Perun and Lukman were inside a moving car, heading toward the Senate district. Perun was driving, his eyes fixed on the road, but his mind was elsewhere. The city traffic was light, the afternoon sun reflecting off the windshield.
After a few minutes of silence, Perun finally asked, "Why did you lie to them about the location of the governors?"
Lukman calmly adjusted his spectacles. "I didn't lie. I told the truth."
Perun glanced at him. "Really?"
"Yes," Lukman replied. "And it's actually better if they finish each other after fighting."
Perun thought about that. If Ricardo's men clashed with the Senate's protectors, both sides would weaken. For a moment, the logic felt convincing.
"But what if they win and come back?" Perun asked.
Lukman leaned back in his seat. "I think they will win. They're far more superior than the Senate's security forces. And that guy James… I've heard about him."
Perun raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"
"He's from Arcane. An organization that was destroyed long ago. Only a few survivors remain."
The word Arcane hit Perun like a sudden jolt.
His memory flashed back to the previous night after returning from the amusement park. Vaelor had asked him casually, almost too casually, "Have you ever heard of the Arcane organization?"
Vaelor had looked strangely curious, as if hiding something. But he was terrible at lying—his eyes always shifted slightly.
Perun hadn't known anything about Arcane at that time, so he had simply said, "No."
Now the name appeared again.
Perun broke the silence. "What is Arcane?"
Lukman shrugged lightly. "I don't know everything. But Arcane was an organization that researched supernatural phenomena. They studied powers that could awaken within humans… abilities beyond normal understanding. But that was long ago. As I said, they were destroyed."
Perun's grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel.
Supernatural powers.
Green fog.
Unconscious crowds.
And now James.
"Huh…" Perun muttered quietly, trying to piece things together.
The game was getting deeper than politics.
At Howard Laboratory, in a hidden underground facility filled with wires, blueprints, and half-assembled machines, Alfred sat lazily on a chair watching Howard work.
Howard was focused on assembling a complex mechanical device, sparks occasionally flying from the equipment.
"Are you going to stare at me all day?" Howard asked without looking up.
"I'm staring because you're in danger," Alfred replied calmly.
"Yes, yes, you told me," Howard said dismissively. "They can't possibly know about this hideout. You took enough time even after I told you about this place."
Alfred scratched his head. "I just… forgot about it. And it's a very secretive location."
Howard gave him a dry look. "Oh, really?"
Just then, the door opened and a boy stepped inside.
He had green eyes, brown hair, and wore a blue outfit. His height barely reached Alfred's chest.
Alfred looked at him closely. "Are you… Delane? Yo, boy! It's been a long time."
The boy frowned. "Who are you?"
He stared at Alfred suspiciously. "Are you the person who made that weird invention? The glasses that were supposed to see through clothes—but you could only see the clothes and not the person? I still have them in my room."
Howard coughed awkwardly.
Alfred blinked. "Oh… your dad told you about that?"
Inside his mind he thought, That invention should have stayed confidential…
The boy crossed his arms. "So you're Alfred, huh?"
"Yes," Alfred smiled. "And you're Delane. I saw you when you were three years old."
"I'm twelve now," Delane replied proudly.
Alfred looked surprised. "Oh… it feels like yesterday."
Howard interrupted. "If you're here, could you help me with this machine?"
Then he turned to Delane. "And you—finish your homework first."
"Already done," Delane said confidently.
Alfred stood up dramatically. "You're asking for my assistance? Well… I knew this day would come."
Despite the light tone in the laboratory, outside the city forces were moving, alliances shifting, and the name Arcane was slowly resurfacing.
And none of them yet understood how deeply connected everything was becoming.