**Chapter 3: The Cryptic Journal**

The dim light of the evening sun cast long shadows across Tony's room as he sat at his desk, the journal still clutched in his hands. He felt like he had stumbled upon a treasure trove of secrets, and he couldn't wait to uncover more. The decoded entries had only raised more questions, and he was determined to find the answers. As he read the final entry again, a shiver ran down his spine. "They're watching him. They'll try to take him soon. I have to get him to safety." Who was watching him? And what did they want? The words echoed in his mind, making him feel like he was being watched. Tony glanced around his room, but everything seemed normal. He tried to shake off the feeling of unease and focus on the journal. He spent the next few hours studying the entries, looking for any clues that might have been missed. The more he read, the more he became convinced that his biological family was involved in something extraordinary. As the night wore on, Tony's eyes began to feel heavy, but he couldn't bring himself to stop reading. He was on a mission to uncover the truth. Just as he was about to give up, he noticed a small piece of paper stuck between the pages of the journal. He carefully removed it and examined it. The paper was a receipt from a local antique shop, but there was a handwritten note on the back. "Meet me at the old oak at midnight. -J." Tony's heart skipped a beat as he wondered who J was and what the meeting was about. Suddenly, Tony heard a faint noise coming from outside his room. He froze, his ears perked up, as he listened to the sound of footsteps outside his door. His parents were downstairs, watching TV, so who could be visiting at this hour? The footsteps stopped outside his door, and Tony held his breath. He waited for what felt like an eternity before the door creaked open, and a figure slipped inside. It was his best friend, Alex, who looked like he had been up all night. "Tony, I need to talk to you about something," Alex said, his voice barely above a whisper. Tony's eyes narrowed. What was Alex doing here at this hour? And what did he want to talk about? He gestured for Alex to sit down, and as he did, Tony noticed that Alex was holding a small folder. "What is it?" Tony asked, his curiosity piqued. Alex hesitated before speaking. "I found something on my computer. I was digging around, trying to find information about your family...and I think I stumbled upon something big." Tony's eyes widened as he leaned forward, eager to hear what Alex had to say. Little did he know, his life was about to take a dramatic turn.