Page 64 of Soulmarked

“Exactly.” Skye nodded, giving me an appreciative look. “No offense to your CITD colleagues, but this is beyond standard forensics. Whoever helped O'Brien hide this research made damn sure nobody would find it.”

“Phoenix?” Sean asked, leaning closer to the screen.

“Maybe. But...” Skye tapped their lip thoughtfully. “This feels different. Older. The code structure uses patterns I've only seen in ancient systems, like, pre-digital ancient.”

“What do you mean?” I moved closer, studying the screen with renewed interest. My research-oriented mind was already cataloging similarities to other cases.

“Look here.” Skye highlighted sections of code that seemed to shift and writhe unnaturally. “This isn't just programming. They are using digital encryption as camouflage for something.”

“So how do we crack it?” I asked, already formulating multiple approaches.

Skye's grin was pure mischief. “That's where it gets interesting. We don't break it, we let it think it's winning while we find the pattern underneath.” They looked between us, excitement sparking in their eyes. “But I'll need both of you. This isn't just tech or just supernatural, it's both.”

“We need to work together,” Sean concluded, sounding less than thrilled about the prospect. “Great. I love teamwork.”

“Precisely.” Skye's eyes gleamed with anticipation. “Hope you boys are ready for a long night.”

The office hummed with tension as Skye worked through multiple layers of encryption, fingers flying across keyboards while data streamed across their screens. Sean and I watched in silence, aware we were standing on the edge of something monumental.

“Wait.” Skye suddenly sat up straighter, focusing intently on one sequence. “That's not possible.”

“What?” Sean and I moved closer simultaneously.

“This reference keeps appearing in O'Brien's notes, buried under layers of code.” They highlighted a section that seemed to shift before my eyes. “Something about 'The Prince' and 'ancient gates.'”

Sean went completely still beside me. “The Prince?”

“According to these files,” Skye continued, pulling up additional data, “Phoenix isn't just opening gates. They're trying to bring something through. Something specific.”

“The Prince,” I whispered as the pieces clicked into horrible place, my mind immediately connecting to other research I'd done. “That's what all the power points are for. They're building a door big enough for an ancient entity to walk through.”

“Not just any door.” Sean leaned closer, his face illuminated by the screens' glow. “Look at these patterns. The gate locations, the ritual sites, they're forming a key.”

“Exactly!” Skye nodded enthusiastically. “O'Brien was helping them map it out. But then he found something.” They highlighted another section. “The energy requirements were astronomical, and the cost was...”

“Being paid in blood,” Sean finished grimly. “That's why they killed him. He discovered their true plan.”

The implications hit me like a physical weight. My researcher's mind was already racing, connecting dots, pulling from every ancient text I'd studied. “We need to decode that journal. Now.”

“About that...” Skye looked almost sheepish. “Your CITD friend, Alana? She might be our best option.”

Sean's head snapped up. “What?”

“Look, I'm good, but this?” They gestured at the screens in frustration. “This is next level. Whoever encrypted this used both technological and supernatural methods. We need someone who understands both.”

“And a federal analyst can handle that?” Sean's skepticism was palpable.

“If she's been working with Cade on supernatural cases? Maybe.” Skye shrugged. “Sometimes fresh eyes see what we can't. And right now, we need all the help we can get.”

I felt Sean's gaze on me, heavy with unspoken questions. “You trust her that much?”

“With my life,” I said without hesitation. “Alana's brilliant. If anyone can help us make sense of this, it's her.”

“Having someone inside CITD could be valuable,” Skye added. “Especially if Phoenix has government connections.”

Sean ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. “If this goes wrong, we're all exposed.”

“It's already gone wrong,” I countered. “Phoenix is trying to summon an ancient entity that could destroy our world. I think we're past worrying about protocol.”

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