Chapter 5 - The House That Wasn't EmptyAdrian found Noah's shelter just before midnight.
He followed the old bicycle tracks to an abandoned warehouse near the river.
The building looked condemned.
Windows broken.
Roof leaking.
The door hanging from one hinge.
Adrian entered carefully.
"Noah?"
No answer.
He moved deeper inside.
A mattress lay on the floor.
Beside it was a small table.
On the table were tools.
Dozens of them.
Some were ordinary.
Others were custom-made.
Adrian crouched beside them.
He recognized the craftsmanship.
Elias's work.
Noah hadn't been playing with engines.
He had been maintaining machines.
Alone.
For years.
Adrian heard a noise above him.
He looked up.
A small metal staircase led to a mezzanine.
Noah stood there.
Holding a wrench.
"Leave."
Adrian didn't move.
"I know who your father was."
The boy's expression changed.
"You don't."
"I knew Elias."
Noah tightened his grip.
"He told me about you."
Adrian froze.
"What did he say?"
Noah looked away.
"He said you were the only person he trusted."
Adrian swallowed.
"Then why did you run?"
"Because everyone who trusts powerful people gets hurt."
The sentence struck Adrian harder than expected.
He slowly sat on an old crate.
"I'm not here to hurt you."
Noah laughed quietly.
"Everyone says that."
Adrian looked around.
"Where have you been living?"
"Here."
"Alone?"
Noah didn't answer.
Adrian noticed a second mattress.
"You're not alone."
Silence.
Then a faint coughing sound came from a dark room.
Adrian stood.
Noah moved quickly.
"No."
Adrian pushed the door open.
Inside was an elderly mechanic.
Thin.
Pale.
Connected to an oxygen tank.
Adrian recognized him.
"Frank?"
The old man smiled weakly.
"Been a long time, Adrian."
Adrian stared.
Frank Mercer had been Elias's mentor.
He had disappeared after Elias vanished.
Adrian stepped closer.
"You knew where Noah was."
Frank nodded.
"Someone had to protect him."
"From who?"
Frank pointed toward the ceiling.
"The people watching this place."
Adrian looked up.
"You're being monitored?"
Frank nodded.
"They found us three times."
Adrian's expression hardened.
"Who are they?"
Frank hesitated.
Then he whispered a name.
"Helix."
Adrian's stomach dropped.
Helix was a private technology company worth billions.
Its official business covered energy systems and artificial intelligence.
Unofficially, it had been involved in classified automotive research.
Years ago, Adrian had suspected Helix of stealing Elias's work.
He had never found proof.
Now Frank was giving him a name.
"Why would they want Noah?"
Frank looked at him.
"Because Noah inherited something."
"What?"
"The ability to access Elias's archive."
Adrian glanced toward Noah.
"What exactly is in that archive?"
Frank coughed.
"Everything."
He explained that Elias had discovered Helix was using his research to develop an autonomous tactical engine system.
A technology capable of predicting mechanical failure.
Controlling vehicles remotely.
Even overriding safety protocols.
Elias wanted to expose them.
Helix wanted him silenced.
"So they killed him?" Adrian asked.
Frank's eyes dropped.
"I don't know."
Adrian frowned.
"But you said he was alive when you last saw him."
"He was."
"When?"
"Three weeks ago."
Adrian's blood ran cold.
Three weeks.
That made no sense.
Elias had supposedly died seven years ago.
Frank reached under the blanket.
He pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"Your friend left this for you."
Adrian opened it.
Only one sentence was written.
DO NOT TRUST THE MAN WITH THE SILVER RING.
Adrian stared.
"Who wears a silver ring?"
Frank looked at him.
"You."
Adrian looked down.
The silver ring on his right hand had belonged to his father.
Frank shook his head.
"Not that ring."
He pointed at Adrian's left hand.
Adrian wore no ring there.
Then Frank's eyes widened.
"Wait."
He grabbed Adrian's wrist.
Under Adrian's watch was a thin silver band.
He hadn't noticed it before.
It had been placed there years ago by his mother.
Frank whispered,
"That's it."
Adrian pulled it off.
Inside was a tiny engraved symbol.
The same R.
The same symbol on the engine.
Noah suddenly shouted.
"Uncle Adrian!"
Adrian turned.
Noah was staring at the window.
Outside, headlights appeared.
Three black SUVs.
They stopped around the building.
Doors opened.
Men in tactical clothing stepped out.
Noah grabbed a backpack.
Frank's breathing quickened.
"They found us."
Adrian looked at Noah.
"How many exits?"
"Two."
"Which one isn't watched?"
Noah shook his head.
"Neither."
The warehouse lights went out.
A voice came through a loudspeaker.
"Bring us Noah Reed."
Adrian clenched his fists.
Another voice followed.
"Or everyone inside dies."
Noah looked at Adrian.
For the first time, he didn't look like a fearless mechanic.
He looked like a scared child.
Adrian stepped in front of him.
Then he smiled.
"Good."
Noah stared.
May you like
Adrian picked up a metal pipe.
"Now they finally made this personal."
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