Chapter 4 Theodora and Her Secret

The humming in the tunnel intensified, and the floor seemed to vibrate beneath Leo and Lucia's feet as the mechanism in the wall continued to move. The indentations where they had placed the medallions turned slowly, revealing a hidden compartment.
"There it is!" Leo said, trying to open the panel with trembling hands.
Before he could, a scream of fury echoed behind them. The man from the top floor was approaching rapidly, his face twisted in frustration.
"Get away from that!" he roared, running toward them.
Lucia reacted instinctively, raising her flashlight and shining it directly into the man's eyes.
"Leo, do something!" she shouted, trying to buy time.
Leo, without thinking, reached into the newly opened compartment and pulled out an object wrapped in an antique cloth. It weighed more than she expected, and the mere contact with it sent a chill down her spine.
"I've got him!" she announced.
But the man was already too close. With a sudden movement, he pushed Lucia, who fell to the ground, dropping the flashlight.
"Lucia!" Leo shouted, backing away as the man reached for the wrapped object.
Before she could reach him, a figure appeared behind the man. It was Teodora, holding a wooden cane in both hands.
"Get away from them!" she shouted, hitting him hard on the back.
The man stumbled and fell to the ground, but quickly got back up, his fury now directed at the old woman.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with," she said in a threatening voice, advancing on her.
Teodora, far from retreating, placed herself between the man and the children.
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with. You searchers always come back." But they never win.
Lucia, still on the ground, retrieved the flashlight and shone it back at the man, blinding him for a moment.
"Run, Leo! Get that out of here!" she shouted.
Leo hesitated for a moment, but then nodded and began running toward the tunnel exit, holding the object tightly.
"Don't let it get away!" the man shouted, advancing on him.
Teodora intercepted him again, this time blocking his path with her cane.
"Not while I'm here," she said firmly.
Leo left the tunnel, his heart pounding. He climbed the basement stairs and reached the vestibule, where the light from outside filtered weakly through the windows. He didn't know exactly what to do with the object, but he knew he couldn't let the man get it back.
Lucia appeared behind him moments later, panting but determined.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing at the cloth-wrapped package.
"I don't know, but Teodora said we should protect it."
Lucía looked toward the basement, worried.
"And Teodora?"
Before they could do anything else, the basement door burst open. The man emerged, his dark gaze fixed on the brothers.
"Give me that now, or you'll regret it," he said, advancing slowly toward them.
Leo and Lucía retreated to the center of the hallway. Neighbors were beginning to peek out from their apartments, attracted by the noise.
"What's going on here?!" a voice shouted from the second floor. It was Mrs. Martínez, with her usual authoritarian tone.
The man ignored the curious glances and continued forward.
"You don't understand what you have in your hands. If you don't hand it over now, everyone will be in danger."
Lucía pressed her lips together, a mixture of fear and defiance.
"Why do you want it? What do you plan to do with this?" The man stopped in his tracks, as if considering how to respond. Finally, his expression softened, but his eyes remained cold.
"I'm not his enemy. That object isn't safe. I need to get it away from here, to a place where no one else can use it."
"You're lying!" Leo shouted. "If you truly wanted to protect it, you wouldn't have attacked us."
Before the man could respond, Theodora appeared in the basement doorway, leaning on her cane. Though she was breathing heavily, her gaze remained steady.
"He's not looking to protect anything," she said, moving toward the foyer. "He just wants to take advantage of what that artifact can do."
The man looked at her with contempt.
"And you? Do you intend to keep it hidden forever? That's not protecting it, it's wasting it."
The neighbors, now gathered in the foyer, murmured among themselves, confused by what was happening.
"Enough!" Theodora shouted, raising a hand. “This has nothing to do with you. But what is clear is that this man must leave the building.”
The man laughed, a cold, empty sound.
“Do you think you can stop me, old woman?”
Teodora didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she looked at Leo and Lucía, her eyes filled with urgency.
“Run,” she said firmly. “Take him away from here.”
“Don’t you dare!” the man shouted, launching himself at them.
