Night settled over New York like a dark curtain.
From the window of the Carter estate library, Bruce Carter could see the distant glow of the city skyline.
But his attention wasn't on the lights.
Inside his mind, the signal tracer continued transmitting.
Victor Hale's location.
Penthouse suite.
Luxury hotel in Manhattan.
Bruce leaned back slowly in his chair.
"So that's where you are."
The man who had been quietly studying him from the shadows was now clearly within reach.
Bruce closed his eyes briefly.
Inside the space world, the archive system opened again.
The holographic map displayed Victor Hale's location clearly.
Bruce studied the building layout.
Thirty-seven floors.
Private elevator access.
Heavy security.
Professional surveillance network.
Bruce smiled slightly.
"You're careful."
Victor Hale had chosen a location that allowed him to observe the city while remaining difficult to approach.
But Bruce had no intention of approaching him directly.
Not yet.
Instead…
Bruce opened another system panel.
Reconnaissance drones.
Several tiny drones lifted quietly from hidden compartments inside the space world.
Bruce guided them into the real world.
Moments later, they slipped out through the library window and disappeared into the night sky.
Bruce leaned forward slightly.
"Let's take a closer look."
Across the city.
Inside the penthouse suite.
Victor Hale sat calmly in a chair beside the glass wall overlooking Manhattan.
The lights of the city reflected in his eyes.
A glass of whisky rested in his hand.
But he hadn't taken a sip.
Victor was thinking.
Bruce Carter.
A ten-year-old child who had solved two complex mechanical puzzles faster than most trained engineers.
And more importantly…
A boy who had not shown those puzzles to anyone.
Victor whispered.
"You're hiding something."
The door behind him opened.
One of his subordinates entered the room.
"Sir, observation teams report no unusual activity at the Carter estate."
Victor nodded slightly.
"That's expected."
The man hesitated.
"Should we proceed with another test?"
Victor shook his head.
"No."
He placed the glass on the table.
"If we push too hard, he'll retreat."
Victor stood up and walked toward the window.
"I want to see how he reacts."
The subordinate frowned slightly.
"To what?"
Victor smiled faintly.
"To pressure."
High above the city.
Bruce's drones silently approached the hotel.
Their tiny frames were nearly invisible against the night sky.
Bruce watched the live feed carefully.
Security cameras.
Private guards.
Electronic locks.
Victor Hale had prepared the building well.
But the drones weren't meant to enter.
Bruce only needed visual confirmation.
The drone camera zoomed in on the penthouse window.
Bruce saw him.
Victor Hale.
Standing beside the glass wall.
Bruce studied him carefully.
Tall.
Calm posture.
Controlled movements.
Yes.
This was exactly the kind of opponent Aron Turner had expected.
Bruce leaned back in the chair slowly.
"So that's you."
At that exact moment…
Victor suddenly turned his head toward the window.
Bruce's eyes narrowed.
The drone froze in midair.
Victor stepped closer to the glass.
For several seconds, he stared directly into the night sky.
Then he smiled faintly.
Inside the Carter estate library, Bruce whispered.
"You sensed that?"
Victor couldn't see the drone.
But his instincts had clearly reacted.
Victor spoke quietly inside the penthouse.
"I know you're watching."
Bruce chuckled softly.
"Interesting."
Victor continued speaking toward the empty sky.
"If you're as intelligent as I believe…"
His voice remained calm.
"…then you already know where I am."
Bruce folded his arms.
Victor Hale wasn't speaking randomly.
He was speaking to him.
Victor continued.
"And if you're watching…"
Victor's smile grew slightly wider.
"…then we've officially met."
Bruce leaned back slowly.
"Yes."
"We have."
Inside the penthouse.
Victor turned away from the window.
The subordinate looked confused.
"Sir?"
Victor picked up the tablet again.
"He's observing us."
The man looked shocked.
"The boy?"
Victor nodded.
"Highly advanced micro drones."
The subordinate frowned.
"But our sensors didn't detect anything."
Victor chuckled softly.
"That's what makes him interesting."
The man asked carefully,
"What do we do now?"
Victor sat down again.
"Nothing."
The subordinate blinked.
"Nothing?"
Victor leaned back in the chair.
"If we chase him…"
"He'll disappear."
Victor's eyes reflected the city lights.
"Instead…"
"…we let him think he's winning."
Inside the Carter estate library.
Bruce slowly recalled the drone.
The tiny machine returned through the window and landed quietly on the desk.
Bruce picked it up.
His eyes were calm.
But inside his mind, the game had reached a new level.
Victor Hale now knew he was being watched.
And Bruce knew Victor had expected that.
Bruce whispered.
"So you want a psychological war."
He stood up and walked toward the window again.
The city lights stretched across the horizon.
Bruce smiled slightly.
"Good."
"I enjoy those."
At the same time, in another part of the mansion.
Luna Carter stood quietly outside the library door.
She hadn't entered.
But she had heard Bruce speaking softly to himself.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're talking to someone…"
She whispered.
"But no one is there."
Luna leaned against the wall.
Her curiosity had now turned into determination.
"Little brother…"
Her voice was soft.
"…what exactly are you hiding?"