Escape!

I followed the hum, the tunnels narrowing until I reached a dead end. The walls were covered in strange symbols, the same ones that were etched into the Serpent's Eye, and in the center of the wall, there was a keyhole. It was shaped like the Serpent's Eye.

I slipped the key into the lock, and the wall slid open, revealing a hidden chamber. The air inside was thick with dust, and the only light came from a single shaft in the ceiling, illuminating a pedestal in the center of the room. On the pedestal, there was a figure, bound and gagged.

Taylor.

My heart leaped into my throat. He was alive.

I rushed forward, my hands shaking as I reached for the gag, but then a voice, cold and sharp, cut through the silence.

"Don't touch him."

I froze, my blood turning to ice. I knew that voice. It was Anna's.

I turned slowly, my hand dropping to my knife. Anna stood in the doorway, her eyes dark and unreadable. In her hand, she held a gun.

"Scarlett," she yelled, my voice tight. "What is this?"

"This," she said, her voice flat, "is where it ends."

I realized Scarlett was my code name, and only the organization knew it. Anna must have been forced to do this. I grabbed my knife and tried to escape with Taylor, fighting off a bunch of guys who came with Anna.

We fought our way through the tunnels, the Serpent's Eye pulsing in my pocket. I knew we couldn't stay in the city. We needed to find out who was behind all of this and why they wanted the artifact. I decided to contact my father's old contact, someone who might have answers. It was a dangerous game, but I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

We reached the surface, the city lights blurring in my vision. We needed to disappear, to find a place where we could regroup and plan our next move. I knew just the place – an old safe house my father used to use, hidden deep in the industrial district. It wouldn't be luxurious, but it would be safe.

We made our way through the city, sticking to the shadows, our pursuers hot on our heels. I could feel their presence, like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey. We reached the safe house, a crumbling warehouse on the edge of the river. I punched in the code, the heavy door groaning open. We slipped inside, the darkness swallowing us whole.

Inside, the safe house was just as I remembered it – dusty and bare, but functional. There was a cot, a small kitchenette, and a wall of old maps and communication equipment. It was a place to hide, to plan, and to prepare for the fight ahead.

I patched up Taylor's wounds, his eyes still clouded with confusion. He kept asking for his girlfriend, his voice thick with longing. It broke my heart to see him like this, so lost and vulnerable. I knew I had to get his memory back, not just for him, but for the mission. He was the key to all of this, the artifact's guardian, and we needed him at his best.

I looked at the Serpent's Eye, its dark metal pulsing in my hand. It was more than just a key; it was a weapon, a tool, a guide. It was the only way to find the truth, to unravel the conspiracy that threatened to consume us all. And I was ready to use it, no matter the cost.

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