All the others are white, a newness on them compared to the one we’re looking at. It’s dark, the wood looking as old as the building, like it’s part of the original structure.
Though the thing that grabs my attention the most is the black and gold, shiny plated snake in the middle.
“It’s padlocked,” she says, and my gaze flicks down to notice the gold metal chain dangling from the old brass latch, winking at us from the outdoor lights. It’s smaller than the front door but needs to be forcefully removed.
I turn the safety of the gun on, tucking it into my waistband before I unzip her bag.
“Here.” I hand her the tablet. “Keep an eye on those cameras.”
She takes it in one hand as she stands back, letting me pierce the cutters through the metal, and I catch it with my knee in the crevasse of the door, avoiding it clattering off the ground again.
I set my jaw, my hand trembling as I twist the handle, my eyes squeezing shut as I slowly push it open.
The room opens up to what looks like a study; it’s like something you’d imagine in a dark academia book. All dark colours and leather sofas. Rows and rows of books litter the walls. A darkened table dominates the centre of the room, ten chairs fitted around in a cult-like circle around it.
There’s a desk directly behind it, the moonlight casting an eerie glow over its surface.
“Fuck, I don’t like this, Indie,” Regina says behind me, and I grip her hand, pulling her in, then gently close the door.
There’s an old, rusted key hanging beside the door, and I grab it, locking it from the inside.
“We’ll be fine. Check that computer and see if there’s anything you can take.”
My words try to convince both of us, and despite my body radiating with uneasy vibrations, she nods, her gaze focused on the tablet as she walks towards it.
I glance over the books fitted into the shelves. God, I don’t even know where to start. A lot of them look old, some tattered on the edges.
Slowly, I edge along them, reading the various writings on the sides.
Some of them seem to be in Latin, others in English. The above row catches my eye, and I notice they’re all a deep gold, the leather spines matching, black embroidered writing on thesides. The further along they get, the more they look like time has damaged the quality.
I pluck the first two books that look newer, walking over to the table as I set them down.
When I open one, I glance up at Regina. “You okay?”
She’s tugging at the drawers, the desk rattling with each of her pulls. “I didn’t bring a cable to get into the system, and I’m scared to turn this on in case it triggers anything. These are all fucking locked and I can’t find a key.”
Shit, I didn’t think of that; the cutters won’t help either. “Just leave it, come take a look at this.”
She walks over to me, placing the tablet beside us as I flip through the pages. I only know some Latin, but there seems to be something embossed on the front page.
“What is that?” she asks, and I shake my head, checking the other book which has the same.
The image is of a black and gold iridescent snake, wrapping itself around a sword, gold coins and jewels littered at its feet.
“I’ve no idea, but this must be something to do with that group, look.”
I put the books side by side, the words ‘Sumus’ intertwined with the images, and a slogan of some sort at the bottom. I don’t read it, because I don’t know what any of it translates to.
Regina walks over to the bookcase behind me, pulling one of the older ones out. She coughs as dust erupts around her, waving her hand as she wafts it away.
“This one has it too, but it looks…hand drawn,” she says in a strangled voice, turning to show me it.
“Does it have a date?” I ask, squinting before turning my attention back to the book in front of me.
The book I have is from this year, the other from the year before.
“Nineteen…Jesus, this is from like a hundred years ago.” She shoves the book back, coming over to see the information that’s turned my blood into ice, and a strangled gasp from my throat.
