Chapter 4: Secrets of the Past

Ethan Carter sat alone in the dimly lit study of his London flat, staring at the black playing card between his fingers. Damian Voss. He had crossed paths with the infamous thief before—always on opposite sides. If Voss was involved in this, then Langley’s expedition was more than just a historical pursuit.

Briggs was missing. His apartment had been ransacked, and there were no signs of struggle. That meant one of two things: either Briggs had been taken… or he had left willingly.

Neither option sat well with Ethan.

A knock on the door jolted him from his thoughts. He stood cautiously, grabbing a knife from the desk drawer before approaching.

“Relax, Carter. It’s me.”

Sophia Lane’s voice came through the door, calm but edged with curiosity. Ethan exhaled, unlocking it. She stepped inside, brushing off her coat, her sharp brown eyes scanning the room.

“You look like hell,” she observed.

“Long day,” Ethan muttered, tossing the playing card onto the desk.

Sophia picked it up, frowning. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Voss,” Ethan confirmed.

Her expression darkened. “That’s bad.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Before she could respond, another knock came. This one was heavier, more impatient. Ethan tensed. Lucas.

The ex-military man strode in, his broad frame filling the doorway. He glanced at the playing card in Sophia’s hand and raised an eyebrow.

“So, we have a problem,” Lucas said.

Ethan crossed his arms. “We had a problem when Langley hired me. Now we have a bigger one.”

Lucas dropped a thick folder onto the table. “I did some digging. Langley’s been funding artifact retrieval missions for years, but this one’s different. He’s been obsessed with the Kanjir Citadel for nearly a decade.”

Ethan flipped open the folder, scanning old reports, classified documents, and blurry satellite images.

One in particular caught his eye—an excavation report dated seven years ago. The details were redacted, but one phrase stood out.

Expedition terminated. No survivors.

Ethan’s stomach twisted. “What the hell happened out there?”

Lucas shook his head. “No one knows. But whatever they found, it wasn’t just ruins.”

Sophia tapped another document—a shipment manifest from one of Langley’s private cargo planes. “This was filed last week. High-security transport heading to Nepal. If I had to guess, I’d say they’re moving military-grade equipment.”

Ethan frowned. “Why would an archaeological expedition need that much firepower?”

No one answered.

Then Lucas said, “Because someone else is looking for the citadel, too.”

Ethan’s grip on the papers tightened. “Voss.”

Lucas nodded. “And if he’s already one step ahead of us… we might be walking into a warzone.”

A heavy silence settled over the room. They had come looking for history. But what if history wasn’t ready to be found?

Then, Ethan’s phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

He hesitated, then answered. “Carter.”

A distorted voice came through the line. Low. Controlled.

“Turn back.”

Ethan’s heart pounded. “Who is this?”