Without a second thought, Leo took Lucía’s hand, and they both ran out the front door of the building, leaving the screams and chaos of the lobby behind.
The artifact The thing in their hands weighed like an immense burden, but they both knew they couldn't stop. Their adventure had just gotten even more dangerous.
Leo and Lucia ran through the wet streets of Central City, the cloth-wrapped artifact clutched to Leo's chest. Their footsteps echoed on the cobblestones as they constantly looked over their shoulders. Even though they'd left the Esmeralda Building behind, they couldn't shake the feeling that the man was following them.
"Where are we going?" Lucia asked, panting.
Leo turned a corner, looking for a place where they could stop and think.
"I don't know, but we need to stay away from the building until we figure out what to do with this."
Lucia stared at the wrapped object, as if hoping it would give her some clue.
"What if we open it? Maybe we can understand why it's so important."
Leo hesitated. Though he was also curious, something inside him told him this object was more dangerous than it looked.
"Not here." We need a safe place first.
Finally, they reached a small park, a quiet corner between brick buildings. Under the protection of a large tree, they sat on a bench, both trying to catch their breath.
"This is crazy," Lucia said, shaking her head. "Yesterday we were just two bored kids in an old building, and now we're running away with something we don't even understand."
Leo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"I know this is scary, but we have to trust Teodora. She said this can't fall into the wrong hands."
"But what if we're not prepared for this?" Lucia asked quietly.
Leo didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leaned toward the bundle and began untying the knot that kept the cloth closed.
"What are you doing?" Lucia asked, alarmed.
"If we're going to protect this, we have to know what it is," Leo said determinedly.
Carefully, he pulled back the cloth, revealing what had been hidden. It was a strange and ancient object, a sort of metallic sphere carved with intricate symbols that glowed faintly in the park's light. It seemed heavy, though as he held it in his hands, Leo felt a slight vibration, as if it had a life of its own.
"It's... incredible," Lucía murmured, moving closer to examine it.
Suddenly, they both felt a faint buzzing in the air, as if the artifact had activated something. The faint light of the symbols began to intensify, and Leo had to look away.
"What's it doing?" Lucía asked, her voice filled with panic.
Before they could react, an image was projected from the sphere. It was like a hologram, but more real, more tangible. It showed what appeared to be the Esmeralda Building, but not as they knew it. It was an older version, with a much larger basement and an unfamiliar structure in the center.
"This... this is the building," Lucía said, astonished.
"But what does it mean?" Leo asked, turning the sphere in his hands.
The hologram changed, now showing a hooded figure holding the same sphere. The figure spoke in a language neither of them understood, but its tone was grave, almost like a warning.
The sphere returned to its normal state, leaving the siblings in silence.
"This is bigger than we thought," Lucia finally said. "It's not just an artifact; it's some kind of key or... tool."
Leo nodded, but before he could answer, a noise behind them caught his attention. Through the bushes, a figure was moving quickly toward them.
"It's him!" Lucia shouted, getting to her feet.
It was the man from the top floor, his face marked by determination.
"Give me that now!" he ordered, as he approached.
Leo quickly put the sphere back in the cloth and pulled Lucia's hand.
"Run!" The two of them ventured into the neighborhood's streets, zigzagging through alleys and trying to lose the man. Although they were terrified, the sight of the artifact gave them purpose: to protect it at all costs.
Finally, they reached a dead end, where they stopped to catch their breath.
"We can't keep running," Lucía said, leaning against the wall. "We have to face him."
Leo looked at the package in his hands and then at his sister.
"If he wants this, then let's use it against him."
"How?"
"I don't know, but we have to try."
Before they could come up with a plan, the man appeared at the entrance to the alley. His silhouette was imposing under the flickering streetlights.
"You have nowhere else to go," he said, advancing slowly toward them.
Leo held the artifact tightly, as Lucía fell in beside him.
"Then come and get him," Leo said, trying to sound braver than he felt.
The man on the top floor advanced with calculated steps, his eyes fixed on the package Leo held tightly. His breathing was labored, and a mixture of frustration and ambition was reflected on his face.
