not abandoned, and it’s not underground. It’s… a train museum.”

“A museum?” Vinico raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “That’s not exactly subtle.”

“It was a station,” I clarified. “Years ago. It got demolished and converted into a train museum. But now even the museum’s abandoned. If someone wanted a spot for something like a secret auction, it’d be perfect. Out of use, out of sight, and completely off the radar.”

Placid thought carefully, “It’s got potential. Quiet, isolated, but not too obscure. If they wanted something inconspicuous but accessible, that’d fit the bill.”

“Exactly,” I said. “It’s not much, but it’s the only lead we have left. If there’s nothing there, we’re out of options.”

Vinico nodded, “Then we’d better get moving. If this really is the place, they might already be setting up. We don’t have time to waste.”

We all agreed in unison, and without another word, we headed for the exit.

…

…

…

The so-called train museum wasn’t much of a building at all.

As we pulled up, the scene before us was actually a neglected park. Overgrown greenery sprawled across the area, vines creeping up the sides of what might have once been a ticket booth. Tall trees everywhere. The old tracks stretched out in uneven lines, cutting through patches of wild grass and bushes. A handful of old locomotives stood still on the tracks, their once-majestic frames now rusting under the weight of time.

It felt abandoned, forgotten—yet oddly well-maintained. The overgrowth was wild, but it hadn’t completely consumed the area. It was as though someone had cared for it, but not enough to stop it from slipping into disrepair.

“This is supposed to be a museum?” Vinico asked, stepping out of the car and taking in the scene. “Looks more like the set of a post-apocalyptic movie.”

Placid tilted her head, scanning the area with a frown. “It’s… not what I expected.”

We first escaped from the security eyes and cameras at the door. Once inside, the group immediately split up, fanning out across the grounds to search for anything out of the ordinary.

Louvel and Placid headed toward the rusting locomotives, while Temple and Vinico examined what remained of the central track layout. Jade and I moved along the outer edges, checking for hidden entrances or signs of recent activity.

Soon an hour was wasted and we found nothing, and day completely turned into night. The sound of crunching gravel and rustling leaves was the only thing breaking the silence as we moved through the site. But there was nothing—no signs of life, no clues, no indication that this place had been used for anything but collecting dust and decay. Eventually, we all ended up standing on the tracks near one of the larger locomotives, our expressions mirroring each other’s confusion.

“Nothing,” Louvel said, his voice tinged with frustration as he kicked a loose rock off the rails. “No hidden doors, no underground passages. Just rust and weeds.”

Temple ran a hand through her hair, her face etched with annoyance. “This place doesn’t feel like it’s been used for anything in years. If there was something here, it’s long gone.”

Vinico squatted down near the track, running his fingers along the rusted metal. “I don’t get it. This was supposed to be the last lead. Did we miss something?”

I let out a slow breath, my gaze sweeping over the site once more.

“There has to be something here,” I said finally, though my words lacked the confidence I wanted them to have. “An auction like this isn’t just set up anywhere. It has to be hidden, protected. Maybe we’re looking in the wrong places.”

Jade stepped onto one of the tracks, her silver eyes narrowing as she studied the area. “Or maybe,” she said slowly, “we need to stop thinking like this is a museum and start thinking like it’s still a station.”

Her words seeped into the cold air, and for a moment, none of us said anything. The confusion on our faces gave way to something else—curiosity, and a flicker of hope.

“Alright,” I said, stepping forward. “Let’s go over it again. If this was still a station, where would the secrets be hidden?”

We all groaned in unison, our breath puffing out in clouds of frustration as we set off to search the area again.

The open sky above was stunningly clear, the full moon shining down like a spotlight on the scene. While picturesque, the bitter cold made the task even more miserable. Our steps crunched against the frozen ground, the heavy blanket of snow making it difficult to move as we continued our search and walking all over again was nothing less than a torture.

Jade trudged beside me, shivering visibly as she wrapped her arms around herself. “It’s so cold,” she complained, her voice carrying that faintly dramatic edge she used when she wanted attention.

I took a quick glance at her. She was wearing an oversized dark brown wool coat, draped loosely over her body, its structured silhouette giving her an effortlessly chic appearance. Beneath the coat, a navy fleece zip-up jacket peeked through, layered over a white turtleneck sweater, creating a cozy yet sophisticated contrast. She paired the layers with a beige tweed skirt, against the flowing outer layers. Her black sheer tights highlighted her long legs, while black shearling leg warmers, secured with metal buckles and buttons, gave her an edgy, utilitarian feel.

