Underground

HUXLEE

Jacob’s entire expression changes. Even I can't blame him.

The underground space in front of us looks nothing like what anyone would expect to find beneath an ordinary building. Instead of bare concrete walls, the enormous room is designed with dark wood, polished stone, and warm golden lights that hang from the ceiling. Elegant couches are arranged around several low tables, and tall shelves line the walls, filled with bottles of wine and champagne.

There are bottles everywhere. Some are displayed neatly on wooden shelves, while others sit inside glass cabinets or rest on tables around the room. A few unopened bottles are arranged beside crystal glasses, as though someone could walk over and pour themselves a drink at any moment.

The entire place feels less like an underground hideout and more like some ridiculously expensive private lounge hidden beneath the city.

Jacob's mouth slowly falls open. “Whoa.” He takes a few steps forward, his eyes moving from one side of the room to the other. “What the hell?”

Signy smiles. “Impressive, right?”

Jacob doesn't answer. He continues staring.

There are even several separate rooms branching off from the main area, each one designed with the same expensive, carefully maintained style. The warm lighting reflects off the polished surfaces, making the entire place feel strangely comfortable despite the fact that we are several levels underground.

Jacob finally turns toward Cyprus. “You live here?”

Cyprus takes off his jacket and casually drapes it over one of the chairs. “Sometimes.”

Jacob looks around again. “Here?”

“Yes.”

“Underground?”

“Yes.”

Jacob's eyebrows rise. He looks at the bottles again. “Why do you have enough wine and champagne to supply a wedding?”

Cyprus glances toward the shelves. “It's not that much.”

Jacob turns toward him with a look of disbelief. “Not that much?”

I still cannot believe that Cyprus is actually this rich. Looking around the luxurious underground space, I can't help but wonder how someone like him, who is practically known as the school's biggest troublemaker, could possibly own a place this extravagant. The entire area looks carefully designed, with expensive furniture, elegant lighting, and modern decorations that make it feel more like a private mansion than a hidden underground hideout. Who would have thought that the school's notorious troublemaker would have his own luxurious underground residence hidden away from everyone else?

Jacob looks at Ciela. “Ciela, look around!”

“I am looking.”

“There are bottles everywhere!”

“I can see that.”

“Then how can he say it's not that much?”

Cyprus ignores him and walks farther into the room. Jacob watches him for a moment before slowly following.

Then Cyprus stops. “You'll be staying here.”

Jacob freezes. His expression immediately changes from amazement to suspicion. “I'm sorry?”

“You heard me.”

Jacob points at himself. “I'm staying here?”

“For now.”

His eyes widen. “Like... overnight?”

Cyprus looks at him. “Until we find the admin.”

Jacob stares at him. Then he looks around the enormous underground room again. His eyes settle on the couches. Then the tables. Then the shelves of food and drinks in the corner.

His expression slowly becomes thoughtful. “Well...” Jacob turns toward Cyprus. “As long as there’s a lot of food, I guess I can survive.”

Signy snorts.

Jacob ignores her. “Seriously. I need to know what you people eat down here. Because if you're expecting me to stay in an underground bunker and survive on crackers, I'm leaving.”

“There's food,” Cyprus says.

Jacob's face brightens immediately. “How much?”

“Enough.”

“That doesn't tell me anything.”

“There’s a kitchen.”

Jacob looks toward the direction Cyprus points. His eyes light up. “Can I see it?”

“Later.”

Jacob seems satisfied with that answer. He takes another step forward, but then suddenly stops.

The excitement drains from his face. “Oh.”

I notice it immediately. “What?”

Jacob looks down. His expression turns uneasy. “My studies.” Nobody says anything. “And my parents.”

He looks at us, suddenly remembering everything outside this place—the school, his classes, the assignments he probably hasn't finished, and the fact that his parents have no idea where he is.

His face tightens. “They're going to worry.” The playful attitude disappears from his voice. “I can't just disappear.”

Signy uncrosses her arms. “We already thought about that.”

Jacob looks at her. “What?”

“We'll send your parents a letter.”

His eyebrows furrow. “A letter?”

I nod. “We'll tell them you need some time alone. Nothing dramatic. Just enough to explain why you won't be home for a while.”

