Chapter 3: Family Shadows

Dawn found Warrick hunched over his workstation in their repair shop, analyzing data from the underground facility. They'd maintained their cover with two early morning repair jobs, but now came the real work. Lines of code scrolled across his screen, each confirmation adding to his growing unease.

"The equipment signatures aren't just similar to my father's protocols," he announced, fingers flying across the keyboard. "They're exact copies, modified with modern refinements. Power consumption patterns, chemical sequencing, neural calibration settings… these are all based on the original Gamaliel family Tag creation protocols."

Carlo stood by the window of their workshop, his clouded eyes focused on the street below. "Your father's work."

"Modified, but yes." Warrick's fingers clenched on the desk. "He used to make me memorize these sequences. Said a Gamaliel should understand the family legacy." The bitter taste of old memories rose in his throat. "But these files were supposed to be destroyed after the Tag Riot. The Jerusalem Family officially purged all Tag creation data."

"Officially," Carlo noted. His head tilted slightly. "We have a visitor. Maria Torres. She's moving carefully – checking for tails, avoiding cameras. She's learned caution quickly."

Moments later, a knock came at their door – three quick taps, the pattern they'd established for secure contact. Maria looked even more haggard than before, dark circles under her eyes suggesting another sleepless night. She clutched a worn envelope in trembling hands.

"I found this in Sara's room," she said without preamble, glancing nervously at the covered windows. "Hidden under a loose floorboard. I didn't want to believe it at first, but…"

Inside the envelope were medical documents – blood test results, genetic markers, neural plasticity assessments. Warrick recognized the formatting immediately. These were screening protocols, the kind the Families had used to identify potential Tag candidates.

"The free clinic," Maria continued, voice shaking. "They said they were doing routine health screenings for fallen district children. Said it was a new program to help the underprivileged. But these tests…" She gestured helplessly at the papers.

"They were identifying candidates," Warrick finished grimly. "How many children went through these screenings?"

"I've been asking around. Carefully, like you said. At least fifteen in the past month. Six are missing now." Maria's hands twisted together. "The others, their parents got warnings. Anonymous messages telling them to leave the district, to run. Most did."

Carlo's posture shifted subtly. "The clinic would have needed significant resources. Medical equipment, trained personnel…"

"And a secure location to process the results," Warrick finished. He turned back to his computer, pulling up a map of the Former Gamaliel District. "The underground facility was too small for full processing. It was just a transit point. They'd need somewhere bigger, somewhere…"

He stopped, staring at a section of the map. "The old Gamaliel auxiliary research center. It's supposed to be condemned, but the power grid shows active usage patterns. Low level, carefully masked, but consistent."

"Recent activity?" Carlo asked.

"Increasing over the past three months." Warrick overlaid multiple data feeds. "Coinciding with the first disappearances. But there's something else." He focused on a particular power signature. "These energy fluctuations… they're using the old neural containment systems. The ones designed specifically for child subjects."

Maria clutched the medical documents tighter. "My Sara… is she…?"

"We'll find her," Warrick promised. "But you need to go somewhere safe. If they realize you've found these documents—"

"The Abraham Guild has secure houses in the north sector," Carlo interrupted. "I'll make arrangements. There's a handler there who owes me a favor from before… before I lost my sight."

After ensuring Maria's safety through their repair shop's legitimate channels – a work order for her building's ventilation system that would explain her visit – they began their approach to the auxiliary research center. The building rose like a dead thing against the fallen district's skyline, its windows dark and vacant. But Carlo's enhanced senses told a different story.

"Active ventilation systems," he reported as they approached through maintenance tunnels. "Multiple heartbeats inside. And…" He stopped suddenly. "There's another Tag here. Recently activated, based on their neural signature. They're trying to mask their presence, but the pattern is unmistakable."

"How recent?"

"Days, not weeks. The neural pathways are still stabilizing. They're…" Carlo's head snapped up. "Above us!"

The attack came from the shadows of an overhead walkway. A figure dropped with inhuman grace, moving with the enhanced speed and strength that only a Tag could possess. Carlo pushed Warrick clear as he engaged the attacker, their movements almost too fast to follow.

"Military training," Carlo observed between exchanges. "Recent activation, but advanced capabilities. Someone's been accelerating the conditioning process. Dangerous – their control is still developing."

