“Dammit,” Blaze mutters, his voice low and gravelly. “What are we missing?”
“Maybe there isn’t a code,” Felix says, massaging his temples. “Maybe it’s just random gibberish meant to throw us off.”
“Or maybe the code is so obvious that we’re overlooking it,” Rion suggests, his green eyes flicking back and forth between the papers spread out before him.
“Okay,” Anna says, taking a deep breath. “Let’s take a break and regroup. Maybe with some rest, we’ll be able to see things more clearly.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Felix adds, stretching his arms above his head. “We’ll come back to this with fresh eyes.”
Twenty Four
Anna
The dim light from the lamp casts eerie shadows on the walls of Aksel’s room as he hunches over reading, his brow furrowed in concentration. I watch him work, mesmerized by the way his gaze darts across the pages, decoding the papers.
“Anna,” he says without looking up, his voice a deep rumble that sends shivers down my spine. “What are your thoughts on breaking into the councilman’s house? We might find something useful there.”
I bite my lip, pondering the question. It’s tempting to take the risk, but I know we need to be cautious.
“It’s too risky, Aksel,” I reply, curling my hands around the edge of the table. “We can’t afford to be caught there. You’re on the council.”
He nods, considering my words. “You’re right. For now, let’s focus on decoding these papers. But we should keep the idea in mind, just in case.”
“Agreed,” I say.
“Can you take a look at this? I think I’ve found a pattern, but I could use your input.”
“Of course,” I reply, leaning in to examine the symbols he’s pointing at. As our heads come closer together, I catch his scent and feel a rush of warmth cascade through me.
Feeling the need for a momentary reprieve, I rise from my chair and head to the kitchen. The scent of fresh coffee beans fills the air as I grind them, the familiar action providing a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos. As the dark liquid begins to brew, I find myself lost in thought, pondering the potential ramifications of our actions.
I pour the steaming beverage into two mugs and carefully carry them back to our makeshift workspace.
“Thanks,” he says, taking a sip. “I needed this.”
Aksel and I huddle over the scattered papers. My green eyes strain to focus on the intricate symbols, my mind racing with possibilities. Aksel’s brow furrows, his eyes reflecting a steely determination.
“Anna,” he murmurs, tapping one of the papers. “Look at this pattern. It repeats itself every few lines.”
“Wait a minute,” I breathe, excitement bubbling in my chest. “That could be it! We just need to find the key to this sequence.”
“Here,” Aksel says suddenly, pointing out a series of numbers. “If you follow the pattern, these letters should form a word.”
“Let me see,” I say, leaning in closer, our bodies nearly touching. As our minds come together, the code begins to unravel before us. Names, numbers, amounts, times, and places are revealed, painting a damning picture of the corruption that infects our world.
“By the gods,” Aksel whispers, awe and horror lacing his voice. “It’s everything we need.”
“See here?” He traces a finger along a line of text. “These numbers match up with the dates and times of drops and who they went to. And these names… they’re all the people who’ve been swayed by the bribes and threats.”
My stomach churns. “What do we do now?”
Aksel looks at me, determination glinting in his eyes. “We need more information, one last piece of evidence. We heard when their drops are. We go there, gather what we can, and then we turn them in.”
“Can you believe it?” I ask, my heart pounding like a drum. “We’ve done it.”
“Come on,” he says, his face lighting up with excitement. “We have to tell everyone.”
We rush through the dimly lit hallways, our footsteps echoing off the walls before realizing it’s the middle of the night and they’re all sleeping.
