Elijah had just finished typing when Elliot blocked his path, "Can we really trust this professor? What if he spills the beans?" Elijah was brimming with confidence, "He's like the wise old mentor from your hometown, hidden away in the mountains. Do you think your mentor would do anything to harm you?" "Absolutely not!" "Then trust me, my professor wouldn't either," Elijah assured.
With that, Elliot relaxed his grip, and Elijah hit 'send'.
The reply cswiftly, "Which publishing house?" Elijah quickly sent over the publishing house's details, only to receive an immediate response, "I can't help you with this one." Elijah's brow furrowed, "Why not?" The answer was straightforward, "I designed their entire security system myself, sold it to them for a pretty penny. Breaking through it now would go against my professional ethics." Elijah and Elliot were speechless, their silence filled with revelation.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtSo that's why they hadn't been able to breach the security - it was their professor's handiwork! Elliot, with a puzzled expression, asked Elijah, "Your professor is involved with them?" Elijah replied, "He's somewhat of a freelancer, makes his living off projects like these." "Why suddenly take an interest in breaching their security system? Are you investigating them?" the professor inquired.
"Yeah, I'm digging into sof their internal affairs for my dad," Elijah confessed.
The professor paused before responding, "I can't help you break into their system. But I'll tell you this - they're wolves in sheep's clothing. Officially a publishing house, but they've been conducting research, the nature of which I'm not entirely sure. But it's backed by sserious power. I'd advise you to steer clear." The boys exchanged worried glances, Elijah typing back, "Understood, professor." Concerned, Elijah asked, "How have you been, anyway?" "Good, except I'm still searching for someone I haven't been able to find," the professor replied.
Elijah's brow creased in empathy, "Still no word from her?" A sigh emoji was all he got in return, "She's been missing too long. Finding her is becoming increasingly difficult." Elijah struggled to find comforting words, knowing all too well the pain of searching for a lost person.
After all, it was their shared experiences of loss that had deepened their bond. Elijah had been tirelessly searching for his mom, while his professor had been on a long quest to find a woman dear to him.
But now, while Elijah had been reunited with his mom, his professor's search remained fruitless. "I've got to go offline for a bit, Elijah. Leave a message if you need anything, and I'll get back to you," the professor wrote.
Elijah quickly replied, "I managed to find my mom in this vast world, professor. I believe you'll find her too."
"Thanks for the kind words, Elijah! And a friendly word of advice teth your dad to keep away from that publishing house." Elijah and Elliot exchanged a look. So, the publishing house might be even more deeply entangled with the mysterious figure than they thought! Not only could they not afford to stay away, but they also had to dig deeper.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAfter all, as long as this mysterious person remained a threat to their family, they could never rest easy.
Meanwhile, Tarquin returned to his study, booted up his computer, and began reviewing the evidence Gideon had provided. The more he read, the darker his expression became. After finishing, he took a deep breath, clenched his jaw, and adjusted his tie in frustration.
Staring at the computer screen, he made a decision, grabbed his phone, and left the study with a determined stride. mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1