Читать книгу Mind Manipulators - - Страница 3

The next morning, Ethan and Claire made their way to the warehouse depicted in the photograph Sarah had left behind. It stood on the edge of town, surrounded by overgrown weeds and rusted chain-link fences that sagged under years of neglect. Its walls were streaked with grime, and broken windows gaped like hollow eyes into the unknown.

«Stay sharp,» Ethan muttered as they approached the heavy wooden doors, his hand resting on the grip of his pistol. «Something tells me this won’t be easy.»

Claire nodded, her tactical flashlight already in hand. «Agreed. Kane doesn’t leave loose ends unless he has to.»

They pushed open the creaking doors, revealing an interior shrouded in shadows. The air inside was thick with dust, and the faint scent of oil hung heavily in the space. Rows of crates lined the walls, some splintered or overturned, as if a struggle had taken place here recently. In the center of the room lay a single object – a laptop, half-buried under debris.

Ethan carefully wiped away the dirt and powered it on. The screen flickered to life, revealing encrypted files and folders labeled with cryptic names: «Project Eclipse,» «Operation Midnight,» and others. Among them was a video file simply titled «Truth.»

Before Ethan could open it, footsteps echoed behind him. Both he and Claire spun around, weapons drawn, their hearts pounding in unison. Standing just beyond the reach of their flashlights was the scarred man from the photograph – the same one who had sent the ominous message to Ethan’s phone.

«You shouldn’t be here,» the man growled, stepping closer. His voice carried the weight of authority, laced with menace.

«I could say the same thing,» Ethan replied coolly. «Who are you?»

The man smirked but didn’t answer. Instead, he lunged forward, forcing Ethan into a tense standoff. Claire reacted instantly, firing a warning shot into the air. The sound reverberated through the cavernous space, startling birds roosting high above.

«Back off!» Claire shouted, leveling her weapon at the intruder.

For a moment, the three stood frozen in a tableau of tension. Then, with a swift motion, the man disappeared into the shadows, leaving only the echo of his laughter behind.

«He’s good,» Claire muttered, lowering her gun slightly but keeping her guard up. «Too good for someone who doesn’t want us digging too deep.»

Ethan agreed silently, pocketing the laptop. Whatever secrets this warehouse held, they were now one step closer to uncovering them.