The basement of her grandfather's house was shrouded in a cold dimness, illuminated only by the bluish light of the hidden computer that Rachel had managed to unlock. Her breathing was slow but uneven, as if every click of the mouse could trigger a trap or alert. The encrypted files began to unfold slowly before her, revealing technical reports, photographs, and videos labeled with cryptic names.
Rachel leaned closer to the screen, her eyes scanning the documents one by one. The first thing that caught her attention was a file titled "Experiments with Resonants and Aberrations." Upon opening it, she found pages and pages of detailed observations about how the aberrations had been captured alive and subjected to extreme tests at what appeared to be Installation K-17. There were anatomical diagrams of the creatures, accompanied by handwritten notes from her grandfather.
"The aberrations are not simple beasts," one of the notes read. "Some show signs of superior intelligence, as if they are being controlled by an external entity. This suggests that they do not act on instinct, but under instructions."
Rachel felt a chill run down her spine. The words "external entity" echoed in her mind like an unsettling reverberation. What kind of force could control these creatures? And more importantly, why?
As she continued exploring, she found another file titled "Final Report - K-17 Incident." This document described how the experiments conducted at the facility had spiraled completely out of control. According to the report, the aberrations captured near the mist during threshold events had been brought to K-17 for study. There, scientists attempted to implant parts of these creatures into natural resonants, seeking to create stronger and more resilient hybrids.
However, something went terribly wrong. During a critical test, the captured aberrations and the products of the experiments (resonants modified with parts of aberrations) escaped from their containers. They destroyed the facilities, killing nearly all the scientists and personnel present. Although Umbra Division arrived at the scene shortly afterward, it was already too late. According to the report, the agents eliminated all survivors, ensuring that no one spoke about what had happened, and stole all the information related to the experiments.
The report ended with a warning: "It is unclear whether any of the aberrations or hybrids escaped before Umbra Division sealed the area. If they did, they could represent an even greater threat."
"This is much worse than I imagined," Rachel murmured to herself, her trembling fingers navigating through the files.
Suddenly, a video file appeared among the documents. It was labeled "Personal Message - Bastian Bennett." Rachel held her breath upon recognizing her grandfather's name. With trembling hands, she played the video.
The image showed an older man, with gray hair and weary eyes, sitting in front of a camera. It was her grandfather, but he looked much older and more exhausted than she remembered. On his face was a mix of fear and urgency.
"If anyone finds this," Bastian began, his voice shaky, "you must destroy everything related to Project Vortex. You cannot allow it to continue."
Rachel felt a knot in her stomach. Her grandfather seemed to be on the verge of panic, constantly glancing toward the door as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment.
"The experiments… they got out of control. We tried to understand them, to study them, but we didn't know what we were dealing with. Something escaped. Something that should never have existed." Bastian paused, running a hand over his face before continuing. "If you're watching this, it means it's already too late. Find the Keeper. Only he can help you now."
The video ended abruptly, leaving Rachel with more questions than answers. Who was the Keeper? And what exactly was Project Vortex?
Determined to find more answers, Rachel continued reviewing the files. Among them, she found a folder labeled "Natural Resonants." Intrigued, she opened it and discovered that it contained detailed photos and data about people identified as resonants. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw a photo of herself, taken when she was a child.
"It can't be…" she whispered, incredulous.
The attached file explained that Rachel had been classified as a natural resonant from an early age. It even mentioned that her grandfather had designed a special bracelet to temporarily suppress her threshold energy. The bracelet he had given her years ago, telling her it was a simple good luck charm.
Now it all made sense. The strange sensations she had felt throughout her life, that energy that sometimes flowed within her without apparent reason… It had all been part of what her grandfather had tried to hide from her.
"Why did you do this to me?" Rachel asked into the void, her voice heavy with conflicting emotions.
At that moment, she realized that her grandfather hadn't just been protecting her; he had also been using her as part of his experiments. The bracelet wasn't a gift; it was a tool to control her.
As Rachel processed this new information, her phone vibrated on the table. Startled, she quickly picked it up and saw an encrypted message that had just arrived. It was from Spectro.
"Your location has been compromised. Get out of there immediately. Trust no one."
Rachel frowned, her heart racing. Before she could respond, she heard noises coming from the upper floor. Someone had entered the house.
She quickly turned off the computer and grabbed a flashlight she had brought with her. She climbed the stairs slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. When she reached the first floor, she found the front door open and the furniture out of place, as if someone had been searching for something.
"Who's there?" Rachel asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Suddenly, she heard a whisper behind her:
"Rachel… we know who you are."
She spun around quickly, but there was no one there. However, she felt a presence nearby, something that was definitely not human. The bracelet on her wrist began to glow faintly, emitting a low hum that vibrated the air around her.
Rachel slowly backed toward the basement, trying to stay calm. But before she could react, the computer screen turned on by itself, displaying a message in red letters:
"Welcome to Project Vortex."
"What the hell is this?" Rachel shouted, her voice echoing in the silence of the basement.
A familiar voice resonated in her mind, one she had heard before in fragmented dreams:
"You cannot escape what is already inside you."
Rachel fell to her knees, clutching her head with both hands. Images of the aberrations, the experiments, and her grandfather flashed rapidly through her mind like a whirlwind of memories and visions. She felt that something was trying to communicate with her, something that had long been dormant within her own being.
Just as she thought she couldn't take it anymore, a dark figure appeared in the doorway of the basement. It was tall, thin, and emanated an energy that made the air feel heavier. Rachel looked up, her eyes filled with terror.
"We have finally found you," the figure said in a distorted, metallic voice.
Before Rachel could respond, the bracelet on her wrist exploded in a blinding flash of light, throwing her backward. When she regained her vision, the figure was gone, but the message on the screen remained, mocking her:
"Project Vortex has begun again."