He knew he was close, in fact, he could almost see it. The finish line. Decades of work coming to an end. The world, the universe, everything soon would be in his hands.

He would find the key. The key of the Watcher. The key that would lead him to the Watcher’s throne and from there he could make the world over in his image. He could solve problems that plagued the world for too long. He could fix the universe himself once he found the key.

Sharad Parikh was willing to do anything to find it. It was why he formed HARM in the first place. He knew that the key was an ancient artifact and also knew that it was located somewhere in the ruins of Selvadorada. He’d have it soon. He had one of his best leading the expedition. A woman who was known to be more than a little insane but driven. Alena had promised that she would accomplish her goals no matter the cost and she would do anything to make sure no one got in the way…

I haven’t heard from Alena since our last little meeting but she did leave me a lot to think about. Mostly about this HARM organization. They weren’t just going to go away. I really needed to be prepared for them intruding in my life again. For some reason they are poking around in Selvadorada and I need to find out why. I think my mom can help. She’s a journalist, or was, so she has some investigative experience…or should. Maybe she could help out a little bit? If she can’t find out anything about HARM I wonder if she could at least find out if this Alena character is actually related to me. She sure didn’t inherit her crazy from my dad…

It was a pretty wet and rainy day otherwise in San Myshuno. I decided to just hang outside for a bit as I waited for a guest. Some girl. Some historian that I contacted for help on this whole HARM thing.

Found her on the internet so I wasn’t sure how reliable she was. I was willing to take a shot on her though. I needed information more than anything right now. I can fix the puzzle up once I have all the pieces.

I made it home just in time to meet this historian. She was younger than I expected. Look like she was fresh out of college. I was hoping I’d get someone with a lot more experience.

“Kaelyn, right?” I asked after inviting her in.

“Yep, Telah, right? So nice to meet you!”

While Kaelyn may not have been the grizzled veteran of history that I desired, she seemed to speak with some authority on the matter of the Omiscan. Which is what she most wanted to talk about.

“The Omiscan are related to HARM in some way, that’s all I know. I admit, I don’t know much about HARM but they seem desperate to learn more about the Omiscan and other ancient civilizations like them.” She said, talking always with an eagerness. I could tell that she was excited to just talk about history with someone else.

“The Omiscan were an interesting civilization, I don’t see their curiosity about them as all that alarming.”

“You are right. That’s not the unusual thing about it. The unusual thing about it is as I ventured to learn more about the Omiscan in particular, every archaeologist that has studied their ruins either works for HARM or dies in some terrible accident-”

“I’m on their radar.” I said.

“It certainly is no coincidence, Telah. If I were you I’d suggest excavating other things.”

“I can’t just give up. Who are they to tell me what to do and what not to do?”

“A secret organization funded by drug simoleons? Look, I’ve just met you. I don’t know you all that well but you seem like a nice person. I’d leave it alone if I were you or study it from afar like I have.”

“I see…”

Kaelyn only motivated me, to be honest. Something was up. Something big, probably far bigger than me, which meant it shouldn’t be ignored.

If HARM was going to come for me than I’d be prepared. Even signed up to a new gym! This one isn’t as crowded. I have to stay in shape. Going on an expedition soon and I’m suddenly expecting trouble.

I dragged my butt home after working out only to get a call from Davis. You know? The guy I have a crush on but has made it clear that he’s not interested in me romantically at all? Yeah, that dude.

He was just checking up on me which is….odd? Usually, if he calls me there is a point to it so this seemed sort of random. Ah well, I’m going to try and put that right out of my mind for now.

Yeah, that’s fine. Just don’t use the expensive bed I bought you then! It is right there! She could roll over and use it by accident!

I was back in Selvadorada and welcomed soon by Davis. I rented the same small house so I guess I wasn’t that hard to find.

It wasn’t easy to return to the same little house but I wasn’t exactly loaded. Beggars can’t be choosers. It would simply have to do, I couldn’t afford some fancy vacation house. Besides, I was here to do work. Nothing else.

