The one retrieved from The Void

Madeline didn't dwell on it. She stepped past him, her attention now on the wider room. The atmosphere grew heavier as her people began to secure the area. "We also checked out the floor above," she continued, her voice dropping. "Grim stuff. What those bastards were doing..."

"Yeah," Vas agreed, his jaw tightening as the images of the experiments resurfaced. "I copied the data they gathered—the files on the experiments. I'm planning to hand them over anonymously to my aunt. If anyone can investigate the people involved, it's her."

Madeline's lips curved slightly, a glimmer of approval in her eyes. "Smart move. You know, you did well tonight. Recovering 90% of the stolen merchandise is more than I expected from you." She glanced around the room, mentally tallying up the lost items. "I'll check what's missing and let you know how much of your debt will be deducted."

Her smile was sharp and businesslike but carried a warmth Vas hadn't expected. It was clear she was pleased with the outcome, at least for now. Vas nodded in response, grateful to be one step closer to reducing his burden.

The moment passed quickly. Without another word, Vas turned and left. He kept his hood up as he slipped into the night, not taking it off until he had put several blocks between himself and the site. The city's cold night air offered some clarity, though his mind still lingered on the mysterious "beggar" who had appeared out of nowhere.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, Vas headed straight for Lily's penthouse. He needed to clean up and change back into his school uniform, eager to put this chaotic night behind him, at least for the moment. But the thought nagged at him—had the beggar been a coincidence, or was there something more at play?

When Vas arrived at the entrance of Lily's building, he was startled to see the same beggar standing there, gazing up at the penthouse with an unreadable expression.

"So, you found what you were looking for?" the beggar asked, his voice raspy yet calm.

Vas hesitated for a moment, still trying to make sense of it all. "Yes, I did."

"Glad to hear that," the beggar responded, nodding slightly before turning to walk away.

"Why were you there?" Vas called after him, unable to suppress his curiosity.

"I have my reasons," the beggar said cryptically, his voice drifting into the night.

Vas squinted at the figure as he walked further away, but despite their proximity, the beggar's features remained indistinct—blurred, as though hidden behind a veil. Even as the man disappeared into the distance, something told Vas this wouldn't be the last time they crossed paths.

Shaking off the strange encounter, Vas headed upstairs to the penthouse. As soon as the door opened, he was greeted by a concerned Anya, who immediately fussed over him. Though his injuries weren't severe, fatigue was etched into his features from the long night.

"Nasty fight it must've been," Lily remarked, watching him closely from the living room.

Vas smiled faintly. "You could say that." He recounted the events of the night, including the beggar's strange reappearance.

Anya frowned. "That's odd. The area you were in should've been cleared out ages ago. The gangs in that zone don't leave any stragglers."

"That's what Madeline said too," Vas replied, his voice heavy with unease. "I don't know what to make of it."

Lily, leaning back in her chair, gave him a pointed look. "Be careful, Vas. Sometimes people show up for a reason that isn't obvious at first."

Vas nodded, absorbing her words. "Yeah... Anyway, I should head back home. If I'm out too late, my grandfather's going to lose his mind."

With that, Vas gathered his things, a tired smile crossing his face as he left the penthouse. Despite the strange encounter with the beggar, and the long, exhausting night, there was a small sense of accomplishment that lingered as he stepped back into the cool night air. But even as he made his way home, the beggar's presence hung over him like a shadow, an unanswered question that would return soon enough.

A few days drifted by, and another weekend approached, painted in the warm hues of an impending sunset. The evening sky was streaked with gold and crimson, casting long shadows across the Hek mansion's garden. Vas sat alone on a stone bench, bathed in the dying light, his thoughts scattered as the world slowly turned toward night.

Madeline had come through with an update. Of the three missing items, none seemed to hold significant value, or so she claimed. Vas took her word for it, but something still gnawed at him—unfinished business, loose ends. After anonymously handing the gathered data to his aunt, the investigation was promptly passed off to external authorities, leaving Vas with no insight into its current status.

Still, there was progress elsewhere. Madeline's tip led to a possible break. A talkative intern at Kadmon Labs might have clues to the mission's location. The challenge now was getting him to talk, and Vas found himself turning over strategies in his mind.

The garden around him was quiet, the shadows of the trees growing longer as the sun dipped below the horizon. He watched as the light faded, feeling the weight of his recent missions pressing on him. But just as he sank deeper into thought, a voice broke the silence.

"Hey, Vastian."

Vas blinked, looking up to find Beck standing awkwardly before him, his silhouette sharp against the last remnants of daylight. Beck seemed out of place, his usual confidence replaced by something more uncertain, even annoyed.

"Hey, Beck," Vas responded, his tone neutral as he glanced back at the horizon, wondering why Beck of all people was here.

Beck shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. "So, here's the thing," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Aleara, Victor, me, and a few others from school are going out tonight to celebrate finishing the tests. We… want you to come."