"You don't understand what you're doing," he said, his voice low but thick with tension. "That artifact isn't for children like you."
Lucia stepped forward, placing a protective arm in front of her brother.
"We don't believe a word you're saying. All you've done is threaten us and attack Theodora. If you really wanted to protect this, you wouldn't be chasing us like a madman."
The man laughed, a harsh sound that echoed in the narrow alley.
"Protect it? From whom? From Theodora, who has kept it hidden for years, denying the world its true power?"
"What power?" Leo asked, his voice trembling slightly, though he tried to sound firm.
The man raised a hand, pointing at the package.
"That artifact isn't just a key, as your dear Theodora believes. It's a device capable of revealing any secret, even those that have been buried for centuries. It could change history, the way we see the world..."
"And you want it all for yourself?" "Lucia interrupted, taking a step closer.
"Just for me?" the man repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You don't understand. This can't stay in a damp basement of an old building. It has to be in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, someone who understands its true value."
Leo held the artifact tighter, taking a step back.
"And that someone is you?"
"Of course," the man replied, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Lucia shot a quick glance at her brother, and then, as if she'd read his mind, nodded slightly. They both knew they couldn't let him get any closer.
"If you want it so badly, come get it," Leo said, holding up the wrapped artifact.
The man darted forward, his movements quick and purposeful. But just as he was about to reach them, Leo tore off the cloth, revealing the metallic sphere. The symbols glowed brightly, and a deep hum filled the alley.
The light emanating from the sphere enveloped the space, and the man stopped dead in his tracks, covering his eyes.
"What... what are you doing? Stop!" he shouted, backing away as the light intensified.
Lucia took advantage of the distraction to run toward him and push him with all her might. The man stumbled and fell to the ground, while Leo held the sphere in front of him, unsure exactly how it was being activated.
Suddenly, the light projected a new image into the air, like a hologram covering the entire alley. This time, it showed a hooded figure holding the artifact in what appeared to be the basement of the Esmeralda building. Around him, other symbols glowed on the walls, forming an intricate pattern that spread like a net.
The man stared at the image in amazement, his eyes wide.
"It's the map..." he whispered. "The map to fully activate it."
Lucia looked at him suspiciously.
"What do you mean, 'fully activate it'?"
The man didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stood slowly, his expression a mixture of despair and obsession.
"That artifact has a greater purpose. This map shows how to unlock its true power—not just to reveal secrets, but also..."
"Also what?" Leo interrupted, approaching with the sphere raised.
The man seemed to hesitate for the first time.
"Also to destroy them."
The alley fell completely silent, except for the sphere's whirring.
"Destroy them?" Lucia repeated, her eyes wide.
The man nodded, his voice calmer now but just as dangerous.
"That artifact is a weapon, not a toy. And if you don't hand it over right now, someone will activate it incorrectly and endanger the entire building... and beyond."
Leo and Lucia exchanged glances. On the one hand, the man's words seemed to make sense, but his behavior and intentions remained suspicious.
"We don't believe you," Leo finally said, covering the sphere with the cloth again.
The man took a step forward, but this time his tone changed.
"I'm not asking you to believe me. I'm just asking you not to make a mistake."
Before he could continue, a new voice broke the tension.
"Get away from them!"
It was Teodora, who had arrived in the alley accompanied by several residents of the Esmeralda building. Some carried flashlights, others sticks or makeshift utensils.
The man stopped, clearly outnumbered.
"This isn't over," he said, giving Leo and Lucía one last look before running away into the shadows.
Teodora quickly approached the boys, her expression grave but relieved.
"Are you all right?"
Leo nodded, though he still felt the weight of the sphere in his hands.
"Teodora, he said this... this is a weapon."
The old woman looked at them seriously and then sighed deeply.
"It's more than that. It's a choice. But now is not the time to talk. We must return to the building."
Lucia looked at her brother, who nodded slowly. They knew that, although they had won this small battle, the real danger was just beginning.