Jacob stares at me. “Do you seriously think my parents are going to believe that?”

Ciela shrugs. “We'll make it believable.”

“That sounds incredibly suspicious.”

“Then you can write it yourself.”

Jacob pauses. I can almost see the argument forming in his head. “Wait,” he says. “Can I actually write it?”

“Of course.”

Jacob seems slightly relieved. “I'll tell them I'm staying somewhere quiet for a while because I need to focus on myself and my studies.”

Signy nods.

“And I'll make sure they know I'm safe,” he continues.

“Exactly.” I nod.

He's willing to cooperate now. Well, it's not like he has a choice.

Jacob looks down again, thinking. “And my school?”

Cleovon crosses his arms. “We'll figure that out.”

“My teachers are going to kill me.”

“That's not our biggest concern right now,” Cyprus says.

Jacob looks at him. “Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's going to have to explain why I suddenly disappeared.”

Cyprus gives him a look. “You're the one who decided to help the admin.”

Jacob immediately points at him. “Technically, I didn't decide anything. You kidnapped me.”

“Here we go again,” Cleovon mutters.

Jacob glares at him. “I am never going to let you forget that.”

“You've said that five times already.”

“Because it's still true.”

I shake my head, but a small smile forms on my face. For a few seconds, everything feels almost normal.

Then Ciela claps her hands once. “Enough.” Everyone turns toward her. She looks around the room before settling her eyes on us. “We're wasting time.”

Jacob's expression becomes more serious.

Ciela walks toward the center table and places both hands against its edge. “Tomorrow, we will start hunting the admin.”

The room falls quiet. Jacob's eyes narrow. Cyprus leans against the table, listening. Cleovon straightens in his seat, and I feel the atmosphere change almost instantly. Just moments ago, we were arguing about food and Jacob's parents. Now the reason we're all here comes rushing back.

The person behind the video. The anonymous admin. The one who knows exactly what happened and has been hiding behind a screen this entire time.

Ciela continues. “We don't know who we're looking for yet, but we know there has to be a connection somewhere. The account didn't just appear out of nowhere. Someone created it. Someone is running it. Someone is feeding it information.”

Cleovon slowly nods. “And we're going to find that person.”

“Exactly.” Cyprus folds his arms.

“So what's the first step?” Signy asks.

Ciela looks toward Signy. “We start with the people who had access to the recording.”

I nod. “Then we work backward.”

“Exactly.”

Jacob glances between us. “And what am I supposed to do?”

Signy looks at him. “You're coming with us.”

Jacob's eyebrows shoot up. “Obviously.” He looks down at the rope still hanging loosely around him. “But can we maybe take this off first?”

Everyone looks at him.

He raises his eyebrows. “I'm serious. I'm not going anywhere.”

Cyprus walks over and finally removes the rope.

Jacob immediately rubs his arms and exhales in relief. “Thank you.”

“Don't make me regret it.”

Jacob gives him a flat look. “You literally kidnapped me. I think we're already past that point.”

Cleovon laughs.

Signy shakes her head as she walks toward the stairs. “Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

Jacob looks toward the kitchen. “Wait. Before I rest, where's the food?”

I stare at him. He looks completely serious. “You just got kidnapped, brought underground, and told that we're hunting an anonymous person tomorrow, and you're worried about food?”

Jacob looks at me like the answer should be obvious. “I'm hungry.”

For a moment, nobody says anything. Then Cyprus sighs. “Kitchen. Second door on the left.”

Jacob immediately walks in that direction. “See? This is why I knew staying here wasn't such a bad idea.”

“Jacob,” Ciela calls.

He stops. “Yeah?”

“Don't touch anything expensive.”

Jacob looks around at the bottles and expensive-looking furniture. “Define expensive.”

“Jacob.”

“Okay, okay!” He disappears toward the kitchen.

I watch him go before looking at Ciela. Ciela stares after him with the same exhausted expression I imagine I'm wearing.

“Are you sure about him?” I ask.

Ciela looks at me. “No.” I blink. She turns toward the stairs. “But we're stuck with him now.”

I can't help but laugh. Tomorrow, the hunt begins.