Shadows in London

The flight to London had been anything but easy. Maya had ditched the flagged passport, paid cash for a last-minute ticket under a different name, and taken a red-eye flight from a small airport outside Cairo. By the time she landed at Heathrow, exhaustion gnawed at her, but she couldn't afford to rest.

She tightened her grip on her satchel, still feeling the artifact's presence inside. If Novus was tracking me in Cairo, they'll know I'm here. I need to move carefully.

After passing through customs without issue, she pulled her hood up and melted into the sea of travelers. Heathrow was perfect for vanishing too many people, too much movement.

First stop: The British Museum.

The Hunt for the Scroll

Maya navigated the city quickly, hopping onto the Underground and keeping an eye on her surroundings. The paranoia had settled deep into her bones every reflective surface, every glance from a stranger made her question whether she was already being followed.

When she finally stepped onto the museum's grand steps, she exhaled. The building loomed before her, its stone pillars standing as silent sentinels of history. Inside these walls is my next lead.

She strode inside, bypassing the usual exhibits, making her way toward the restricted archives. The scroll she was looking for wasn't on public display it was deep within the secured collection, accessible only to a handful of researchers.

She had no clearance.

But she had experience sneaking into places she wasn't supposed to be.

Breaking In

Slipping past the guarded areas was easier than she expected most people assumed a woman with a notebook and a confident stride belonged there. She used her phone's reflection to check for security cameras, then found a quiet hallway leading toward the restricted archives.

A locked door. Keycard access only.

She glanced around. Where do they keep the staff passes?

A voice startled her.

"Looking for something, Dr. Chen?"

Her blood ran cold.

She turned slowly to see a man leaning against the wall sharp suit, confident smirk, and piercing blue eyes that held a quiet danger.

"Who's asking?" she said, keeping her voice even.

The man took a slow step forward. "My name is Adrian Cross. I work for Novus Corp."

Maya's stomach clenched. They found me.

"Funny," she said, masking her fear. "Didn't know Novus had an interest in ancient history."

Adrian smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Novus is interested in a great many things. Particularly artifacts that don't belong in the hands of people who don't understand them."

Maya kept her posture relaxed, but her mind was already calculating escape routes. He's not alone. If he's here, others are too.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said casually.

Adrian sighed. "Let's not play games, Dr. Chen. You have something we need. Hand it over, and this doesn't have to get… unpleasant."

She took a step back. "Sorry, but I don't hand over priceless discoveries to corporate thugs."

Adrian's smirk faded. "Then you leave me no choice."

A movement behind her someone else was there.

Maya moved first.

She slammed her elbow into Adrian's chest, knocking him back as she spun, dodging the second man who lunged for her.

Her heart pounded as she sprinted down the corridor.

Nowhere to Hide

Alarms blared as Maya shoved through a staff-only door, emerging into a maze of storage shelves filled with ancient artifacts.

No time. No time.

She ducked between crates, knowing Novus agents were closing in.

Then her eyes landed on something.

A small, unmarked scroll case resting atop an old wooden desk.

Her breath caught. Could it be…?

Footsteps pounded behind her.

No choice. She grabbed the scroll and ran.