Lucia leaned toward her brother, barely whispering.
"Do you think it's him?" Leo nodded slowly.
"Who else would come here at this hour?" Suddenly, the metal basement door swung open, and the man from the top floor appeared, shining a powerful flashlight into the darkness. His face showed a mixture of fury and determination, as if he knew he was close to his target.
"I know they're here," he said firmly, turning the flashlight toward the corners of the basement. "They can't hide forever."
Lucía squeezed Leo's arm tightly, while Teodora raised a finger in a sign of silence. The three of them remained motionless as the man advanced, his flashlight moving from side to side, illuminating the walls and the dusty floor.
When he approached the corner where they had found the medallion, he stopped. His light fell on the small hollow in the wall, and his expression changed from curiosity to frustration.
"So you found it first," he muttered, clenching his fists.
He turned and began walking slowly through the basement, speaking loudly.
"You don't understand what you have in your hands." That medallion isn't just another piece; it's the key to fully activating the artifact. If you don't use it correctly, everything you've tried to protect will be destroyed.
From her hiding place, Lucía felt her heart race.
"Are you telling the truth?" she whispered to Teodora, who frowned but didn't respond immediately.
The man continued, as if he knew he was being heard.
"You think you're protecting this building, but you don't understand the magnitude of the power you're wielding. The artifact can unleash truths that will change the world, but it can also destroy it if not handled carefully."
Leo gritted his teeth, unable to contain himself any longer.
"And you're the right person to wield it?" he asked, emerging from the shadows with the cloth-wrapped artifact in his hands.
"Leo!" Lucía exclaimed, trying to stop him, but her brother was already standing in front of the man.
The intruder turned toward him, a dark smile on his face.
"At least one of you has courage."
Teodora slowly emerged from her hiding place, holding the medallion firmly. Lucía followed close behind, unable to leave her brother alone.
"That's enough," the old woman said, her voice commanding. "This artifact will not fall into your hands."
The man took a step toward her, his eyes fixed on the medallion.
"And what will you do? Hide it for another hundred years? You can't stop the inevitable, Teodora."
"Maybe I can't stop it alone," she replied, a spark of defiance in her voice. "But I'm not alone."
At that moment, the hurried footsteps of several neighbors descending the stairs filled the air. Mrs. Martínez, the twins, Don Horacio, and other tenants entered the basement with flashlights and makeshift tools.
"Get away from them!" Don Horacio shouted, holding a metal pipe as if it were a weapon.
The man looked at the neighbors, clearly outnumbered, but he didn't seem scared. Instead, he gave a low, mocking laugh.
"Do you think you can stop me?"
"Don't underestimate a group of pesky neighbors," Mrs. Martinez said, crossing her arms.
The man took a step back, raising his hands with apparent calm.
"This isn't over. If you think you can protect that artifact, you're wrong. Its power can't be contained forever."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the basement, his footsteps echoing loudly on the stairs.
A tense silence filled the room as the neighbors watched Teodora, waiting for her reaction.
"What do we do now?" one of the twins asked.
Teodora looked at the medallion in her hands and then at the siblings.
"We'll take this to the heart of the basement, to the original mechanism. This is our last chance to seal the artifact forever."
Leo and Lucía nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility fall upon them once again. "So what are we waiting for?" Leo asked.
Teodora smiled slightly, admiring his courage.
"Nothing. Let's finish this."