The Labyrinth Keys

We shuffle inside Finn's house, but something feels off. The atmosphere is thick with unease. I hear no movement, yet there's an undeniable sense that the house has been distrubed.

The first thing I notice is the mud on the floor—mud that wasn't here when we left. The smell of dirt and grim makes my nose wrinkle. Two sets of footprints lead inside, accompanied by an odd pattern beside them, almost like another set of feet, but too smudged to make out. Whoever was here didn't care about being subtle. The muddy tracks don't go far, stopping near the desktop by the front window.

We edge deeper into the house, but my guard lowers slightly as we check the place out. From what I can tell, whoever broke in used a lockpick. They got what they came for and left.

Maki is the first to speak. "Your friend got robbed. Tough luck."

I shake my head. "Nah, he took most of his stuff and hit the road quick. We were here earlier today."

Rin points at the desktop. "Looks like whoever it was just left."

I follow her gaze. The desktop is still on the password screen, locked out from too many failed attempts. A timer counts down—20 minutes remaining. If the original lockout was 30 minutes, that means whoever tried to access it was here only 10 minutes ago.

That realization unsettles me. I double back to the door and lock it again. "We can't use the computer yet. Whoever was here locked us out for 20 minutes."

Maki leans against the wall. "So what now? We just wait?"

I sigh and plop down. "Looks like it. Might as well tell you what you're getting into."

I explain everything that's happened over the last few days, with Rin chiming in when she can.

By the time I finish, Maki's mouth is agape. "You two have demons in you?"

I nod. "Yeah. After Finn betrayed us, we had a choice to make. Unsurprisingly, we chose to live."

Maki smirks. "Guess that explains how you kept up with me so well. Felt like I was fighting a mirror image. Kinda badass, in a way."

Rin snorts. "Yeah, badass is one way to put it. Pain in the ass is more like it."

Maki adds, "As for that friend of yours—personally, I wouldn't take that lying down. I'd hunt his ass down and string him up for what he did."

I laugh. "You don't mince words. Yeah, well... we definitely owe him a broken jaw."

Honestly, Finn's betrayal hasn't fully sunk in yet. With everything happening so fast, I haven't had time to process it. Part of me hates him for what he did, but another part still sees the same kid who used to flash a big grin and promise we'd get a big haul. It's hard to reconcile that memory with the person I saw in the labyrinth. Desperation changes people. Maybe that glimmer of hope was enough to make him abandon his morals.

I don't want to make excuses for him, but I also can't bring myself to fully hate him.

My thoughts are interrupted when I notice Rin at the computer. The lockout timer is gone, and she's already working.

"Put the chip in the slot, Maki," Rin barks. Then she glances at me. "Jack, make us some dinner. We've been through hell today."

Maki does as she's told, though with some spite, tossing the chip at Rin, who's too tired to care.

I make my way to the kitchen. "It's dark outside. I think we should spend the night."

Rin mutters something that I take as agreement. Once she's focused on something, getting a word in is near impossible.