Chapter 9: Collision Course

The old factory loomed in the distance, its weathered facade bathed in the eerie glow of the setting sun. Maria adjusted the straps of her backpack as she approached, her every sense on high alert. This was the location mentioned in the email she’d received—a place where secrets hid in the shadows, waiting to be uncovered.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of rust and mildew. Maria crept cautiously through the maze of abandoned machinery, her footsteps muffled by years of accumulated dust.

“Hello?” she called out softly, her voice echoing in the vast emptiness.

No response.

She was about to turn back when the faint hum of a generator reached her ears. Following the sound, Maria found herself in a small room filled with monitors and equipment. The screens flickered with live feeds of surveillance footage—streets, offices, even homes.

“What the hell is this?” Maria muttered.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, trying to make sense of the setup, when a voice broke the silence behind her.

“Don’t touch that.”

Maria spun around, her heart racing. Standing in the doorway was a man in a dark coat, his sharp features partially obscured by the dim light.

“Who are you?” Maria demanded, taking a step back.

“The one who’s been keeping you alive,” the man replied coolly. “For now.”

Maria’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The man smirked. “Of course you don’t. That’s the problem. You and your friend Julia have stumbled into something far bigger than you realize.”

He stepped closer, his gaze intense. “Dunnorage. Kentofes. You’ve seen enough to know they’re dangerous. But you have no idea what you’re really up against.”

Maria clenched her fists. “Then tell me. Who are they? What do they want?”

The man hesitated, as though weighing how much to reveal. “Kentofes is a network, a shadow organization with influence in every sector—government, technology, media. They don’t just want control; they want compliance. Dunnorage is their key to achieving it.”

“And you?” Maria asked, her suspicion growing. “How do you know so much about them?”

The man’s expression darkened. “Because I used to be one of them.”

Maria’s stomach churned at the revelation. “Then why should I trust you?”

“Because I’m your best chance at staying alive,” he replied bluntly. “And because you need me if you want to find Julia.”

Maria’s blood ran cold. “What do you mean? What happened to Julia?”

“She’s walking into a trap,” he said, pulling out a tablet and showing her a live feed of Julia entering a high-rise building. “Kentofes has been monitoring her every move. They’re waiting for her to get close enough, then they’ll take her out.”

Maria’s mind raced. She barely knew Julia, but she couldn’t let her walk into danger alone.

“Then help me stop them,” she said, her voice firm.

The man nodded. “My name’s Ikran. If you want to save Julia, we need to move now.”

Maria hesitated for only a moment before grabbing her bag. “Let’s go.”

Together, they left the factory and disappeared into the night, their paths now intertwined in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.