While the city slept silently, the rain pounded on the apartment windows of Ethan Blake. The only light in the dark room came from his laptop screen.

2:13 AM.

Ethan sat motionless, his fingers slowly moving across the keyboard as another search appeared on the screen:

"Toxins with a rapid onset of symptoms."

His eyes remained fixed on the glowing words.

The room around him looked strange notebooks scattered across the table, chemical formulas written on loose papers, empty coffee cups, and a locked black box hidden beside the desk.

A soft notification sound suddenly broke the silence.

Darkness “You’re getting closer.”

Ethan convulsed. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the message.

Then it disappeared.

He stopped breathing. Someone had accessed his private screen.

Quickly, he checked the windows. Locked.

The apartment door? Locked.

However, the strange sensation persisted. He was being watched. Thunder exploded outside.

Ethan opened another hidden file on his laptop labeled

EXPERIMENT X-27

Inside were pages of notes, chemical symbols, and one disturbing sentence written in red:

“Human testing phase incomplete.”

His hand trembled slightly.

Suddenly

A loud sound came from the apartment upstairs.

A scream.

Ethan stood up immediately.

For a moment, the entire building became silent again.

Too quiet. Then his phone vibrated.

Another unknown message appeared:

“Don’t let them find the formula.”

Ethan’s face turned pale.

Before he could react, police sirens echoed somewhere outside in the rain.

He slowly walked toward the apartment door.

With each step, his heartbeat grew more audible. The hallway outside was dark. One of the ceiling lights flickered weakly. Water dripped from a broken pipe somewhere in the corridor.

Then Ethan noticed something strange.

The apartment upstairs door was slightly open.

A thin line of yellow light escaped through the gap.

He hesitated.

Another thunder strike shook the building.

Ethan climbed the stairs slowly. Step.

Step.

Step.

The air felt heavier as the silence got deeper. When he finally reached the upstairs apartment, the door creaked open by itself.

Inside, the room was destroyed.

Furniture overturned. Glass shattered across the floor.

And near the kitchen

Someone was lying still. Ethan’s breathing stopped.

It was Mr. Calloway, the old man who lived upstairs.

His eyes were wide open.

Frozen.

A half-empty glass rested near his hand.

Ethan carefully stepped closer.

Then he noticed something terrifying.

Near the glass... was a folded document. With trembling fingers, Ethan opened it.

Only four words were written inside:

“You tested it already.”

Ethan stumbled and retreated. He whispered, "No..." Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.

Police.

Panic flooded through him.

If they found him here beside the body

everything would be over.

Ethan quickly looked around the room for another exit.

But before he could move, he heard a cold female voice behind him:

“Don’t move.”

Ethan turned slowly.

A woman stood near the doorway holding a gun.

Sharp eyes. Dark coat. Rain dripping from her hair.

Mila Carter, a detective. She carefully studied him before examining the note in his shaking hand. And for the first time that night

Ethan realized he might not be the only person hiding secrets.

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