The tap of my pen echoed between the glass walls.
I tapped the desk rhythmically, not to any beat, but driven by my thoughts.
A stack of files lay before me. Spotless envelopes, neatly arranged, as always.
But I hadn't looked at them for minutes.
I just stared out.
Beyond the glass, where the city's outlines faded tiredly into the afternoon light.
It made me smile.
I like to daydream. Even stress pauses for a moment then.
The door opened quietly behind me.
– Everything is ready for departure – announced the secretary.
Her voice was polite but overly measured.
I glanced sideways.
At my watch, then at my calendar.
– As far as I know, the departure is at five o'clock – I said dryly.
– There has been a change.
Another figure appeared behind her: a woman who never knocked.
She just came when she felt like it.
She was my boss.
– The helicopter leaves at three – she stated simply.
– Is this the overtime bonus? – I asked with a bitter smile.
– This will be a longer job. Three months.
There are suspicions, but nothing certain.
You have to find out if there is cause for concern.
She leaned forward and slid a document toward me.
The destination name was unfamiliar.
– A modern luxury facility in the middle of the forest, embraced by nature.
The complex surrounded by trees can only be easily reached by helicopter.
They're sending the chopper for you, not us.
– If they're already expecting me by helicopter – I said ironically –, maybe I'll be on good terms with the management there.
– Kindness has no limits, especially when hidden interests are served.
Do what you always do: thoroughly inspect every corner of that place — the patients, the treatments, the processes.
This place is no different from the others.
A big company, great influence, and even more influential people who have every opportunity to cover up mistakes.
– So far, the situation is nothing new – I said as I got up.
– Remember, big companies like this are capable of anything. Don't let yourself be bribed.
– Come on.
I eat things like that for breakfast.
I put on my sunglasses and walked out the door.
The elevator reached the rooftop swiftly.
The helicopter was already there. Its black body reflected the dull, greying sky. The rotors turned slowly, like some mechanical heartbeat. No insignia. No logo. They didn't need an introduction.
The pilot opened the door without a word. I didn't step in immediately. The wind had gotten there before me—sharp and cold.
I climbed inside.
He didn't speak. Just nodded. I put on the headset. No voice greeted me.
The rotors accelerated, and for a brief second, time seemed to freeze—then everything surged forward again. We lifted off. The city fell away beneath me like a badly remembered dream.
The landscape grew wilder by the minute. Roads disappeared. Then buildings. Only forest remained. A thick green carpet that stretched endlessly, unmoving, like it was guarding something long buried.
And then I saw it.
The building looked… inhuman. Steel and glass, endless sheets of mirrored surface that reflected the sky but gave nothing back. No windows. No openings. It didn't belong, and yet it blended into the forest like it had always been there.
The helicopter descended. A platform opened silently on the roof.
My stomach tightened.
But I didn't hesitate. I straightened my blazer and stepped out.
The door opened before I could touch it. A woman stood there—perfectly tailored uniform, not a hair out of place. Her expression didn't welcome or reject. It just… assessed.
– Welcome, Ms. Alyssa Mervaux. We've been expecting you.
She didn't ask about my trip. Didn't offer water or introductions. Her every move screamed one thing: They already know everything they need to.
I followed her.
The hallway was blindingly white. Sterile. Disturbingly precise. Like a hospital, but too perfect. No papers. No open doors. Not a single misplaced object. Everything symmetrical. Everything controlled.
– The CEO will meet you later. Please, make yourself comfortable in your office.
It wasn't unusual. Spacious. Glass walls. Familiar, almost—like the office I'd left behind hours ago. Only more… tense.
Time to start knocking pieces off the board.
– Before you go, could you hand me the company file? – I asked.
– Of course, right away.
She returned with a thick, flawless black folder.
– What's your name? – I asked firmly.
– Irem, ma'am.
– Thank you, Irem.
The door clicked shut just as I flipped the file open. And that's when I met my first real problem.
The file was flawless. Outside and inside.
No flagged cases. No inconsistencies. No internal disputes. No unresolved therapies. Not even a single minor patient relapse.
Which, in a place of this size, wasn't just rare—it was impossible.
I pulled out my phone and called my supervisor.
– The file is completely clean. Every detail is accounted for. No anomalies. No errors. No complaints. Every patient, apparently, has been cured. Perfectly.
A pause.
– Now you understand why we were suspicious – her voice finally said. – But a spotless folder alone isn't enough to prove something's wrong. You'll need more.
I stared at the folder. The black surface gleamed under the overhead lights. My fingers tapped against the hard spine.
Embossed in gold:
Velarion Biotech.
And just like that, the real game had begun.