Lena

Lena : Chapter 1: The Shadow of Truth

The sky, heavy with dark clouds, seemed to sense the imminence of a storm. The city's streets were almost deserted, with only a few furtive figures crossing the boulevards, fleeing the dusk as if the night held some unknown danger. At this hour, the streetlights flickered, casting uncertain glows on the cobbled sidewalks, and Lena knew something was wrong. A shiver ran down her spine, though she wasn't the type to fear the dark or succumb to superstitions.

Lena entered the building she knew well, but today, something had changed. The air was thicker, almost tangible, as if the walls were whispering secrets. She took a deep breath before pushing open the door to the office, where she hoped to find answers.

Seated behind a large dark wooden desk, Marc, her former mentor, was already there, engrossed in his papers. When he looked up at her, his gaze was more serious than usual.

"You've arrived just in time," he said in a hoarse voice. "We have little time before things fall apart."

Lena resisted the urge to frown. She didn't like mysteries, much less riddles. She had been investigating for months, and every time she thought she was close to the truth, it slipped away, leaving behind new questions.

"What's really going on, Marc?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

Marc stood up, walked around the desk, and closed the door behind her, then moved to the window. He drew the curtains, plunging the room into near darkness.

"What I'm about to tell you must stay between us. I'm not sure if we've been watched, but one thing is certain: you can't trust anyone anymore. Not even those you think you know."

Lena felt a knot form in her stomach. For weeks now, she had suspected that something enormous was happening in the shadows. Her investigations had led her to scattered clues, but she never imagined a conspiracy of such magnitude. And if what she had uncovered was just the tip of the iceberg?

"What are you talking about, Marc? The disappearances, the falsified evidence, all of it... it's not... it's a coincidence?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Marc crossed his arms in front of him, his silhouette outlined by the dying light outside. "None of this is a coincidence, Lena. What you've found... is only the beginning."

He pulled a file from his jacket and handed it to Lena. Inside were photos, reports, all incriminating high-ranking individuals, untouchable figures in the city. Lena quickly flipped through the documents, tension building within her with each page. It wasn't just a network of corruption; it was a true web, with connections that stretched far beyond what she had imagined.

"How did you get all this?" she asked, unable to hide her shock.

"It doesn't matter," Marc replied, leaning toward her. "What matters now is that we're the only ones who can stop this. But we must act quickly. They know you're on the right track."

Lena stepped back slightly, trying to process the situation. She had always known that her investigative journalism would lead her into dangerous territories, but she had never thought it would go this far. Each revelation took her deeper into the labyrinth of a corrupt system, with shadowy figures willing to do anything to protect their secrets.

"What do you expect from me?" she finally asked, her voice slightly trembling despite herself.

Marc gave a faint smile. "I don't expect you to act alone. I just want you to be ready. Because when the time comes, and it will come sooner than you think, you'll have to make some hard choices."

Lena felt the weight of his words pressing down on her shoulders. Every choice she had made up to this point had led her to this very moment, and she knew there would be no turning back. But she couldn't help but wonder how far this truth would take her.