The evening sun cast long shadows across Novaria's streets as Angelo touched down in front of Neiva's house. She was already at the window, her face lighting up at his arrival. Before his knuckles could even graze the door, she burst out with barely contained excitement.

"Angelo!" Her enthusiasm practically radiated off her. "I can't believe this is actually happening!"

Angelo ran a hand through his hair, uncomfortable with her eagerness. "It's just information gathering. Try not to get too worked up about it."

"But if we find something good, you'll let me join your team!" She bounced on her heels like an overexcited puppy.

"Team?" Angelo's brow furrowed. "That sounds weird. More like... taking you under my wing or something."

"Call it whatever you want!" Her smile could have powered half the city.

Angelo opened his mouth to respond, but Red's cackling laughter cut through their shared consciousness. Through Red's eyes, Angelo saw a memo posted on a bulletin board:

> WARNING

> Recent break room incidents include swapped sugar/salt containers and emptied milk cartons.

> Exercise caution - further pranks possible.

"Got that out of your system?" Angelo muttered aloud, earning a curious look from Neiva.

"What did he do?" she asked, eyes sparkling with interest.

Ignoring her question, Angelo pressed Red mentally. "Focus up. We've got that dinner later – need to wrap this up quick."

"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya." Red's satisfaction dripped through their link as he squeezed into the archives, materializing before a computer terminal. "Two, two, four, four," he input the password with obvious disdain. "Security's really gone downhill... Uh... now what? Just got some weird database thingy."

"What did he do?!" She urged him.

Angelo relayed the situation to Neiva. "Never mind that. Red's in. Computer's unlocked, but we're looking at some kind of database program."

"Your intel-gathering potential is incredible!" Neiva's eyes lit up with dangerous enthusiasm. "Have you ever considered espionage as a career path?"

"An intriguing observation," Blue materialized beside them, causing Neiva to jump with a startled squeak.

"Parents first, career changes later," Angelo cut in dryly. "Neiva, what's Red looking for here?"

Slipping into what she clearly imagined was a spy-movie operator mode, Neiva straightened. "Right! That guy hinted at potential project commission data. We should start by establishing a timeline – sometime before their..." she faltered, then continued more gently, "When did your parents move to Ashford?"

Frustration darkened Angelo's features. "I know pathetically little about them. Just their names, really..."

"What were their names?" Neiva asked softly.

Angelo paused, then shrugged. No reason to hide it. "Cyrus and Nova Ashworth." The way Neiva's expression shifted made his stomach drop. "What?"

"Angelo..." Her voice carried gentle concern. "Those names... they're Infernian."

"What? What are you talking about?" Angelo protested. "Ashworth – they were from Ashford, that's all."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Blue stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps that was precisely the point – choosing Ashford to make the name seem natural, hiding their Infernian origins in plain sight."

"You think they were Infernian spies?" Neiva's excitement bubbled, as if she was on the verge of discovering a secret conspiracy.

Blue played along, analyzing the possibilities as he was pacing back and forth "Perhaps not spies, but the possibility cannot be discounted—"

"Can we focus?" Angelo's voice carried an edge of desperation. "This has nothing to do with what we're looking for." He was crossing his arms, evidently unamused.

"Consider the implications," Blue pressed. "If they were Infernian agents, Luminian intelligence might have—"

"Seriously?" Angelo cut him off. "You're letting Neiva's spy fantasies get to you. What kind of Infernian agents bring their baby on an infiltration mission?"

Blue stopped pacing, stroking his chin, "Hmm." Blue's tone remained measured. "Perhaps that theory was... overzealous. Though not entirely impossible." He said raising his finger, like a professor who was unwilling to give up his theory.

"So I'm just supposed to stare at this monitor while you all have story time?" Red's voice crackled with irritation. "Because I can think of way more entertaining uses for my time. That break room's practically begging for more chaos."

"Focus, Red," Angelo snapped back to the task at hand. "Neiva, the database."

"Right, sorry!" Neiva straightened, slipping back into mission mode. "We can't pinpoint when the lab was built, ask Red if we can search projects by time and location."

"He can hear you directly," Angelo noted. "Red?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Mouse clicks echoed through their shared consciousness. "Got filters for location... and date-range... What do I put there?"

"Ashford. Obviously." Angelo decided to keep this part internal.

"Yeah, no duh. And the date-range? Dumbass." Red shot back.

Angelo felt like he should know the answer to that, but just to be on the safer side "Found it – He asks what to input in the date-range..." he relayed to Neiva reluctantly.

"Perfect! Let's search Ashford projects from before eighteen years ago."

Red input the parameters, his usual manic energy temporarily contained by focus. "Well, well... Not exactly slim pickings, but not overwhelming either."

Angelo scanned the results through Red's eyes. While there was no direct mention of their parents' lab, something else caught his attention. "Here," his voice dropped to a whisper that made Neiva lean in closer. "Project comment about labs in Ashford's school. Commissioned to a local resident."

"A lead!" Neiva could barely contain herself. "We have to interview them in person!"

"Oh ho ho!" Red's essence practically vibrated with dark glee. "No wiggling out of this one, Angie! Maybe we'll even run into our old pal Harry. Bet that arrogant prick hasn't evolved – perfect chance for some payback!"

The name hit Angelo like a physical blow, memories of past defeats rising unbidden. After a long moment, he exhaled slowly. "Fine. We're going to Ashford."

"And I'm coming too, right?" Neiva attempted puppy-dog eyes that wouldn't have fooled a blind man.

"Yeah," Angelo's dry tone couldn't quite hide his amusement. "You've earned it."

"Yay! I'm on the team!" Neiva broke into an impromptu victory dance that drew a rare chuckle from Blue.

"We need to go," Angelo cut in. "But pack camping gear. Ashford isn't exactly a tourist hotspot – no inns or motels."

"Wait, what?" Neiva's celebration screeched to a halt. "Where would we sleep?"

"The woods, obviously. Why do you think they call it Ashford?" His attempt at reassurance fell somewhat flat. "Look, it's almost winter, so bears aren't an issue. Besides, Red and Blue never sleep. They'll keep watch."

"O...kay..." Neiva's enthusiasm dimmed several watts.

Blue offered a formal farewell before dissolving back into Angelo. As they turned toward Miriam's house, their minds raced with new possibilities – and old fears. The sun had finally set, painting Novaria's sky in deep purples and blues. But for Angelo, the darkness ahead felt different now. Something was waiting in Ashford – answers about his parents, a confrontation with his past, and perhaps the truth about his own identity.

The evening air carried a hint of wood smoke, reminding him of the town whose very name now raised so many questions. Ashford. Once it had been just another Luminian town with a dark history. Now it felt like the key to everything – his parents' secrets, their Infernian heritage, and the mysteries that had shaped his entire existence.

As they soared through the darkening sky toward Miriam's house, Angelo couldn't shake the feeling that they were crossing a point of no return. The truth about his parents – and himself – waited in Ashford. The only question was: would he be ready for what they found there?

Red's voice, unusually subdued, echoed through their shared consciousness: "Hey, whatever we find there, we face it together, yeah?"

"Indeed," Blue added solemnly. "As we always have."

Angelo said nothing, but his silence carried its own answer as they flew through the gathering night, toward dinner with the mother who had forgiven him, and beyond that – to the town that held the secrets of the parents he had never truly known.