Project GoldCrest ✓

Chapter 3

Charlotte

Mickey, Henry and I got out of the stuffy truck. Mickey had sprayed something in the car a few minutes ago, that was just kinda too much. I swear that I was going to feel lightheaded from that stupid stuffy car smell. Sometimes, like now, I just didn't understand the purpose of car fragrances.

When I looked at the boys, they too looked like they'd become dizzy in a few seconds.

"What was that, man?" Henry asked him. I looked pointedly at him, because I wanted to hear this too.

"It's just a car fragrance lent to me by a friend."

Henry's eyebrow shot up, "Are they trying to kill us?"

I tuned out their voices as I tried to clear my head, only to realise as I looked around that we had followed Chloe and Luke all the way over here. To an abondened warehouse. Well... it was usually abondened during the day, but right now, it looked full of life. The lights were on inside. And it looked like it had never once shut down.

The warehouse had once been used for storing merchandise that came from other countries. Mainly steel. Or so I'd heard. It had already been shut down when I was born. I'd also heard from other kids, that the reason it shut down was because some criminals were busted for using it as a front for illegal firearm dealings.

Since it had been shut down, what was left of the fence was as good as gone. Obviously the government didn't care, or they would have atleast used the large plot of land for building houses. Maybe even a shopping centre.

As we got closer, I noticed that the warehouse looked a bit too lively. I mean, it was weird as hell for there to be people inside, but right then, the warehouse looked like it was hosting a party. I could vaguely hear the sounds of jazzy music which insinuated that this was a classy social, but I wasn't sure if they were in my head or not. Suddenly it made sense why Chloe and Luke were here. They'd been wearing those clothes for this party. Maybe it was a dresscode.

"So, why are we here again?" I asked.

"I didn't force any of you to be here. Let's just move over there." Mickey gestured to somewhere behind the warehouse.

We all walked lightly on the tar and then began running towards the wall. I seriously hoped that no one saw what we were up to, otherwise we'd be charged with trespassing. A small part of me doubted that, since kids rode here on their bikes all the time.

Once we were safely hidden in the shadows of the walls, we tiptoed along the path in a line, with me in the middle and Henry behind me, until Mickey reached the corner. He stopped moving. I wasn't prepared for him to suddenly stop walking, and I ended up bumping into his back.

Out of habit, I said, "Ouch." My forehead didn't hurt one bit, but I was sure my ego was hurt a little.

Henry began chuckling behind me. It wasn't exactly quiet and I feared we were heard. But then as we stood still for the next few minutes, nothing happened. We all breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Henry! Why do you have to be so loud?" I whisper-yelled in his face. Practically hissing.

"I was jus-" he was cut off by Mickey's serious tone.

"You guys should really keep quiet. They're going to hear us." He turned to peek around the corner. But at that instant, my stomach sank.

I knew before I even heard the footsteps that someone was coming. I hadn't seen anyone yet, but I could sense a presence that made it seem like the air around us was crackling. That made the hairs on my arms rise. I took a few steps back slowly on instinct, to get a head start. "Uhh, guys? I think we should go."