A textured beige faux-fur bucket hat framed her face, and she carried a small structured cream handbag, adding a polished touch. She looked very stylish and comfortable, though I wondered if it was enough to keep her warm for long outside.

Her comment immediately made me roll my eyes, and I didn't miss a beat. “You shouldn’t always try to dress like a runway model,” I said, my tone dripping with disapproval. “You knew we’d be outside for hours, and yet, here you are...dressed like next runway model of the year. Brilliant planning.” I gave her a pointed look. “You should wear something warm on these legs or atleast pants, not fancy tights.”

She shot me a glare, her cheeks puffing slightly in mock indignation. “Thank you very much for your helpful advice, my not-so-caring boyfriend,” she said, her tone heavy with mockery. “This is exactly the kind of loving support I expected. How am I supposed to love myself when he doesn’t even care if I freeze to death?”

I huffed, tugging at my scarf.

"You're welcome."

Before she could escalate her guilt-tripping, I swiftly unwound my scarf from my neck and wrapped it around hers—deliberately pulling it a little tighter than necessary.

“There. Happy now?”

But—because this was Jade—she wasn’t about to let me have a single moment of peace. Her hands flew up to her throat, clutching the scarf dramatically.

“Oh no!” she mock-gasped, stumbling slightly. “I’m being attacked! Somebody help me!”

I groaned, completely unmoved. "Jade."

She pretended to choke, her voice raspy, her body swayed left to right. “Tell my family… I loved them…”

“You literally just said you don’t have family you care about.”

She gasped again, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Then tell my enemies… I never forgave them.”

I let out a long, suffering sigh, then—without warning—grabbed her wrist and started dragging her toward the nearest train.

“Unbelievable.”

Jade stumbled after me, still playing along, though I could feel her laughing under her breath.

“Wowww, so violent, so aggressive. I likeee IT.”

“Stop whining.”

She grinned, adjusting the scarf around her neck before leaning in slightly, her voice quieter now, warmer.

“…It smells like you.”

I paused for half a second, caught off guard by how softly she said it.

The train compartment was empty, its old frame creaking faintly as we stepped inside. The chill still seeped through the rusted walls, but it was better than being out in the open. Jade turned to say something else, but before she could, I leaned in and kissed her. Her eyes widened in surprise, her face quickly turning a shade of red that could rival the sunset. For a moment, she was completely still, caught off guard. When I finally pulled back, her hand instinctively went to her scarf, her lips still slightly parted.

“Better now?” I asked.

Her cheeks burned even brighter. She blinked up at me, her lips parting slightly as she seemed to process what had just happened. Her hand went to the scarf, as if trying to hide behind it, and she stammered, “I—I mean, it’s warmer, but…” She trailed off, looking everywhere but at me.

But then, something shifted. I think she realized something—that this wasn’t new to us, that we weren’t exactly strangers to these moments. Her shyness seemed to evaporate. Instead, before I could process what was happening, Jade lunged toward me, her movements sudden and fierce. I stumbled slightly as my back hit the cold metal wall of the train, the floor beneath us groaning faintly under our weight. The confined space seemed to amplify every sound—the sharp intake of her breath, the faint rustle of her coat, and the creak of the old train’s frame.

My hands instinctively rose to cup her cheeks, the warmth of her skin a stark contrast to the icy air outside. Her breathing quickened, and so did mine.

The train creaked faintly, the metal groaning under its own age. Then, without warning, Jade pushed me back, forcing me onto one of the old, dusty seats. Before I could protest, she climbed onto my lap, settling herself comfortably like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Hey," I complained with wide eyes, "It's cold."

Jade hummed in mock thoughtfulness, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Mmm. Yes."

She was completely self-indulgent, taking what she wanted, using me like her own personal space heater.

...

…

…

*cough, cough*

A loud cough followed by a sharp knock on the rusty train door ripped us back to reality.

Jade froze mid-kiss, her lips still just barely touching mine. I blinked. She blinked. We both snapped our heads toward the door like a couple of teenagers caught sneaking out past curfew.

"Oh my god."

Jade's voice was barely above a whisper, but the sheer horror in it was deafening. We turned in unison—like guilty criminals—to see Placid standing at the doorway, arms crossed, eyebrow arched in the most judgmental way possible.

Jade scrambled off my lap, her cheeks flushed a brilliant red, while I frantically adjusted my jacket, trying to look like I hadn’t just been caught mid-makeout. But, the ruined red lip gloss on her lips and the faint yet visible glistening marks of it on my face; Not to mention her soft swollen lips, Yeah. There was no hiding this.