Davis, it seems, wanted to brag about how much his career has turned upwards thanks to joining HARM. He seemed so excited and eager about it. How he’s moving up in the world and finally being realized for his talents. He didn’t mention Alena at least but I didn’t plan on letting him completely ignore her. “You know, the last time I was here someone snuck into this place, this very place, and shot my dad, right?”

“Ummm,” was all he could offer. “The crime here is pretty bad Telah-”

“I know who it was. Alena. Do you know an Alena, Davis?”

“Ummmm,” I could see him swallow hard. “It’s a popular name, Alena, I’m sure I’ve known a few.”

“Davis…”

“How do you know? How do you know it was her?”

“She admitted it. Do you know her?”

He shrugged. “I know an Alena, sure. Doesn’t mean it’s the same one though. Like I said, popular name.” I guess he didn’t know that I saw him dancing and snuggling with the very same Alena that bragged to me about getting revenge on her dear daddy for abandoning her. “Look, I need to go. Sorry about your dad, hope he’s alright.” And with that, he left. Making a rather sudden exit.

Whatever, if Davis is going to pick that side then let him. I’m not letting HARM, Davis, or Alena get in the way of my expedition…

This was going to be my first time exploring an actual temple. It didn’t take long before I ran into obstacles, I expected that of course, but still, to see actual decorated skeletons stand before me guarding an entrance was a little surreal. Until this point, I was used to digging up ancient artifacts and brushing them clean. Not solving puzzles for them! It was all pretty exciting!

I walked up to one of those skeletons almost at random and pulled on the spear it held. Its eyes shone immediately as it made some eerie groaning sound…no…that sound was from a door opening! This won’t be too hard after all!

It helps to be prepared! I was this time, I had so many supplies that I’m sure I could live here for at least a few days! Despite reaching in the wrong hole there and soiling my pants out of pure fear…this expedition was going really well! I mean, again, despite doing that. Ah well, no one was around to see, unless you count the skeletons I suppose.

Success! My first expedition into a tomb has been a huge success! Now, time to safely get back home and learn a bit more about what I’ve actually discovered!

I wasn’t exactly sure what I found. I’m good at finding things but not so good at labeling what they are. I think my new friend can help with that, she’s a historian, I think she will love to come over and check these out.

If she still wants to be connected to me that is. She seemed pretty terrified about HARM, even suggesting that they would outright kill me. Actually, I didn’t doubt that. If Alena was telling the truth about shooting my dad then I doubt she would hold hesitate to pull the trigger with me as her target.

She would. It would be partly my fault too. I let her go after she revealed that little secret to me. I was shocked…I wasn’t sure what to do, my immediate response was to attack her but what would that have accomplished? I’d turn her into the police when I had a confession on tape or further evidence. Besides, I need her. She’s connected to HARM more than Davis…and she’s unstable. She may help me if convinced. I just needed to convince her now.

Called Mom for an update on Dad. She said things are going well for him. He’s pretty much recovered, almost ready to return home. It was all great news really but I couldn’t help but talk to her about HARM. They were slowly consuming my life and for good reason. I couldn’t get Kaelyn’s warning out of my head.

I told mom all about it. I thought she would say I was crazy. Instead, she said she had found some things but she wasn’t willing to share over the phone. She said as soon as Dad is released from the hospital she’ll visit and tell me all about it.

It really was the perfect spring day for a walk and of course Cosmo begged for it. These really did help me, help me get HARM off the mind at least and simply enjoy the day.

Surprise, Kaelyn was more than interested in meeting me again once I told her about the artifacts I dug up. So I told her I’d meet her at the nearby park…

“You’re just going to have to come by and see,” I told her. She kept insisting on every fine detail of the artifacts I managed to find. I didn’t know too much about them. I could dust them off, clean them, but I didn’t know the purpose of each thing.

“The Omiscan were superstitious people,” she said. We walked casually through the park. The weather was just right. Not too cold, not too hot, perfect really for a day out.

