The Milestone Protocol by Ernest Dempsey (reading in the dark txt) 📗

His irritated curiosity melted into a confused sort of concern. “What is this?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. It looks like some kind of challenge.”

Diego pointed at the name at the bottom of the message. It read, “the codebreaker.”

“Who is the codebreaker?” he wondered.

“No idea,” Corin admitted. “But it seems like this is some sort of challenge. And it mentions a treasure that’s been hidden for nearly two hundred years.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never heard of these ciphers they’re talking about.”

“Me either,” Corin said. “But look at this part here,” she hovered her finger over a specific line.

Diego read it out loud. “Soon, no one will remember the name of The Adventure Guild when I solve this. You and your little club will be finished, and everyone will know I am the greatest treasure hunter in the world.”

“Yep,” he said. “They’re definitely challenging us.”

“Threatening is more like it.”

“Who cares? We just helped save the world. No one knows who this weirdo is. And how did they get our email, whoever they are?”

Corin’s head turned slowly back and forth as she stared at the screen. “I don’t know.”

“Wait, you’re not letting some internet bully coax you into this, are you?” Diego’s suspicious gaze froze on her.

“No. Of course not,” she half-lied. “I’m just curious about these ciphers. And what treasure they could lead to.” She looked back at him. “Aren’t you at least a little curious?”

Diego sighed. “I’m a little tired from everything else,” he said. Then his shoulders slumped. “But sure. Why not? Another puzzle for The Adventure Guild to solve?”

Corin’s lips creased gradually across her face. “Yep. It seems our work is never done.”

Copyright © 2020 by Ernest Dempsey

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