"Placid—"

She held up a hand, stopping me. “No. I don't want to hear it. I walked in. I witnessed." A faint grimace pulling at her lips.

She didn’t say more at first—just let out a long, suffering groan as she stepped inside, clearly trying to act like she hadn’t just walked in on us. Then, in the most deadpan voice imaginable, she said, “Good job. We toil away in the cold, and you two seem to be in heat. You even have time to secretly make out.”

"Sorry," my eyes pleaded for her to keep her mouth shut, but she wasn't built with stop button.

“No, no. Don’t even try to defend yourselves. I saw it personally. Why? Why? Why?” She rubbed her eyes, as if the mere memory was causing her physical pain. "Ugh! I literally heard a gasp before I knocked.”

Her gaze flicked to Jade, but only for half a second—

Like something about her made Placid’s survival instincts scream at her not to make direct eye contact. Jade, for her part, refused to look up. She was aggressively adjusting her scarf, fingers twitching slightly, as if she could somehow hide in it forever. Placid, a little scared but collected her composure quickly, waving the instinct as a glitch, turned to me instead.

"You know," she drawled, voice dripping with sarcasm, "if you two are going to… whatever this was, maybe book a room next time? Instead of, letting us do all the work?"

I cleared my throat, forcing my face into a semblance of composure. “Noted,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral and professional.

Placid smirked knowingly, clearly enjoying our embarrassment, but her next sentence concluded the short episode, “Anyway, now that you've had your little... moment...Temple found something. Deeper in the park.”

The words instantly shifted the atmosphere. I stood, adjusting my jacket and shaking off the lingering awkwardness. “What kind of clue?”

Placid gestured for us to follow. “I’m not sure what exactly it means,” she said, her tone contemplative, “but Temple found something odd about one of the train tracks. It’s not rusty like the others.”

Meanwhile, Jade fully regained her composure and stood straighter, her earlier embarrassment erased entirely. I nodded, signaling for Placid to lead the way. She exchanged a glance with me, her expression cool. When Placid looked away, she quickly swiped at my face, trying to erase the evidence.

As we followed her through the overgrown park, I couldn’t help but take in our surroundings in more detail.

The wild grass tangled with thick vines and shrubs, and the skeletal remains of trees cast long, eerie shadows under the moonlight. Our step crunched against the undergrowth, and I had to fight the urge to curse the entire situation. Searching for clues in the middle of this chaotic wilderness under moonlight and flashlights felt, frankly, idiotic. It wasn’t just inefficient; it was exhausting. The uneven terrain, the biting cold, and the dense weed and snow all made it incredibly easy to miss details that might have been glaringly obvious in daylight. Yet somehow, Temple had managed to spot something as subtle as a single train track that wasn’t rusty. The thought gave me pause. I’d completely overlooked the tracks while focused on the locomotives and surrounding structures.

Finally, we emerged from the dense undergrowth into a small clearing. The jungle of weeds and trees parted, revealing an isolated train track stretching into the distance. Unlike the others we’d seen, this track gleamed faintly under the moonlight, its surface was smooth and clean as if well maintained.

The rest of the group was already gathered around the track, their flashlights creating an overlapping web of light as they made their observations. Louvel stood with his hands on his hips, squinting at the gleaming metal, while Temple knelt by the track, tracing her fingers along its edge. Vinico leaned casually against a tree

“What do we have?” I asked, stepping closer to Temple.

“This,” he said, gesturing to the track. “It’s the only one like it in the whole park. No rust, no wear—it’s like it was regularly used. Doesn’t fit with the rest of the area at all.”

I bent down, running my fingers along the smooth surface of the track. There was no doubt in my mind—it was in active use.

But as I straightened up, my eyes scanned the area again. There wasn’t a single train compartment in sight, nothing that could have caused the tracks to remain so pristine. That left only one possibility: someone or something was actively using these tracks, and there had to be a working train or compartment nearby. Whoever was using this wouldn’t be hauling train compartments around on their shoulders.

“Has anyone seen any train compartments on these tracks?” I asked, brushing my hands off against a tissue paper.

Everyone shook their heads. Louvel spoke up, his tone matter-of-fact. “We haven’t gone to check yet.”

I glanced at Vinico, and without needing further instruction, he nodded.

His body immediately split into dozens of clones, each sprinting off in different directions to follow the tracks. Watching him in motion was always amusing; his clones moved with a level of efficiency that belied the lazy exterior of the original.

Placid, standing nearby, crossed her arms and stared after the fleeing clones. “Does this have anything to do with the underground auction we’re looking for?” she asked, her gaze flicking back to me. “Because I don’t see any underground structures around here.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t have to be underground. Think about it—if there’s a train, people could board it here and travel to the auction’s actual location. It would be the perfect way to keep things hidden.”

