Chapter 10 Ten

Eve's POV

As Tom's words sank in, my heart pounded louder in my chest. "What do you mean, bigger than we thought?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Tom hesitated on the other end of the line, and I could hear him taking a deep breath. "Jake isn't who he says he is. I did some digging, and I found out that the man in the photo you mentioned? He's General Robert Hale, a high-ranking military official. But here's the thing-Jake might be his son."

I was stunned, unable to process what Tom was saying. "His son? But why would Jake be volunteering at a community center if he comes from a family like that?"

"That's what's strange," Tom continued. "I couldn't find much about Jake himself, but there's something off about the whole situation. It's almost like someone's been erasing his past. No records, no online presence, nothing. It's like he doesn't exist."

My mind was racing. "So, what does this mean? Why would someone go to such lengths to hide his identity?"

"I don't know yet," Tom admitted. "But there's more. General Hale was involved in some top-secret military operations years ago-classified stuff. If Jake is his son, maybe he's somehow connected to those operations."

My stomach churned as I thought about the implications. If Jake was involved in something like that, it could explain why he was so mysterious. But it also meant that whatever was going on was much more dangerous than I'd imagined.

"What should I do?" I asked, feeling a wave of fear wash over me.

"For now, be careful," Tom advised. "Don't confront Jake or let him know you're onto him. We need more information before we can figure out what's really going on."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Okay, I'll keep my distance. But I'm going to keep digging too. I need to know the truth."

"Just be safe, Eve," Tom said, his voice filled with concern. "I'll keep looking into this on my end. If I find anything else, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Tom," I said, grateful to have him on my side. "I'll talk to you later."

After hanging up, I sat down on my couch, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Jake might be the son of a powerful military figure, and his connection to the community center was no accident. But why was he here? What was he hiding?

I knew I had to be careful. If Jake really was involved in something dangerous, I couldn't let him know that I was onto him. But I couldn't just sit back and do nothing either. I had to find out more, even if it meant putting myself at risk.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I couldn't focus on anything, my mind constantly going back to what Tom had told me. Every sound in the apartment made me jump, and I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

By the time evening came, I was exhausted, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I decided to go through my notes and try to piece together everything I knew about Jake. Maybe there was something I'd missed, some clue that could help me understand what was really going on.

I spread out all the papers and notes I'd gathered on my coffee table, reading through them one by one. Most of it was basic information-volunteer schedules, notes from my conversations with him, and details about the community center. But now, with the new information from Tom, everything took on a different meaning.

As I read through the notes, I realized that Jake had always been careful not to reveal too much about himself. He never talked about his past, his family, or why he was volunteering. He was friendly enough, but there was always a distance, something that kept me from getting too close.

And now I understood why. Jake was hiding something-something big. But what?

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly gathered up the papers, shoving them into a drawer before cautiously approaching the door.

"Who is it?" I called out, trying to keep my voice steady.

"It's Samantha," came the familiar voice of my roommate.

Relief flooded through me as I unlocked the door and opened it. Samantha stood there, looking tired but smiling. "Hey, I got off work early. Thought I'd grab some takeout and we could catch up."

"Sounds good," I said, forcing a smile as I stepped aside to let her in. But even as I tried to relax, the tension in my body wouldn't go away. I couldn't stop thinking about Jake and the danger that might be lurking just beneath the surface of my everyday life.

We ate dinner together, chatting about our day, but my mind was only half on the conversation. I kept glancing at my phone, waiting for it to buzz with another message from Tom. But the phone remained silent, and the longer the evening went on, the more my anxiety grew.

After dinner, Samantha went to her room, leaving me alone in the living room. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I decided to do some more research. I opened my laptop and started searching for anything I could find on General Robert Hale.

Most of the information was what you'd expect-details about his military career, interviews, and articles about his accomplishments. But there were also some mentions of controversy, rumors about secret missions and operations that never made it into the official reports. It was all vague and cryptic, but it was enough to make my skin crawl.

As I read through the articles, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something important. Jake's connection to General Hale was still unclear, but it had to mean something. And if Jake was involved in whatever secret operations his father had been a part of, then I was in way over my head.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my eyes. I was exhausted, but sleep was the last thing on my mind. I had to keep going, had to find out the truth before it was too late.

But where could I even start? Jake had covered his tracks so well, leaving almost no trace of his past. And if Tom couldn't find anything, what hope did I have?

I stared at the screen, feeling a sense of hopelessness wash over me. Maybe I was in over my head. Maybe I should just walk away and forget about Jake, forget about the community center, and try to move on with my life.

But I couldn't. Something inside me refused to let go. I had to know the truth, no matter how dangerous it might be. Because if Jake was hiding something, it was only a matter of time before it caught up with him-and with me.

As I sat there, staring at the screen, a new thought crossed my mind. If Jake was hiding from something or someone, then maybe I could find out who was looking for him. Maybe I could track down the people who were trying to keep him hidden.

It was a long shot, but it was the only lead I had. And I was willing to take any chance I could get.

I quickly pulled up my email and typed out a message to Tom, asking him to look into anyone who might be connected to Jake or his father. It was a long shot, but I had to try.

With the message sent, I closed my laptop and leaned back in my chair. The apartment was quiet, the only sound being the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the quiet wouldn't last for long.

Something was coming. And whatever it was, I wasn't ready for it. But I knew I had to be. Because if I wasn't, I might not survive what was coming next.