The tires squealed as Max stomped on the gas pedal, his car jerking forward with a surge. The engine growled as he took the winding, empty road away from the plant at high speed. His fingers gripped the steering wheel hard, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead in spite of the cold night air. He looked at the rearview mirror, his heart racing. A set of headlights showed in the distance behind him, and his gut fell.

  "They're coming… they're not going to stop," he grumbled to himself, his voice laced with fear and determination.

  The government cars encircled them, their sirens blaring through the night. Max was certain they weren't here to chat—wanted the fragment, and they wouldn't stop until they got it.

  The sack on the front passenger seat looked as if it were glowing as the meteorite fragment glowed with energy. Max's eyes darted over to it momentarily. It was both fascinating and frightening—a diminutive chunk of something much outside his comprehension.

  "What are you worth in terms of the trouble you bring?" he chided the fragment, as though waiting for some response.

  The highway curved violently, and Max struggled to maintain control of the vehicle as he steered to avoid sliding off into the forest. Behind him, the cars that were chasing him closed in, their headlights lighting up the tight road ahead. Max's thoughts flew as quickly as the vehicle.

  "Come on, think, Max! You're supposed to be intelligent, aren't you? Dad trusted you… so act like it!" he exclaimed, pounding a fist on the steering wheel in anger.

  He glanced down the road, looking for something he could use to his benefit. A plan started to take shape, but it was dangerous. He gripped the wheel harder, his knuckles whitening.

  The highway opened up to a straightaway, and Max took advantage of it. He leaned over, scooped up a bunch of miscellaneous tools from the bag on the floor, and threw them out the window individually. There was a ringing metallic sound as the objects clanged against the road. One of the vehicles behind them veered, missing a piece of wreckage by inches, and stopped in its tracks.

  "One down," Max grumbled with a faint smile, but his tenseness in speaking gave away his nervousness.

  The other cars continued on, their motors roaring deafeningly. Max felt the pressure of the moment bearing down upon him, reminding him of the stakes. If they caught him, it wasn't only his life at risk—whatever his father had risked everything for would be forfeit.

  As he made a sharp turn, he yelled at himself, "You can do this, Max! Just keep it together!"

  At last, a far-off bridge appeared in sight, its rusty steel girder shining under the moonlight. Max's gaze shifted to the fragment once more.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "You've caused enough trouble for one night," he said, jokingly but also very much cognizant of the burden now on his shoulders. "I'm not going to let them take you."

  He shoved the car harder, the speedometer needle rising steadily. The bridge loomed before them, but so did the agents. They were not far behind now, their lights shining the dark road like specter beacons.

  Max came to a decision. He ground his teeth and grumbled, "If this doesn't work, I'm a goner."

  In the last moment, Max swerved wildly off the road, his car jolting over rough ground. The tires scuffled and kicked up rocks and dust, and for one terrifying moment the car seemed about to turn over. But it didn't. The government cars hesitated on the side of the road, not sure whether to go with him into the unknown.

  Max breathed a quivering breath, peeking in the rearview mirror. The agents had paused, but he recognized this was not the end.

  At last, he pulled to the side amidst a thick copse of trees. The car engine purred quietly as he sat in the driver's seat, gasping for air. He grabbed for the bag and opened it, showing the radiant fragment. It glowed with a soft light, as though alive.

  Max gazed at it for a long time, his dad's words ringing in his head: "It's up to you now."

  With a combination of fear and resolve, Max braced his fists and murmured, "I've got the answers now. And I'm not going to let them take it from me."

  As the soft wail of far-off sirens reached his ears, Max knew this was only the start. The game was more critical than ever before, and the burden of his father's reputation now squarely sat on his shoulders.

  Summary

  Max had long carried the shadow of his father, but as he unraveled the mysterious journal in his grasp, he felt something change—a curious blend of fascination and foreboding. The coded diary entries appeared like breadcrumbs, and he found himself on a path to a truth he wasn't certain he was prepared to discover. Every line was like a piece of a puzzle, and it whispered a secret too large to be dismissed. He read one line repeatedly: "The answers lie beneath."Max's adrenaline spiked. With one last, desperate push, the grate creaked open, banging loudly as it hit the pavement outside. He didn't hesitate to celebrate. Dashing out into the fresh air, he gasped a deep breath, the sweet night air stinging in his lungs after the stale air of the tunnel.

  He didn't slow down. Max ran towards his car, which was parked wildly in the darkness under an old building. His legs ached, but he could not slow down. The agents' voices behind him receded as they followed him into the tunnel.

  As he approached the car, his fingers struggled with the keys. "Come on, come on," he said under his breath, his fingers trembling with a combination of fatigue and nerves. The bag containing the fragment bounced against his side, its heaviness a constant reminder of what was at risk.

  At last, the car door opened, and he flung himself in, closing the door behind him. He inserted the key into the ignition, the engine revving to life.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement—agents spilling out of the tunnel entrance, over the beam of their flashlights cutting through darkness.

  "There he is!" one of them yelled.

  Max did not hesitate. He stomped his foot down on the gas, the tires squealing as the car skidded out of the scene. His knuckles whitening as he held the steering wheel, his heart pounding in his chest.

  "I'm not going to let them get it," he muttered to himself, giving a quick look at the bag on the passenger seat. "Not after all you did to keep it safe, Dad."

  As the agents' numbers vanished from the rearview mirror, Max breathed shakily. He was safe, at least for the moment. But he knew this was only the start of things.