The nest!

The artifact pulsed with a faint energy in my hands, its dark metal surface cool to the touch. Strange symbols, unlike any language I knew, glowed with an inner light, casting eerie shadows on the warehouse walls. As I turned the box over, searching for a clue, I noticed a subtle seam, almost invisible against the intricate carvings. Pressing on it, the box clicked open, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside, nestled on faded velvet, was a single object: a small, intricately carved key.

It was made of the same dark metal as the box, its head shaped like a serpent's eye, and it radiated a faint warmth. A shiver ran down my spine as I held it, a sense of foreboding mixed with anticipation. This key… it felt important, like it held some kind of answer. But what did it unlock? And where did it fit?

I knew I couldn't figure this out on my own. I pulled out my phone, the old model buzzing to life in my hand, and dialed Anna's number. Her voice, distorted and low, answered almost immediately. "Anna, it's me. I found the artifact."

"And?" Her voice was sharp, impatient. "What does it do?"

"It's… complicated. There's a key, and I think it's important. Can you check your files? See if you can find anything about it."

"Give me the details," she said, and I described the box, the symbols, the key. There was a long pause, the only sound the crackle of the connection, and then she spoke again, her voice tight with urgency. "That's the Serpent's Eye. It's a powerful artifact, said to unlock… things. Dangerous things."

"Dangerous how?" I asked, but she was already talking to someone else. "Annie, you there? I need you to run a search. Serpent's Eye, location, anything you can find."

There was a muffled voice on the other end, and then Anna spoke again. "Annie knows her stuff when it comes to weapons and artifacts. She'll find something."

I waited, the silence stretching on, broken only by the distant wail of a siren, until finally Annie's voice, clear and sharp, cut through the line. "I've got something. There's a legend, about a hidden vault. It's said to contain… well, it's not good. And the Serpent's Eye is the key."

"Where?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"The old subway tunnels, under the city. There's a station, long abandoned. It's called… the Serpent's Nest."

"That's it," I said, my voice tight with urgency. "That's where Taylor is."

"Be careful," Anna said, her voice low. "This place… it's not safe. There are rumors, stories… things that happen down there."

I hung up, my mind racing. The Serpent's Nest. It sounded like a trap, a place where secrets went to die. But it was my only lead. I had the key, and I had a name. It was time to find Taylor.

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