“What does that have to do with anything.”

“Everything. The Omiscan believed some off the wall things. That only through death they could live. They worshiped their dead, decorating their bones thinking that it brought their loved ones fortune in the afterlife.”

“That’s not that off the wall.”

“Perhaps…there’s more to it.” We continued to walk. It seemed she went quiet to think about what she would say next, how to phrase it at least. Finally, as we neared the fountain she would speak again. “The Omiscan worshipped a deity. A man…or woman who sat on a throne which gave them the power to control all beings, all things. Most Omiscanologist like to downplay it, they just stash it away as some kooky ancient religion but…”

But it made sense for some secret organization to believe that very thing and that belief would lead anyone to kill. “Where is the throne room?”

“No one knows. According to legends, there is a key that leads to it. You can’t get into the room without the key, obviously.”

“Yeah, obviously. Do you think this is what HARM’s after?”

She looked unsure. “Maybe, I can’t think of anything else that would cause such desperation to find. Sure, there are some items worth a fortune, but that’s the nature of this tomb raiding business, right?”

The more I thought about it the more Kaeyln’s theory made sense. After all, what could drive an organization about archaeology to kill and operate in the shadows?

I decided to head back to my gym. I’d be ready for their attack, even if it means adding a little muscle here and there.

Working out long enough at the gym sometimes drew curious eyes to your figure. It seemed I caught the eye of one of the trainers. His name was Ranjan Desai and he had the look of a trainer. The charisma of one too, he approached oozing confidence.

“Haven’t seen you here before, new to the gym?” He said after making a beeline towards me. “Of course you are, I would have noticed you before.”

“Oh? Do you pounce on all the new gym members like this?”

“Of course, it’s good business!” He said, laughing after to indicate it was only a joke. “Just a joke you know, we get bonuses for helping the member here, so yes, I do try to get to them first if no one else does. Still, helping you out would feel a lot less like work.”

“Oh really? Well, I’m afraid I don’t need a trainer, I know what I’m doing.”

“That’s fine, I understand.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Personally, I hate the idea of trainers. I like my private space. I like to put on headphones and just work out, zone out the rest of the world, so I get it.”

“Exactly-”

“That still doesn’t excuse you rejecting seeing me another time, right?”

“Oh, well, yeah sure, I guess. Just give me your number and if I’m free and not doing anything then maybe we can chill out or something.”

He laughed. “You’re a tough one but I’ll take it!”

I was feeling myself a bit after that. I liked Ranjan, I did, I just wanted to make the guy put some effort into it, you know? I was whistling on my way home, always feels nice when a good looking guy approaches you like that, even if his confidence felt a little like arrogance.

It’s too bad my good mood was ruined when I opened my door and found some thug eying the things I’ve collected…

Before I could do anything he turned and charged. I thought I would be prepared but he was far too quick. He tackled me to the ground with such ease that it made all my training feel useless.

Once he got me to the ground he tried to strangle me. Luckily, I was able to fend him off just long enough for help to arrive…

Suddenly a low growl could be heard, a vicious sound that vibrated through my heart and hopefully the heart of my attacker. I had never heard Cosmo made that sound. Sure, I’ve heard her growl before but this one was a clear warning that she was prepared to kill.

“Good boy,” the man said, as Cosmo ripped out a bark. It was short and tense, it almost said, ‘I won’t bark again…’

“Get him girl!” I managed to say.

“Good girl then! I-I’m not here to hurt her, we were just talking and-”

Cosmo barked again and leaped into action…

Before she could get her jaws on my attacker he lept away and scurried into the elevator. I looked out the window and could see him running as if a lycan chased him, perhaps one did.

Cosmo was ready to give chase but I called her back and she obeyed. “I’m going to give you nothing but bacon for the ENTIRE week girl! You saved my life!”

Now I had to find out who that was and what they were looking for…who am I kidding? That was a member of HARM, right? Had to be. Who knew they employed literal ninjas?

~END~