Chapter 6: The First Revelation

The stolen sedan roared through the dark streets of Ravenshire, its tires screeching as Adrian wove between abandoned buildings and narrow alleys. His heart was still racing from the escape, but his mind was already focused on what came next. He needed answers—real ones, not the cryptic threats and half-truths Victor Langley had thrown at him.

Melissa's voice crackled through the phone as he finally managed to call her back. "Adrian! Are you okay?" she asked, her tone a mix of relief and panic.

"I'm alive," he replied, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "But I don't have much time. What did you find in their system?"

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the sound of rapid typing. "I only had a few minutes before they patched the security breach, but I pulled some files. They're encrypted, but I think I can crack them. In the meantime, there's something you need to know."

"What is it?" Adrian asked, his stomach tightening.

"The Black Files… they're not just about corruption or illegal experiments," Melissa said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "They're about control—neurological control. The government has been experimenting with brain implants and neural interfaces, trying to manipulate people's thoughts and actions. Some of the subjects… well, let's just say things didn't go according to plan."

Adrian's blood ran cold. He'd suspected the files contained dangerous secrets, but this was beyond anything he'd imagined. "What do you mean 'things didn't go according to plan'?"

"Side effects," Melissa explained. "Some of the test subjects developed… abilities. Unpredictable ones. Telepathy, heightened reflexes, even precognition. But others… they went insane. Lost all sense of self. It's like the experiments broke something inside them."

Adrian clenched the wheel harder, his knuckles white. "Who were the subjects? Politicians? Soldiers?"

"Not just them," Melissa said grimly. "Civilians too. People who didn't even know they were part of the program. And that's not all. There's a name that keeps popping up in the files—a scientist named Dr. Evelyn Harper. She was one of the lead researchers, but she disappeared a year ago. Rumor has it she defected after realizing what they were doing."

Adrian's mind raced. If Evelyn Harper had turned against the program, she might be the key to exposing the truth. But finding her wouldn't be easy—not when every shadow seemed to hide an enemy.

"Thanks, Melissa," he said finally. "Keep working on those files. I'll reach out again when I can."

As he hung up, Adrian made a decision. He couldn't do this alone. He needed allies—people who understood the stakes and were willing to fight for the truth. And if Dr. Evelyn Harper was out there, she was at the top of his list.