The six friends sat around their usual table in the academy's hidden study room.
For the first time, nobody was joking.
More students had disappeared.
More professors were missing.
And Professor Luca was still nowhere to be found.
Luna placed several devices on the table.
The Future Cave scanner.
The holographic recorder.
The encrypted crystal message they had found before.
And the academy tablets.
"We've been reacting to clues," Luna said.
"It's time we start investigating."
Everyone nodded.
"Agreed," Kai said.
James sighed.
"Here we go again."
Mili rolled her eyes.
"You complain every time."
"Because every mystery tries to kill us."
"Fair point," Lucas admitted.
Luna stood up.
"We split into teams."
She pointed around the table.
"Kai and I will talk to Headmaster Hendrix."
Kai nodded.
"Mili and James will question students and professors."
"Easy," Mili said confidently.
"Zoey and Lucas will visit your father."
Lucas looked surprised.
"My father?"
"You said he helped maintain equipment related to the Future Cave."
Lucas slowly nodded.
"He might know something."
Zoey smiled.
"Looks like we're detectives now."
A few hours later...
Luna and Kai stood outside Headmaster Hendrix's office.
"Ready?" Kai asked.
"No."
"Me neither."
They entered.
Headmaster Hendrix was reviewing dozens of holographic reports.
He looked exhausted.
"Luna. Kai."
"We need answers," Luna said immediately.
The Headmaster sighed.
"I suspected you would come."
"Professor Luca disappeared."
"Students are missing."
"Professors are missing."
"And Nova's prison is showing unusual activity."
Luna stared directly at him.
"What aren't you telling us?"
For a moment, Hendrix remained silent.
Then he activated a hologram.
A map of the academy appeared.
Several points glowed red.
"These disappearances are not random."
Kai frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"They all happened near locations connected to the Future Cave Project."
Luna froze.
"The Future Cave?"
Hendrix nodded.
"Someone is searching for information."
"Or someone."
Meanwhile...
Mili and James interviewed students all afternoon.
Most knew nothing.
Until one nervous first-year student spoke.
"I saw someone."
Mili immediately leaned forward.
"Who?"
The student swallowed.
"I don't know."
"But they were wearing a professor's coat."
James frowned.
"Which professor?"
"I couldn't see their face."
"They disappeared into a restricted hallway."
The student hesitated.
"And..."
"And what?" Mili asked.
"I heard them say a strange name."
James looked interested.
"What name?"
"Meow."
Silence.
Mili blinked.
"Meow?"
The student nodded.
"That's what I heard."
James stared at Mili.
Mili stared at James.
"Did a cat become a supervillain?" James asked.
Across the city...
Lucas and Zoey arrived at Lucas's father's workshop.
Machines and old academy technology filled every corner.
His father listened carefully as they explained everything.
The Future Cave.
The visions.
Professor Luca.
The disappearances.
When they mentioned Meow, his expression changed.
"You've heard that name?" Lucas asked.
His father slowly nodded.
"Years ago."
Zoey leaned forward.
"What does it mean?"
"I don't know."
"But Professor Jasmine and Professor Luca used to mention it."
Lucas and Zoey looked at each other.
"What?"
His father opened an old storage cabinet.
Inside was a dusty data crystal.
"I hoped I would never need this."
That evening, all six friends met again.
Everyone shared what they had learned.
"The Future Cave Project," Luna said.
"Meow," James added.
"Professor Jasmine knew about it," Lucas said.
Everyone became silent.
Suddenly...
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then every screen in the room activated.
A familiar cat-shaped hologram appeared.
Mili jumped.
"What is that?!"
The hologram smiled.
"Hello, Luna."
Luna stood up.
"You!"
The mysterious AI from before.
Meow.
"Who are you?" Kai demanded.
The hologram tilted its head.
"That answer is classified."
James groaned.
"Of course it is."
Meow ignored him.
"You are looking in the wrong place."
Luna stepped forward.
"What do you know about Professor Luca?"
The hologram became serious.
"He is alive."
Everyone froze.
"What?!" Lucas shouted.
"Where is he?" Luna asked.
Meow projected a map.
A single location flashed.
The Future Cave.
Before anyone could ask another question, the hologram vanished.
The next morning...
The six friends secretly traveled to the Future Cave.
The cave felt different.
Darker.
Colder.
The machines that had once shown visions were now glowing bright blue.
Kai activated his scanner.
"Someone has been here recently."
They followed a trail deeper into the cave.
Finally they reached the central chamber.
A lone figure stood beside the Future Machine.
The figure slowly turned around.
Luna gasped.
"Professor Luca!"
Lucas smiled.
"We found him!"
For a moment, everyone felt relief.
Then something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
The smile.
The eyes.
The way he stood.
Luna's heart sank.
"No."
The figure laughed.
A cold laugh.
One she had never heard from Professor Luca.
"Smart girl."
The face shifted.
The holographic disguise disappeared.
Everyone stepped back.
"Professor Nova," Kai whispered.
Nova smiled.
"Hello, children."
The chamber suddenly locked itself.
Metal doors slammed shut.
"You've been causing quite a lot of trouble."
Luna clenched her fists.
"You're behind the disappearances."
Nova smiled.
"Some of them."
"Some?" James repeated.
Nova walked toward the Future Machine.
"I couldn't have done all of this alone."
The room became silent.
Kai's eyes widened.
"Someone is helping you."
Nova smiled even wider.
"Oh yes."
"But the interesting question isn't who is helping me."
His eyes locked onto Luna.
"It's who you trust enough to never suspect."
A chill ran through everyone.
Because somewhere in the academy...
Someone was secretly working with Nova.
And none of them knew who.
To Be Continued...