The Next Step

The fire crackled softly in the abandoned fishing cabin, its warmth doing little to ease the weight of what they had just uncovered. The logbook sat open on the floor, its yellowed pages revealing the cold, methodical truth of Vanguard’s operations. Subject 17: Confirmed transfer to primary facility.

Jessica stared at the words, her jaw tight. "This is it. This is where we need to go."

Leanna nodded, running a hand through her damp hair. "But where exactly is this primary facility? We need more than a vague reference."

Olivia had her laptop open, using the last of its battery to cross-reference locations from old research records. "If they moved Subject 17, it had to be recent. There should be traces—transport logs, supply chain movements, even employee transfers. But this place isn’t showing up anywhere."

Kevin glanced out the window, keeping watch. "So, what do we do? Just pick a direction and hope for the best?"

Jessica exhaled sharply. "No. We find someone who knows where it is."

******************************

Hannah, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. "What about Santiago? We don’t know if he set us up or if he was being used. Either way, he’s our best shot at finding out where they really moved their experiments."

Leanna looked skeptical. "If he did set us up, going back to him could be suicide."

Jessica met her gaze. "If he wanted us dead, we’d be dead. He gave us a clue—maybe not the right one, but a clue nonetheless. He knows more than he told us."

Olivia sighed, rubbing her temple. "And if we go back, we might lead whoever's tracking us right to him."

A moment of silence fell over them. Jessica could feel the paranoia creeping in again. Every move they made, they were being watched, anticipated. Vanguard wasn’t just trying to contain them. They were playing with them.

Finally, Jessica made the call. "We find Santiago."

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By dawn, they were on the move again. Leanna drove while Kevin rode shotgun, keeping his eyes on the road for any signs of trouble. Jessica, Hannah, and Olivia sat in the back, checking and rechecking the logbook and Olivia’s research.

"There’s something else," Olivia muttered, flipping between the pages and her laptop. "The transfer for Subject 17 isn’t the only one. Look—multiple subjects were moved at the same time. And it happened all within the last year."

Jessica leaned closer. "How many?"

"At least a dozen. All listed as ‘adaptation complete.’ But no details. Just that phrase."

Jessica felt a chill. Adaptation? Complete?

Kevin glanced at them through the rearview mirror. "Sounds like they’re not just experimenting anymore. Sounds like they’re deploying."

The thought sent a shiver through Jessica’s spine.

"Then we need to move fast," she said. "Before it’s too late."

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They arrived in the next town under the cover of night, a quiet, dust-worn place nestled deep in the valley. No tourists. No outsiders. Just locals, who seemed to eye them with suspicion as they entered. They found a small, run-down motel on the outskirts. It was safer than a major hotel, but Jessica still felt uneasy. She was right to be.

As she stepped out of the car, a slip of paper fluttered at her feet, caught in the breeze. Jessica froze, staring down at it. The others noticed her hesitation.

"Jess?" Leanna asked, stepping closer.

Jessica bent down, picking it up. A message was scrawled in precise, unhurried handwriting. Leave now. You’re already too late. She looked around, scanning the darkness, but saw nothing.

Jessica’s grip tightened around the note. "We’re being watched."

Leanna inhaled sharply. "Then let’s make sure we don’t stay long."

Jessica nodded, but in the back of her mind, she knew one thing. Whatever was happening at the primary facility… it had already begun.