**Chapter 3: Unraveling the Mystery**

Tony's eyes locked onto his adoptive parents, his mind racing with questions. The warm glow of the lamp on his desk cast a golden light on their faces, but the concern etched on their features made their expressions seem distant. "What do you mean, 'ghost hunting'?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Sarah and Mark exchanged a hesitant glance, and the air in the room seemed to thicken with unspoken words. Mark cleared his throat before speaking, his voice low and measured. "Your biological family, Tony, they were...enthusiasts. They believed in the paranormal and wanted to capture and study it." The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Tony felt his curiosity piqued. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his eyes fixed intently on his parents. "What happened to them?" he asked, his voice laced with a sense of longing. The silence that followed was oppressive, and Tony could feel the weight of his parents' hesitation. Sarah's voice was barely above a whisper. "They were deemed mentally unfit to care for you, Tony. The authorities had to step in and...and you were adopted by us." The words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, and Tony felt a shiver run down his spine. He thought back to the news article he had read earlier, the one about the Wraith family and their ghost hunting equipment. A connection began to form in his mind, like a puzzle piece clicking into place. "Wraith," he whispered, his eyes locked onto his parents. "Was that my biological family's last name?" Mark and Sarah nodded in unison, their faces somber. The room seemed to darken, as if the shadows themselves were closing in on Tony. He felt like he was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring into an unknown abyss. Tony's mind reeled as he processed the information. His biological family, the Wraiths, were ghost hunters. They had been involved in something that had led to their being deemed unfit to care for him. The questions swirled in his head like a maelstrom, and he felt a sense of desperation creeping in. He stood up, pacing around the room, trying to make sense of it all. The carpet muffled his footsteps, and the shadows seemed to dance around him like living things. "I need to know more," he said, his voice firm. "I need to know what happened to my biological family and why I was taken away from them." Sarah and Mark exchanged a glance, and for a moment, Tony thought he saw a hint of fear in their eyes. But then, Mark spoke up, his voice firm. "Tony, we understand that you're curious, but we don't want you to get too caught up in this. Your biological family's activities were...unusual, and we don't want you to get hurt." Tony stopped pacing and turned to face his parents. His eyes locked onto theirs, and he felt a sense of determination rising within him. "I need to know the truth," he said, his voice firm. "I have these powers, and I don't know why. I need to understand where they come from and what they mean." Mark and Sarah nodded, and for a moment, Tony saw a glimmer of understanding in their eyes. "We'll help you, Tony," Mark said. "But you have to promise us that you'll be careful. We don't know what you're getting yourself into." Tony nodded, a sense of resolve forming within him. He was determined to uncover the truth about his biological family and his powers. Little did he know, this was just the beginning of a journey that would take him to the very edges of reality.