“Wouldn’t that be more conspicuous?” Vinico’s voice came from a nearby clone, who was peeking at me from behind a tree.

I shrugged. “Maybe. But how am I supposed to know all the details? We’re in the dark just like they want us to be.”

Vinico’s clones continued their search as I turned back to him. “Any signs of a train yet?” I asked.

“Nothing so far,” one of his clones called back, the voice echoing slightly as the others nodded in agreement.

“Exactly,” I said with a dry chuckle. “Maybe they have ways of cloaking the train compartment entirely.”

Placid frowned, her brow furrowing. “Cloaking it? How? Meta nature?”

I rubbed my chin, pondering aloud. “It’d have to be more than that. No meta nature I’ve heard of could make something invisible for this long without consequences. Even if it were possible, the people using the train would need to see it to board—and once inside, they’d still be visible. No, this feels like something else entirely.”

Jade stepped forward, her silver eyes narrowing as she listened. “A magician, then?” she asked thoughtfully.

I nodded slowly. “This has to be the work of someone with a meta nature tied to magic or Unique Hive powers. A spell, maybe—one that makes the train compartment invisible to everyone except those it’s intended for. That way, it’s hidden but functional. The passengers wouldn’t even notice they were ‘invisible.’ To them, everything would seem normal.”

“Alright,” I said finally, my voice firm. “We keep searching. If this train exists, it’s our best lead yet. And if it’s hidden by magic, we’ll figure out how to break through the cloak.”

Louvel nodded, his expression resolute. “Then let’s find it.”

As the others brainstormed, I glanced back at Jade and took an inconspicuous step closer to her. She was, without a doubt, the smartest person in our group. Her mind worked in ways I couldn’t fully grasp, and it was always a relief to have her on my side.

“Do you have any idea?”

Jade’s looked serious, and to my surprise—she nodded. That quiet confidence sent a ripple of reassurance through me. Of course, she already knew something.

“What should we do, then?” I asked, watching as she stared intently at the tracks, her lips pursed in thought.

She crouched down, her delicate fingers brushing against the smooth metal of the track. Something shifted in her expression—a flicker of realization. She turned her head slightly, glancing over her shoulder before standing up slowly. I noticed her fingers were now coated in black grime from the track. Her expression soured instantly. Ah. Here we go. Jade glanced at her hands, then at her perfectly tailored coat, and I already knew what was coming. She tilted her head toward me expectantly. I sighed dramatically, shaking my head like I was suffering a great injustice.

“Yes, m’lady,” I muttered, fishing a crumpled tissue from my pocket.

She held out her hand regally, and without a word, I gently wiped the grime off her fingers. Jade beamed, satisfied, while I—unfortunately—realized I had just enabled her.

Before I could even comment on it, she finally spoke. “There is indeed a small train nearby,” she said, her voice carrying through the group, grabbing everyone’s attention instantly.

Even Vinico’s clones stopped their frantic searching to look in her direction. “It’s cloaked—very well cloaked.”

Placid’s brows furrowed, “How did you confirm that?” she asked.

Jade didn’t answer directly. Instead, she tilted her chin slightly and gestured to her left. “About three kilometers in that direction,” she said, her voice certain.

The rest of us turned to look where she pointed, a stretch of overgrown jungle-like terrain barely visible under the moonlight. Without hesitation, we set off, moving as quickly as the uneven ground would allow. The train museum park was massive, spanning several kilometers, and if we had to cover that distance on foot, we’d be there all night.

Luckily, Placid stepped in. “I’ll teleport us,” she offered. We all agreed.

Her meta nature, as efficient as it was, came with clear limitations. She stored energy from whatever she ate, using it to fuel her teleportation ability. Internally, it acted like a spring—she had to “wind up” the energy through consumption, and once released, the strain of each jump depended on how far and how many people she carried. With each jump, I could see her energy depleting. The strain was visible in the tightness around her eyes and the tension in her shoulders. She teleported us in pairs, rapidly transporting us closer to the location Jade had pointed out.

By the time we reached the area, it had taken nearly two minutes—a lot less of the time it would have on foot, but still grueling for Placid.

Once at the locatio, she leaned against a nearby tree, her energy visibly drained. She took out a chocolate bar from her pocket and chewed on it.

“You okay?” Temple asked, stepping closer to her.

She waved her off, taking a deep breath. “I’m fine,” she said, though her tone betrayed her exhaustion. “Let’s finding that train.”