The Cipher: Locks and Keys

Emma had been watching Lockey for weeks now. At first, she was sure there was something he was hiding — some secret behavior, clue, or sign that would reveal what was really going on beneath his calm exterior. She started with the basics, observing his movements during class, at lunch, and even when he walked home. She expected to find moments of solitude where he might let his guard down, or secret meetings with suspicious individuals.

But each day, without fail, Lockey followed the same, dull routine.

In class, he’d sit in the same seat, his eyes half-focused on the lessons, occasionally flipping through his notebook. He never showed any sign of stress or suspicion. When the bell rang, he would pack up his books slowly, almost methodically, before heading to the cafeteria.

At lunch, it was the same thing every day. He'd grab a tray of food, find a quiet spot away from the hustle and bustle, and eat without a word. Sometimes he’d sit with Adam, exchanging brief, meaningless conversations, but nothing ever felt out of place.

Emma followed him after school too. She’d trail him down familiar streets, but Lockey always went straight home, occasionally stopping by a convenience store to pick up snacks. Once inside, the lights would go on, the curtains would close, and that was it. Nothing unusual.

It was starting to drive her mad.

One evening, as she sat outside his house, waiting for something different to happen, she realized how absurd it all was. Was this really what the higher-ups were so interested in? Every detail, every observation was monotonous. Nothing but routine after routine.

"Is this all there is?" she muttered to herself.

Lockey, for his part, had been well aware of Emma's presence since the beginning. He could sense her eyes on him during class, at lunch, even when he walked down the street. But instead of confronting her, he decided to play along, leading her on with his dull, repetitive actions. If she wanted to observe him, he'd give her the most boring routine possible.

Occasionally, he’d catch a glimpse of her in the corner of his eye, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But he'd always make sure to do nothing out of the ordinary.

It became a game for him. He’d move slower, linger longer at his locker, and sometimes take an extra lap around the cafeteria just to see if she’d follow. And she always did. Quietly. Unflinchingly.

After a few more weeks, Emma’s curiosity turned into frustration. There had to be something beneath Lockey’s calm demeanor, but no matter how closely she watched, all she saw was routine.

Finally, after weeks of surveillance, Emma stood across from Lockey in the cafeteria, her face neutral, but her mind buzzing with questions. He glanced at her, then went back to eating, showing no signs of being phased by her presence.

In her mind, she couldn’t help but feel slightly defeated. All this time, all this observation, and what had she found?

Absolutely nothing.

Emma frowned slightly as she walked away. "He's... interesting," she muttered, trying to convince herself that there was more to him than what she'd seen. But deep down, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Emma frowned slightly as she walked away. "He's... interesting," she muttered, trying to convince herself that there was more to him than what she'd seen. But deep down, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Lockey strolled through the busy streets after school, his mind swirling with recent events. A subtle vibration from his pocket interrupted his thoughts. Pulling out his phone, he glanced at the screen— a notification from Glacier. It was coded in a way only they would understand.

Without drawing attention, Lockey diverted his path and headed toward a quiet coffee shop nestled on the corner of the street. He entered the shop, the faint aroma of coffee and chatter filling the air, as he casually made his way to a secluded table in the back.

Lockey entered the bustling coffee shop, his gaze sweeping across the crowd as he made his way towards the back of the room. As he walked, he felt the weight of Emma's watchful eyes on him, but he pushed the unease aside, focusing on the task at hand.

In the far corner, Glacier sat alone, nursing a cup of coffee. Lockey slid into the seat across from him, keeping his voice low as he greeted his friend. "We don't have much time. Emma's still tailing me."

"Noted," Glacier replied, his tone serious. "Let's talk about Site 22."

As the two began to discuss their plans, Emma entered the cafeteria, her eyes darting around the room in search of Lockey. Disguised in a blonde wig and thick-rimmed glasses, she moved cautiously, careful not to draw attention to herself.

Meanwhile, Lockey and Glacier had slipped through a hidden door at the back of the cafeteria, entering a dimly lit storage room. "We'll have to be careful with this one," Lockey said, leaning against a stack of boxes. "The WCM has the upper hand, and they won't give up the Vault without a fight."

Glacier nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "Agreed. But if we can pull this off, it’s a win win."

Outside, Emma continued to scan the crowd, her frustration mounting as she realized Lockey was nowhere to be found.

Lockey leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he regarded Glacier with a mixture of amusement and admiration. "How many hideouts do you really have?"

Glacier smirked, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's actually my mum's restaurant, and this place is only accessible to me and my sister."

Lockey raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Who knew you would have a sister?" He paused, quickly returning to the matter at hand. "But that's not the main reason for our meeting, is it?"

Glacier leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone. "Pinnochi recently discovered that the WCM has another department—completely different from where they conduct investigations and manage workload."

Lockey's eyes narrowed in thought. "A separate site for experiments on vaults, keys, and locks?"

"Precisely," Glacier affirmed. "And its location is quite secluded."

Lockey stroked his chin, curiosity piqued. "How did Pinnochi manage to get into a place like that?"

Glacier shook his head, a puzzled expression on his face. "He didn't give me the full details, so I'm not sure myself. The photo was sent by him as well; I have no idea how he pulled it off."

Lockey's gaze intensified. "So, what's the purpose of telling me this?"

Glacier leaned back, his eyes locked with Lockey's. "Well, the WCM only takes people who have objects related to their experiments on Site 22. I'm planning on directly infiltrating the site by getting caught."

Lockey frowned, concern etched on his face. "You're really going to go that far?"

Glacier sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What other means do we have? Since I'm a Universal Cipher, they would probably conduct their investigations on me at Site 22. Besides, you guy’s did a lot to get the Beta Vault."

Lockey fell silent, processing the information. "I see." He paused, a smirk playing on his lips. "Would this uncover more of the secrets of the keys, locks, and vaults?"

Glacier nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Yes, supposedly. We may learn what the Vaults are used for at the WCM."

Lockey grinned, his mind working overtime. "Well then, why don't we change the plan? I'll be the one to infiltrate. How I'll do it is up to me, but you have to promise me one thing."

Glacier tilted his head, confusion written on his face. "What is it?"

Lockey's expression turned serious. "That you'll rescue me once I'm in there. Since the whole point of the infiltration is to uncover what the Vaults are used for."

Glacier laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're really hilarious. Okay, I'll do my best."

As the meeting drew to a close, Lockey hesitated, his brow furrowed in thought. "Do you give night-shifts?"

Glacier smiled at the question, realizing where Lockey's thoughts were headed. "Ah, yes, I see."

Meanwhile, Emma remained at the coffee shop. Glacier approached her table, adopting a professional tone. "Would you like anything, ma'am?"

Emma scrutinized Glacier, her gaze searching. "Well, yes, just a cappuccino." She hesitated before continuing, "Have you seen anyone with green hair, sort of tall?"

Glacier maintained his facade, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Ah, yes, he's doing a night-shift today."

As Emma received her coffee, she pondered the situation. She couldn't help but wonder why she felt a secret meeting might have taken place.