The other Tag fought with ruthless efficiency, each strike aimed at lethal points. But Carlo's experience and naturally developed abilities proved superior. Years of careful training and adaptation against the raw power of forced activation. The fight ended with the enemy Tag unconscious, their youth evident now that they were still.

"Can't be more than sixteen," Warrick noted grimly, checking the injection mark on the fallen Tag's neck. "Fresh scarring. They're not just experimenting on children – they're succeeding."

"Warrick." Carlo's voice held new urgency. "Multiple security teams mobilizing. Heavy weapons. And…" He hesitated. "Jerusalem Family tactical signatures. They're not trying to hide their presence anymore."

Before they could move, alarms blared to life throughout the facility. Security doors slammed shut as armed figures converged on their position. On the monitors, Warrick caught glimpses of Jerusalem Family security uniforms mixed with other, more troubling insignias.

"This goes beyond just the Gamaliel protocols," he realized. "The Jerusalem Family's sanctioning this. But why? They're supposed to prevent exactly this kind of operation."

"Questions later," Carlo said, already moving to engage the first wave of guards. "We need to gather what proof we can and get out. Now."

Warrick's fingers flew across the nearest terminal, uploading data as quickly as he could while Carlo held off the security teams. The files told a horrifying story – detailed records of Tag creation experiments, lists of potential candidates, neural modification protocols refined for developing minds.

"They're not just recreating the program," he reported, downloading the last crucial files. "They're improving it. Making it more efficient. The success rate on these conversions…"

"Warrick." Carlo's voice carried new tension. "Jerusalem Family tactical team incoming. Officer insignias. This goes higher than we thought."

A new voice cut through the facility's speakers, sharp with authority. "This is Chief Security Officer Helena Vale, Jerusalem Family Special Operations. You are interfering with a sanctioned operation. Stand down immediately."

"Sanctioned?" Warrick's hands clenched on the terminal. "They're actually admitting to it?"

"Multiple high-level heartbeats approaching," Carlo reported, engaging another security team. "Including…" He paused, head tilted. "Bambino Family military command. The footsteps match their training patterns."

"We need to move." Warrick initiated emergency protocols, corrupting what data he couldn't steal. "The Guild needs to see this. All of it."

They fought their way back through the facility, Carlo's abilities clearing a path while Warrick's knowledge of the old systems let them bypass the worst of the security. The journey out was a careful dance of timing and precision - Carlo listening ahead for patrol movements while Warrick guided them through maintenance shortcuts and blind spots in the security grid.

"Third floor service corridor," Warrick whispered, consulting a mental map of the facility's layout. "There's an old emergency exit that connects to the underground maintenance tunnels."

The maintenance tunnels were a maze of shadows and echoes, but they offered a secure path to their nearest safe house in the fallen districts.

After thirty minutes of careful navigation through the underground network, they emerged three blocks from their repairshop. The streets were eerily quiet, even for the fallen districts at this hour. They took a circuitous route, doubling back twice to ensure they weren't followed before finally reaching their workshop.

"Vale was right about one thing," Warrick said as he took his jacket off and sat at his desk. "This goes deeper than we thought. The Jerusalem Family, Bambino military command… how high does it really go?"

Carlo moved to the window of their safe house, his enhanced hearing focused on something distant. "Someone's watching the building. Rooftop across the street. Not Family security – fallen district resident, based on their movements."

"The repair shop," Warrick said suddenly. "All our client records, maintenance logs…"

"Already handled," Carlo assured him. "While you were analyzing the data, I activated our emergency protocols. All sensitive files are encrypted and backed up to secure Guild servers. The shop's systems will show only legitimate repair records if they search them."

"And the physical records?"

"Relocated to our secondary cache. Even if they raid the shop, they'll find nothing but a normal maintenance business."

Warrick than shifted his conversation back to the person watching the building "Threat?"

"No." Carlo's expression shifted slightly. "They're spreading the word. The fallen districts have their own networks. By morning, everyone will know the Families are taking children again."

Warrick nodded grimly, already planning their next move. They'd need to relocate soon, find new routes through the sectors, establish alternate repairshops. The proof they'd gathered would shake the very foundations of Krynosia's power structure – if they could stay alive long enough to use it.

"Get some rest," Warrick told Carlo. "I'll take first watch. Tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow we contact the Guild," Carlo finished. "Officially this time. With proof they can't ignore."

His partner's slight smile suggested he knew they both wouldn't sleep anyway.