MIRROR CAGE – CHAPTER 13: GLASS HOUSES
"Secrets are only safe until someone starts asking the right questions."
[Evening – Kingsvale Institute, Naomi's Private Quarters]
Naomi sat at her desk, the glow of multiple screens casting sharp shadows across her face. Data streams, fight replays, and biometric readouts of Elijah Cole filled the monitors. She leaned back, eyes narrowed, replaying the moment from the tournament where Elijah's movements seemed to glitch—a fraction of a second where his form blurred unnaturally.
"Enhance frame 342," she commanded.
The AI complied, zooming in on the exact moment. There it was again—a subtle distortion, almost imperceptible, but present.
"What are you hiding, Cole?" she whispered.
[Flashback – Naomi's Training Days]
Years earlier, Naomi had undergone rigorous training under her father's watchful eye. She was taught to observe, to notice the minutiae others overlooked. Her father, a high-ranking official within Kingsvale's elite, had instilled in her the importance of vigilance.
"Inconsistencies are the breadcrumbs of truth," he would say.
That lesson echoed now as she scrutinized Elijah's data.
[Present – Naomi's Investigation Deepens]
Naomi accessed restricted files, bypassing security protocols with practiced ease. She pulled up Elijah's medical records, comparing them to the biometric data from his recent fights. Discrepancies emerged—variations in muscle density, reflex response times, and even ocular patterns.
"These aren't fluctuations; they're anomalies," she muttered.
She compiled the data into a secure folder labeled "Project Mirror."
[Meanwhile – Elijah's Dorm Room]
Elijah sat on his bed, the room dimly lit. He stared at the encrypted comm link Naomi had given him, its presence a constant reminder of the tenuous alliance between them. He felt the walls closing in—the weight of his secret pressing down.
I can't keep this up forever, he thought.
A notification blinked on his tablet: "New Message from Naomi."
He hesitated before opening it.
"We need to talk. Rooftop. Midnight."
[Midnight – Kingsvale Dorm Rooftop]
The night air was crisp as Elijah stepped onto the rooftop. Naomi stood near the edge, her silhouette illuminated by the city lights below.
"You wanted to talk?" he asked.
She turned, eyes searching his face.
"I've been analyzing your fight data," she began. "There are... inconsistencies."
Elijah tensed. "What are you implying?"
"I'm not sure yet," she replied. "But I intend to find out."
A silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken truths.
"Be careful, Naomi," Elijah said finally. "Some secrets are dangerous."
She nodded. "So are lies."