Читать книгу The will of the few - - Страница 7

Elira Valtorn sat in her apartment, surrounded by a silence that now felt louder than any noise. On the table before her lay Arkady Renn’s book, the key, and the sketch. She stared at them, feeling her mind torn between fear and hope. Every word she had read in the book seemed to ignite something long forgotten within her, something she had carefully hidden even from herself.

«Man is not a cog in the machine,» Renn had written. «He is a creator, a maker, a source of light in a world of darkness. But that light fades when it is locked in a cage of fear and obedience.»

These words echoed in her mind, impossible to silence. She understood that everything had changed now. She could no longer simply go on living as she had before. Her world, which had seemed so solid and unshakable, was now cracking at the seams.

She picked up the key, feeling its cold metal. Its shape was strange, almost mystical, as if it belonged to another time, another world. The sketch she had found alongside it depicted a building she had seen in the city. It was old and abandoned, but in the drawing, it looked majestic, almost alive.

Elira knew this was no coincidence. The key and the sketch were part of something greater. But what? And how could she find out?

She stood and walked to the window. Outside was the same world as always. People in gray clothes walked the streets. Gray, faceless cars drove along the roads. Everything was the same, predictable, as it had always been.

But now she saw it differently. She saw how this world suppressed, how it destroyed everything that made a person human. And she knew she had to do something.

She returned to the table and opened Renn’s book again. This time, she wasn’t reading just to learn something new – she was searching for answers. Answers to questions she couldn’t even fully articulate.

«Freedom is not a right,» Renn had written. «It is a duty. A duty of everyone who recognizes their own worth. But to gain freedom, one must first free their mind from the chains that bind it.»

Elira understood that Renn wasn’t speaking of freedom in the physical sense. He was talking about freedom of thought, the freedom to be oneself. And she knew that was exactly what she had been missing.

She closed the book and placed it back in her bag. She had to act. She couldn’t just sit and wait. She needed to find out what lay behind the key and the sketch.

Elira stood by the window, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of the curtain. Her thoughts swirled like a storm, refusing to let her rest. Arkady Renn’s book lay open on the table, the words on the page ringing in her mind like an alarm:

«Freedom begins with a question. A question you’re afraid to ask. But it is that question that becomes the spark igniting the flame of change.»

She sighed, feeling her heart beat faster. The sketch she had found in the archive no longer seemed like just an image – it was a key to something greater. The building in the sketch was familiar. It stood on the outskirts of the city, in a derelict sector where few ever ventured. It was an old structure, once a scientific laboratory, but it had stood empty for years.

Elira knew going there alone was madness. But she couldn’t remain in the dark any longer. She needed someone she could trust. And the only person who came to mind was Cain.

She clenched her fists, trying to suppress her doubts. Cain was her colleague, her… friend? She wasn’t sure. But Cain had always been there. He had helped her, supported her, even when she hadn’t asked for it.

«But can I trust him?» the thought nagged at her.

She remembered his words: «Elira, you know I’m always here to help. If you need anything, just say the word.»

His voice had sounded sincere, but there was always a shadow in his eyes that she couldn’t quite decipher. Was it her imagination? Or was he hiding something?

Elira closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. She knew the risks. If Cain turned out to be a Council agent, the Citadel of Silence awaited her. But if he was truly her friend, together they could unravel the mystery that might change everything.

She walked to the table and picked up the key. Its cold metal seemed to burn her fingers.

«This key is the beginning,» she thought. «But where does it lead?»

Her gaze fell on Renn’s book. She opened it to a random page and began to read:

«The true strength of a person lies not in their ability to obey, but in their ability to doubt. Doubt is not weakness. It is a weapon that tears down the walls of lies and opens the path to truth.»

Elira felt her resolve harden. She could no longer stand aside. She had to uncover the truth, no matter how terrifying it might be.

She grabbed her bag, placed the book, the key, and the sketch inside, and threw on her coat to conceal her findings. She needed to find Cain.

Cain Dronov was a tall man with a straight posture and sharp, stern features. His thick black hair was neatly combed back, accentuating his high forehead. His eyes were cold and piercing, as if reflecting an inner resolve and hidden thoughts. Despite his austere appearance, his gaze carried an intensity, as though he were perpetually searching for eternal secrets.

Cain’s past was shrouded in mystery. His biography was wrapped in layers of obscurity and vague circumstances. He always kept to himself, never revealing his past, even to those closest to him. Within him lay depths filled with dark reflections and a relentless quest for truth.

Cain’s habits were meticulous and disciplined. He was a man of minimalistic routines, preferring solitude and quiet contemplation. Every gesture he made seemed calculated and deliberate, carrying the same enigmatic energy as his gaze.

