Chapter 21 – A Shadow in the Dark

Nathan wasn't one to ignore red flags. And what Lucien had just told him?

That was a giant, blazing red flag.

Sitting in the backseat of his car, Nathan leaned back against the leather seat, tapping his fingers against his knee as the vehicle glided through the quiet streets. The city lights flickered through the tinted windows, casting moving shadows across his face.

Lucien's call had been brief—too brief.

"We need to talk. Now."

And that was all it took for Nathan to drop everything and make his way to him.

Lucien was already waiting when Nathan arrived. He was perched on the hood of his motorcycle, arms crossed, hood up. His sharp eyes tracked Nathan as he stepped out of the car.

"You're late."

Nathan scoffed, closing the car door behind him. "Not all of us have the luxury of appearing out of thin air."

Lucien didn't smile. He simply tossed something toward Nathan. A small, black device.

Nathan caught it mid-air, flipping it in his palm. A voice recorder.

"What's this?"

Lucien exhaled sharply. "Your past catching up to you."

Nathan clicked the play button.

The recording crackled to life, voices murmuring in hushed tones.

"Nathan Smith isn't real."

"We checked everything. There's no background, no records. The guy just appeared out of nowhere."

"So the accident three months ago... that wasn't just some random hit?"

"No way. Someone wanted him gone."

Nathan clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around the recorder.

"Who are they?" he asked.

Lucien shook his head. "Didn't get their names. But they were thorough. They're not just some curious students looking into an old classmate—they're professionals. And they want answers."

Nathan ran a hand through his hair, letting out a low chuckle. "Great. Just when I thought I could finally breathe."

"You shouldn't have come back so openly." Lucien's voice was steady, but there was an edge to it. "Laying low in Germany was a good call. Announcing yourself as Nathan Cole? You just painted a giant target on your back."

Nathan sighed, tilting his head back to look at the night sky. "I didn't really have a choice, did I?"

Lucien didn't reply. Because he knew it was true.

Nathan pocketed the recorder. "Alright. So what now? You want me to run again?"

Lucien narrowed his eyes. "You're not built to run."

A smirk tugged at Nathan's lips. "Damn right."

Silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant hum of passing cars.

Then, Lucien finally spoke. "I'll keep watch. But you should be careful who you trust from now on."

Nathan chuckled. "Trust? That's a luxury, my friend."

Lucien didn't smile. "Exactly."

Nathan glanced at his watch, then back at Lucien. "Alright. I've got things to do. Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone, yeah?"

Lucien gave him a blank stare. "No promises."

With a shake of his head, Nathan turned toward his car. But before he could get in, Lucien called out—

"Nathan."

Nathan paused.

"If they come after you again... don't hesitate."

Nathan's fingers curled around the door handle. Then, without turning back, he gave a lazy salute.

"Noted."

And with that, he disappeared into the night.

A Storm on the Horizon

Somewhere in the city, in a dimly lit office, a man sat at his desk, flipping through a file.

On the last page was a photo.

Nathan Smith.

Or rather—Nathan Cole.

The man in the dark leaned back in his chair, a slow smirk curling on his lips.

"Well, well... looks like the game's about to get interesting."

Nathan wasn't the type to let things get under his skin. He'd spent years perfecting the art of keeping his cool—smirking through chaos, cracking jokes under pressure. But after last night's conversation with Lucien, he knew he had to tread carefully.

It wasn't paranoia. It was survival.

Still, that didn't mean he was going to stop living his life. And right now, that meant one thing—winning back Lilian's trust.

The next morning, Nathan made sure to arrive earlier than usual. His goal? To catch Lilian before she could pretend he didn't exist.

She was at her locker when he spotted her, flipping through her books with mild disinterest.

Nathan casually leaned against the lockers beside her, hands in his pockets. "Morning, princess."

Lilian didn't even glance at him. "Tch. What do you want?"

He grinned. "What, I can't just say hi to my favorite person in the morning?"

Lilian snapped her locker shut and finally turned to him. "Favorite person? Since when?"

Nathan placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "Ouch. I come back with a fresh new look, ready to be a better version of myself, and this is how you treat me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Right. So you're just suddenly Mr. Nice Guy now?"

"Exactly." Nathan winked. "And you should feel honored. I don't just go around being nice to anyone, you know."

Lilian raised an eyebrow. "I highly doubt that."

Nathan chuckled. "Well, you'll just have to see for yourself."

Before she could respond, the warning bell rang.

Nathan tilted his head toward the classroom. "Shall we?"

Lilian exhaled sharply, clearly annoyed, but she didn't push him away when he fell into step beside her.

Progress.

As they walked, Nathan's attention subtly shifted.

A group of students—three guys—stood near the stairwell, speaking in hushed tones. Nathan wouldn't have paid them much mind, but the moment he caught a certain name slip from their mouths, his senses sharpened.

"Nathan Smith."

They were talking about him.

Nathan kept his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable, but he slowed his steps just enough to catch more of their conversation.

"I don't get it. We looked into his records—there's nothing before two years ago."

"Exactly. It's like he just appeared out of thin air."

"And now he's suddenly Nathan Cole? Something isn't adding up."

Nathan's fingers twitched, but his face remained indifferent.

Lilian, oblivious to his sudden shift in focus, nudged him with her elbow. "You okay?"

Nathan snapped out of it and flashed her an easy grin. "Hmm? Yeah, of course."

Lilian gave him a skeptical look but didn't press further.

Meanwhile, the group of students lowered their voices even more, moving toward the far end of the hall.

Nathan exhaled slowly.

So they were still digging.

Fine.

If they wanted to play detective, he'd let them.

But he wasn't about to let them find anything.

TO BE CONTINUED...

End of Chapter 21.