The truck's tires crunched over cracked asphalt as they sped away from the carnage behind them. The night was eerily quiet—too quiet.
Ethan kept his eyes on the road, muscles still tense. "Everyone okay?"
Noah winced as he checked his arm. "Couple scratches. Nothing fatal."
Valerie scanned the laptop screen. "We're close. Ten more miles to New Dawn."
Blaze rested his head on Olivia's lap, ears twitching. Shadow curled up on the dashboard, tail flicking.
But despite the temporary calm, Ethan felt it.
A weight in the air.
Something was waiting for them.
Arrival at New Dawn
The facility came into view like a ghost in the night.
Massive metal walls loomed ahead, half-collapsed, overgrown with vines and decay. The front gate stood ajar.
Ethan slowed the truck. "Looks abandoned."
Valerie frowned. "Or it's a trap."
Noah groaned. "Why is it always a trap?"
They stepped out cautiously, weapons drawn. Blaze sniffed the air and let out a low growl. Shadow arched her back.
Olivia adjusted her grip on her gun. "Something's inside."
Ethan took the lead. "Then let's find out what."
They moved through the entrance, stepping into a world frozen in time.
Broken lab equipment. Bloodstained floors. Flickering emergency lights.
And in the center of it all—a single, intact control panel.
Valerie's eyes widened. "This is still operational."
Ethan nodded. "Then let's see what secrets it's hiding."
The Truth Unveiled
Valerie's fingers flew over the keys. The screen blinked, loading files long thought lost.
Then—a video feed appeared.
And Evelyn Carter's face stared back at them.
But this time…
She wasn't a recording.
She was live.
Her voice was calm. Too calm.
"You finally made it."
Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. "She was waiting for us."
Noah tensed. "Yeah. But why?"
Evelyn tilted her head. And then she smiled.
"Because you've already lost."
Behind them—a door slammed shut.
And the lights went out.