Cain sat in his apartment, staring at the wall. His thoughts were far away. He was thinking about Elira. She was… different. Not like the others. Her eyes always seemed to burn with an inner fire he couldn’t quite understand.

He knew she was hiding something. He had seen how she sometimes drifted into thought, her gaze becoming distant, as if she were somewhere far beyond this gray world.

«But what is she hiding?» he wondered.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He frowned. Who could it be? He wasn’t expecting anyone.

Cain walked to the door and opened it. Elira stood on the threshold.

«Elira?» he said, surprised. «What’s wrong?»

She looked agitated. Her eyes were bright, her lips pressed tightly together.

«I need to talk to you,» she said, her voice quiet but firm.

Cain nodded and let her in.

Elira sat on the edge of a chair, her hands clutching her bag. Cain watched her, trying to understand what was going on.

«What’s happened?» he asked again.

Elira sighed and opened her bag. She pulled out the book, the key, and the sketch, placing them on the table in front of Cain.

«I found these,» she said.

Cain frowned, looking at the items.

«What are they?»

«It’s… part of something bigger,» Elira said, struggling to find the words. «I don’t know what exactly, but I feel it’s important.»

Cain picked up the key, examining it.

«Where did you get this?»

Elira told him everything: about the abandoned archive, about Renn’s book, about her doubts and fears. She spoke quickly, as if afraid she might be stopped.

Cain listened in silence, his face unreadable. When she finished, he stared at her for a long time, as if weighing her words.

«Do you understand what you’re getting into?» he finally asked.

Elira nodded.

«Yes. But I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I need to know the truth.»

Cain sighed and leaned back in his chair.

«You’re risking everything,» he said. «If the Council finds out…»

«I know,» she interrupted. «But I can’t keep living in this world where everything is controlled, where there’s no room for… for something more.»

Cain looked at her, and something flickered in his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before.

«Alright,» he said at last. «I’ll help you.»

Elira felt her heart skip a beat.

«Are you sure?» she asked.

Cain smiled, but there was no joy in it.

«No. But I can’t let you go alone.»

They stepped outside as the city sank into evening twilight. The air was cold, and Elira pulled her coat tighter. Cain walked beside her, his expression focused.

«Are you sure this building is the one in the sketch?» he asked.

Elira nodded.

«Yes. I remember it. It’s in the derelict sector.»

Cain frowned.

«It’s dangerous. There could be cameras, patrols…»

«I know,» she interrupted. «But we don’t have a choice.»

They walked in silence, careful not to draw attention. The streets were empty, but they knew they could be watched.

After a few minutes, they reached the building. It wasn’t exactly as it appeared in the sketch: old, abandoned. But it was unmistakably the same structure, its walls steeped in history.

Elira pulled out the key and approached the door. Her hands trembled slightly, but she forced herself to stay calm.

«Ready?» she asked, turning to Cain.

He nodded.

«Yes.»

Elira inserted the key into the lock. A soft click sounded, and the door opened.

They stepped inside, and the darkness swallowed them.

The interior of the building was silent, save for their footsteps. The air was heavy, saturated with the smell of mold and dust.

Elira turned on the flashlight she had brought. Its beam illuminated the peeling walls and broken furniture.

«What are we looking for?» Cain asked, glancing around.

«I don’t know,» Elira admitted. «But I feel it’s here.»

They moved deeper, exploring the rooms. In one of them, Elira noticed an old cabinet that looked out of place. She approached it and carefully opened it.

Inside was a folder filled with documents. Elira picked it up and began flipping through the pages.

«What is this?» Cain asked, peering over her shoulder.

«It’s… a project,» Elira said, her eyes widening. «A project for a new world order.»

She didn’t finish her sentence. Her attention was drawn to the last page. On it was written:

«Project Dawn. The Key to Liberation.»

Elira felt her heart pounding.

«We found it,» she whispered.

Cain looked at her, and something unfamiliar flickered in his eyes.

«What do we do now?» he asked.

Elira gripped the folder tightly.

«We need to learn more. This is just the beginning.»

She knew there was no turning back now. The spark of doubt that had ignited in her heart had become a flame. And she was ready to see it through to the end.

«Freedom is not a gift,» Renn had written. «It is a struggle. And only those willing to fight for it are worthy of it.»

Elira looked at one of the many pages of the project, feeling her mind fill with new ideas. She knew her life would never be the same. And she was ready for it.

Cain stood beside her, his face serious.

«We did it,» he said.

Elira nodded.

And in that moment, she realized that the spark of doubt that had ignited in her heart had become a fire no one could extinguish.