Whispers in the Dark

The city never truly slept. Even in the dead of night, shadows stretched long across the streets, the echoes of distant sirens cutting through the air. Coast City was a place of secrets, and Nate was beginning to realize that some of them were waiting just beneath the surface, clawing their way into the light.

He stood on the rooftop of an abandoned building, the wind whipping at his suit. His mind was unusually quiet—Antrasite hadn't spoken in hours. That should have brought him relief, but instead, it unsettled him. The jinn was always there, lurking in the corners of his thoughts, watching. When it was silent, it meant something was wrong.

"You've felt it, haven't you?"

The voice slithered into his mind, low and amused. Nate stiffened. "Felt what?"

"The shift." There was a pause, as if Antrasite was savoring the moment. "Something is coming. Something old."

Nate frowned, glancing down at the city below. Everything looked the same—cars moving, people walking, life going on as usual. But the air felt heavier tonight, charged with something he couldn't explain.

Then he heard it.

A whisper.

At first, he thought it was the wind playing tricks on him, but the sound twisted and curled, weaving through his thoughts like smoke. It wasn't Antrasite. This voice was different.

"Host…"

Nate's breath hitched. He turned sharply, scanning the darkness around him. His reflection in a nearby window wavered—not just from the wind, but from something else. Something unseen.

"You are not alone."

A chill ran down his spine.

"Who's there?" Nate demanded, his voice low.

Silence.

And then, laughter.

It was distant but sharp, like the sound of glass breaking in the night. It echoed from the alleys, from the spaces between the buildings, from the very air itself.

Antrasite growled. "They've noticed you."

Nate clenched his fists. "Who?"

The jinn hesitated before answering. "The ones who came before me."

---

Back at the lab, Henry was poring over data on the latest hybrid attacks. The patterns were changing—becoming more organized. It was as if someone, or something, was controlling them.

The moment Nate stepped inside, Henry could tell something was off.

"What happened?" Henry asked, sitting up straighter.

Nate hesitated. How was he supposed to explain what he'd just experienced? The whispers, the laughter? Even after everything he had been through, it still sounded crazy.

Instead, he said, "Something's coming, Henry."

Henry sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, I've been trying to tell you that. The hybrids are getting smarter. Stronger. And I think—"

"No," Nate interrupted. "This is different. I heard something tonight. Something… ancient."

Henry's expression darkened. "Define 'ancient.'"

Nate exhaled sharply. "Like it's been watching for a long time. Waiting."

Henry was silent for a moment, then turned to his screen. "Nate, the dark wave explosion didn't just create monsters. It also woke things up. Things that should've stayed buried."

Nate sat down, his muscles still tense. "What kind of things?"

Henry hesitated before answering. "We don't know yet. But whatever it is… it's looking for you."

The words settled like a weight in Nate's chest. He had been running toward danger ever since the night Antrasite revealed himself. But now, danger was coming for him.

And this time, he didn't know if he could outrun it