[WARNING — DISTURBING IMAGERY]
[WARNING — DISTURBING IMAGERY]
The corridor was silent until noise came from inside the apartment. Alfred and Egon pointed their guns forward. Wagner and Kastner followed close.
An old man emerged from one of the rooms, holding a plate of eggs and sausages. A gauze with faint blood stains covered his eyes. He wore a black jacket with the same symbol on his back: A cracked dome in a red circle.
He walked gracefully to the fluffy couch in the middle of the room with a 90 inch TV was integrated into the wall facing it. He leaned on the couch and picked up a remote resting on the small table.
This remote appeared initially as a collapsible white stick. Upon pressing a button at its base, the stick expanded into a clear screen with control buttons.
With a press of a button, he activated the voice control system then told the TV to play the latest episode of the TV show "The Green List": a historical piece, taking place in 2038, centered around a strong independent WOC environmental activist on a mission to dismantle corporations responsible for environmental degradation. The protagonist, Xara Green, navigates through treacherous landscapes, targeting companies with large carbon footprints and those causing deforestation. Through a series of covert operations and strategic takedowns, Xara Green aims to hold accountable those who harm the environment and its delicate balance.
"You damn stupid clouds, you can't get me." the blind man muttered, followed by a quiet laugh that felt half-mad, half-victorious.
The four men slowly approached him. Without seeing them, "four... And you've got guns on me, don't you?" The man's skin was pale, like the corpses.
As they reached behind the couch, they saw it. At the man's feet, around the low table, lay a ring of eight black stones.
"You must be fearless men." he said. "Be careful, one wrong step and be your last. Landmines."
Alfred grabbed the man's collar and yanked him of the couch. He dragged him across the floor and shoved him against the wall on the other side of the room.
"You two, watch him." Egon told Wagner and Kastner. "make sure he doesn't try anything funny. We'll check the rest of the building." He and Alfred moved on.
Left with the blink man, Kastner asked, "What happened to this place?".
"You might need to sit down for this." the man said. Wagner cut them off, "Not now. Save it for when we're safe."
Two minutes passed. The others were not back yet. Wagner relaxed, resting against the wall. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. "We didn't die after all, huh?" he said, almost to himself. "I mean, I'm sorry about your wife, professor, but I beginninG to think we're gonna get through this."
"Yeah, at least for today." Kastner replied.
"honestly, I'm relieved. I am." Wagner smiled faintly. "The fear worse than ever. But I've got hope now. That's something."
Egon and Alfred returned after clearing the floor and the roof. Egon searched the blind man. He found no weapons. No tricks. Nothing suspicious. Now, it's time to head back to the water station.