Vanished

The morning sun filtered through the penthouse windows, casting a golden haze over the cityscape of New Haven. Alex Mercer sat at the breakfast table, staring at a plate of eggs and toast that had long gone cold. His mind wasn't on food—it was tangled in the strange word he'd overheard the night before: Valor. It lingered in his thoughts, sharp and elusive, like a puzzle piece that didn't fit. What did it mean? And why had his parents sounded so terrified when they whispered it in the dark?

He glanced at the empty chairs across from him. Breakfast was usually a predictable affair—his father skimming financial reports, his mother sipping coffee between pages of scientific journals. But today, the penthouse was silent. No rustle of papers, no clink of a mug. Just an eerie stillness.

"Mom? Dad?" Alex called, his voice hesitant. Nothing. He stood, the chair scraping against the floor, a shiver of unease crawling up his spine. Maybe they'd left early. But that didn't feel right.

He moved through the penthouse, checking their bedroom, the study, the gym. All empty. His heart beat faster as he returned to the kitchen and spotted a note pinned to the fridge. He grabbed it, his fingers unsteady.

Alex,

We had to leave for an urgent meeting. We'll be back tonight. Don't worry.

Love, Mom & Dad

An urgent meeting? Before dawn? Without a word to him? His parents weren't impulsive—they planned everything. Alex crumpled the paper, dread settling in his gut. He pulled out his phone and dialed his father. Voicemail. Then his mother. Voicemail again. This isn't normal, he thought, his stomach twisting.

The whispers about Valor, the fear in their voices, and now this—it couldn't be a coincidence. He needed to know what was happening. Sitting around wasn't an option.

Alex headed to his father's study, a room that always felt like a fortress of secrets. The door was ajar—odd, since his father kept it locked. He stepped inside. Books on tech and business lined the shelves, a holographic display glowed on the desk, and screens tracked MercerTech's global operations. But the room was a mess: papers scattered, drawers open. Someone had been here.

His eyes caught a glint of metal under a pile of documents. He reached for it—a data chip, sleek and cold. His father wouldn't leave something like this out. Alex pocketed it and turned to the security footage on the holographic display. If his parents had left, the cameras would show it.

He scrolled through the feeds. At 2:47 a.m., two figures appeared—hooded, shadowy, slipping out the front door. Not his parents. Strangers. Alex's breath hitched. He zoomed in. One held a glowing device—a tracker, maybe. They'd bypassed the security system like it was nothing. Professionals.

This wasn't a break-in. It was a mission.

Alex's hands shook as he pulled the data chip from his pocket. A tiny "V" with a circuit pattern was etched into it. Valor. It had to be linked. He plugged it into the computer, but the screen flashed: Access Denied. Biometric Authentication Required. Of course it was locked—his parents were obsessed with security.

But Alex wasn't helpless. He'd hacked systems for fun since he was a kid. He bypassed the interface, diving into the code. Sweat beaded on his forehead as lines of text raced across the screen. After tense minutes, a video file opened.

His parents stared back at him, their faces pale. "Alex," his father said, voice tight, "if you're watching this, something's happened to us. Valor isn't just a project—it's a safeguard, meant to protect the world from what's coming. But there are people who want it for themselves. Dangerous people."

His mother's eyes glistened. "We've hidden Valor's core components. You're the only one who can find them. Trust no one, Alex—not even those who seem friendly. Follow our clues. You're stronger than you think."

The video ended, leaving silence. Alex's chest tightened. His parents hadn't left—they'd been taken. And he was next.

He yanked the chip out, mind racing. He had to move. The intruders could return any second. But where could he go? Who could he trust?

Footsteps echoed from the hallway—heavy, purposeful. Alex froze. They were already here.

He grabbed a stun baton—a MercerTech prototype—from a drawer and edged toward the door. Through the crack, he saw two masked figures in the living room, searching. His pulse pounded. He couldn't fight them. He had to run.

Alex slipped out, sprinting for the service elevator. His fingers fumbled on the panel, but the doors opened. He hit the ground floor button, holding his breath as the elevator dropped. The intruders hadn't seen him—yet.

The lobby appeared, and Alex bolted outside, blending into New Haven's crowded streets. He didn't know where he was headed, but one thing was clear: his old life was gone.