I stood frozen, the device clutched in my hand, as Rachel's eyes searched mine. "Ethan, what happened?" she asked again, her voice laced with concern. I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.
"Nova gave me this," I said finally, handing her the device. Rachel's expression turned cautious as she examined it.
"This is a high-level encryption device," she said. "Whatever's on here, it's heavily protected." Rachel's eyes locked onto mine. "Let's get to work."
Together, we huddled over the laptop, pouring over lines of code. The hours ticked by, the silence punctuated only by the hum of the computer. Finally, the encryption cracked, revealing a treasure trove of documents and recordings.
My parents' research was more astonishing than I'd imagined. The Eclipse Project had discovered a revolutionary new energy source, one that could change the course of human history. But why had they kept it hidden?
A recording caught my attention – a conversation between my parents and a mysterious figure, discussing the project's implications. The figure's voice sent chills down my spine.
"We can't let this fall into the wrong hands," my father said, his voice urgent. "The consequences would be catastrophic."
Rachel's eyes met mine, her expression grim. "Ethan, this changes everything. We're not just talking about a conspiracy – we're talking about global security."
Suddenly, the laptop beeped, signaling an incoming message. An unknown sender, with a single phrase: "You're getting close. Back off."