Code Ghostbird

1 - The Discovery

           

Victor didn't understand why he had to go to the abandoned warehouse with Luke, Kota, and Nathan. Luke could get them in, Nathan could get them out of trouble, and Kota would make sure they didn't do anything stupid. He didn't feel like his expertise was needed but what Mr. B says goes so there he was walking up to a huge factory in the dead of night.

They didn't have a lot of time. They had to be back before sunrise or they would be found out. Who knew this academy would be even stricter than their own about schedules? This mission was supposed to be relatively simple, go in find where the missing money is going and get out. No one expected the degree to which this school had become corrupted. The teachers don't care, the principles abuse their power, and the students do whatever they want. The only thing anybody is strict about is curfew which is what they were currently breaking.

In the last couple of weeks weird energy spikes had been recorded from a specific warehouse just across the river, this warehouse. Its records show that it has been abandoned for years. Victor tried to find out who owned it but couldn't find anything no matter how hard he looked adding to his frustration concerning this abandoned building. Honestly, he would rather be sleeping. They were all in pretty good shape from training but the gym coach at this school was a psycho. He could probably be certified.

Luke approached the building first clad in all black, just like the rest of them. He surveyed the building before spotting something. Victor cringed as he watched Luke scale the side of the building heading towards a broken window. Once he slipped inside, all of them let out a relieved breath. Victor was very thankful North was not there to witness that stunt. The whole neighborhood would have been woken up from his yelling.

Soon enough, the front door to the factory was pushed open a grinning Luke standing on the other side. He was pretty much the only one that wanted to be here. Nathan surged forward taking lead. He was prepared for anything, though Victor predicted a homeless person was the most dangerous thing that could be hiding inside. 

They made their way forward into the main area of the factory. Shining his flashlight around the only thing Victor saw was a variety of rats. He held back a shudder and turned toward the others. They were standing at the edge of the platform. Victor joined them glancing down. It was a long way down. Staring at it made Victor's stomach turn.

Kota moved his flashlight around below revealing the place to be truly empty. Nothing so far that would indicate where the energy spikes came from. Finally, Kota's light stopped on a large steel elevator sitting in the middle of the space. Victor moved his flashlight around trying to figure out a way down when all of a sudden Luke leaned forward grabbing one of the various thick wires hanging from the ceiling.

"Luke, what are you doing?" Kota asked him sternly as Luke tugs the wire several times.

"I'm getting a ride down," he stated smirking. Before anyone can stop him, Luke jumped onto the wire sliding down to the floor below. He looked back up at the others still smirking. "Are you coming or what?"

Victor glanced at the others. Nathan and Kota both looked like they wanted to kill their brother for the worry they just experienced. Now, he was even more thankful that North had not accompanied them. Luke may not have made it back.

Reluctantly the trio stepped forward grabbing onto their own wires. After giving a few hard tugs, they each slid down joining Luke in front of the elevator. The doors were shut. Luke was currently trying to pry them apart. Victor surveyed the scene looking from his struggling brother to the surrounding area. His eyes landed on a small key pad off to the right of the elevator.

He walked over to the key pad gently dusting off the keys. He couldn't see any power source. There was no telling if the thing even worked anymore. Kota came to stand beside him. They stared down at the keys marked 1-9.