FIRE IN THE DARKNESS

Night had fallen as Avery and Ethan accelerated their car towards the old building on the outskirts of Ravenshore. Their minds were filled with various possibilities, and the threats they had received earlier that morning only added to their anxiety.

In the distance, the sound of a fire truck siren broke the silence of the night. The siren grew louder, as if it were heading toward the same destination they were. Both began to feel uneasy, and their worry intensified when they saw two fire trucks speeding past them.

"What's happening?" Avery asked, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Ethan shook his head. "I don't know, but we need to get to that building fast."

Avery fell silent, her unease swelling within her. She hoped that what she feared in her mind wouldn't come to pass.

About 100 meters from the old building, there were crowds and several vehicles blocking their approach. Ethan and Avery decided to get out and walk to the building. Shadows of smoke and a growing redness became visible as they neared the structure, and when they arrived at the old building, they saw a throng of people surrounding it. The building was engulfed in flames, fire raging all around. Black smoke billowed into the sky, creating a horrifying sight.

"Oh my God, the building is on fire!" Avery exclaimed, her face pale, unable to utter another word as she gazed at the scene before her.

Ethan growled in anger. "This can't be a coincidence. Someone wants to destroy the evidence inside."

Several firefighters were busy extinguishing the flames, while others attempted to control the curious crowd.

"Please step back! the fire is too large and dangerous. If you don't have a reason to be here, it's best to stay away from the fire area," said one of the officers helping to manage the crowd.

Not long after, Derek arrived, his face filled with concern as he took in the worsening situation. He repeatedly helped push back the crowd until his eyes landed on Ethan and Avery. He quickly approached them.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked. "You should go home if you don't have a reason to be here," his voice heavy with worry.

Ethan replied, his tone full of anger, "This building is the key to our investigation."

Derek looked at Ethan with a weary gaze. "Someone must have deliberately set it on fire to destroy the evidence inside," Ethan continued, his furious expression unmistakable.

"I know how you feel, Ethan, but please don't act impulsively right now. Just go home for now," Derek said, alternating his gaze between Ethan and Avery before moving to manage the crowd again.

Avery urged Ethan to leave with her. However, as they slowly stepped away, Ethan continued to stare at the burning building with intense focus. "I can't let this happen. I have to go in and salvage whatever I can before it all burns away."

Ethan looked around, his gaze fixed on a side door that seemed untouched by the flames. But as he ran toward it, a firefighter stopped him. "Sorry, you can't go in. The fire is too dangerous. We're still trying to control the situation."

Ethan tried to persuade the officer. "I have to get in! There's something very important in that building!"

The officer shook his head firmly. "No way. We can't allow anyone in. Please step back for your own safety."

"ETHAN!" Derek shouted.

Ethan clenched his fists, frustrated.

Derek glared at Ethan. "You need to think about your safety first, Ethan! I know this is important, but going into the fire isn't the solution. We need to find another way."

Avery, who had been searching for Ethan, finally found him. She and Derek saw Ethan standing there, his frustration reaching a peak. Avery eventually took Ethan's hand. They had no choice but to return to the car and leave the fire scene.

Avery took the wheel, believing it wasn't right for Ethan to drive in his current state. As they headed back to Derek's house, the atmosphere in the car felt very tense. Avery stole glances at Ethan, who was clenching his fists in anger. She felt the same way. Who wouldn't be upset when they were so close to the truth, only to have it deliberately concealed from them?

Upon arriving at Derek's house, Ethan exited the car angrily, as if wanting to unleash all his pent-up frustration.

Outside the car, Ethan stopped and looked around with fiery eyes. He slammed his hand against the car door, the sound echoing in the quiet night. "Damn it! Every time we get close to the truth, something gets in our way. It's like some powerful force doesn't want us to succeed."

Avery seemed shocked by Ethan's outburst and cautiously approached him. "Ethan, calm down. We can't lose our sanity right now. There's still a lot to do."

Avery looked at Ethan seriously. "I understand how you feel, Ethan. But we need to stay calm and think clearly. If we lose control, we won't be able to solve this case."

Ethan glared at Avery, his eyes full of rage. "You understand? You really understand? Every step we take is blocked. That building was the key, and now it's all gone in the flames. How can we move forward? How can I calm down when I feel like I'm being played with as I try to solve this new case?"

Avery stepped closer and gently touched Ethan's shoulder. "Ethan, we're all frustrated. But we need to stay focused. I know you're angry; I am too. But right now, the most important thing is to find out who is trying to stop us. We can't proceed with the investigation until that person is caught."

Ethan took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He didn't respond and chose to walk inside the house, with Avery following closely behind.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Morning had arrived, and Avery, Ethan, and Derek were having breakfast, the tension still palpable in the air. Sunlight began to stream through the window, but no one noticed its warm glow. The breakfast was quiet, with the clinking of silverware on plates being the only sound heard in the room. After breakfast, Ethan sat on the sofa with his head bowed, his anger still simmering. Derek and Avery exchanged glances, trying to figure out how to comfort Ethan.

"Listen, Ethan," Derek approached the sofa and began to speak in a calm voice. "I know this is tough. But we have to stay focused. We still have some leads to follow."

Avery sat beside Ethan and held his hand. "We've come too far, Ethan. We can't give up now. You've worked too hard to get to this point."

Ethan looked at Avery and Derek, his eyes still filled with anger but also showing signs of fatigue. "Alright," he said quietly. "What do we have now?"

Derek grabbed a bag from the coffee table and walked toward them. He then opened the files and photos they had found at Ms. Moore's house and the Venia family's home. "Look at this," Derek said, showing a map of the old building with several points marked in red. "Daniel and Venia seem to have found something important here. We need to investigate these points further."

Ethan nodded, although he still looked upset. "We can't go back to that building now. It's burned down."

"But maybe we can learn more about the people involved... or perhaps the basement of that building. Remember the last time we were there?" Avery recalled their visit to the building when they exited through the basement door in the woods.

Ethan turned to Avery. "You're right! the machines were stored there. They shouldn't have burned, right?" he replied.

"You found machines under that building?" Derek asked.

"Yeah, the day we lost the documents at the hotel," Avery said.

"The machines should still be there because I just found out there's a basement beneath that building. The structure is old and looks abandoned," Derek explained.

"So the previous detectives never found any information about the building and its contents?" Ethan asked.

Derek shook his head. "As far as the reports I received, no one ever knew."

"I think before we continue searching for that evidence, we should find out who is trying to stop us. I'm sure this person won't stop until they're caught," Avery asserted.

Avery examined the photos and documents closely. "We need to know more about who would benefit from the destruction of this evidence. Who would most likely have a motive to do this?"

By noon, they were focused on searching for further clues from the remaining files, while Derek had already left for the police station after their brief discussion that morning. Avery found several names that frequently appeared in the documents. "Look at this! this person's name appears several times. He seems to be a member of the police investigative team that was previously involved in this case."

Ethan stared intently at the name. "We need to find out more about him. Maybe he knows something or is involved in all of this."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed when Ethan's phone rang. He picked it up and listened to his friend from headquarters.

"Eth, I have good news. We managed to trace the number that sent the threatening message."

Ethan looked surprised yet hopeful. "Who? Who sent it?"