Donald took Arthur to his car, a black SUV that blended seamlessly into the night. Without a word, he opened the passenger door, gesturing for Arthur to get in.
Arthur didn't move imdiately. He glanced at Donald, then at the car, he wasn't naive—this wasn't just a ride.
"Here, put this on."
Donald held out a black blindfold.
Arthur's gaze flickered to the fabric, then back to the man's expressionless face.
He took the blindfold.
Without hesitation, he wrapped it around his head and tied it securely.
He heard the faint sound of approval in Donald's hum before the door clicked shut beside him.
The engine roared to life, smooth and nearly soundless, and the car lurched forward.
Arthur didn't speak.
Neither did Donald.
The silence between them stretched, heavy yet unspoken. The only sounds were the gentle hum of the tires against the pavent and the faint vibration of the engine.
Arthur didn't bother trying to morize the route.
Even if he counted the turns, tid the stops, or focused on the way the road beneath them shifted, it wouldn't matter. He wasn't a trained spy, and even if he were, the military had done this before. They wouldn't be careless.
Besides, his mind was elsewhere.
Charlotte.
Was she really safe?
He had no way of knowing if they were telling the truth. If they had already done sothing to her. If this was all just a ans to string him along, make him compliant, make him obedient.
The idea made his fingers twitch.
He had to play along—for now.
The drive stretched for what felt like hours. His body remained still, but his mind raced, thoughts colliding in rapid succession.
At so point, the car slowed, the terrain beneath them shifting.
They had arrived.
Arthur remained motionless, waiting.
A click. The engine died.
"All right," Donald's voice finally broke the silence. "You can take it off now."
Arthur pulled the blindfold away, blinking as his vision adjusted.
As Arthur pulled the blindfold away, blinking as his vision adjusted, the sight before him was... a car park.
For a mont, he simply stared. After the long, tense journey, he had expected sothing more dramatic—maybe a hidden underground bunker or so kind of high-tech military facility built into the side of a mountain. But no.
A car park.
Donald stepped out of the vehicle and stretched his arms, as if they had just taken a casual road trip. "Co on," he said, motioning for Arthur to follow.
Arthur exhaled and stepped out, the ground beneath him solid concrete.
As they left the car park, Arthur's gaze flickered around, as he stepped into the open, his eyes widened slightly.
They had arrived at the military headquarters.
But it didn't look like a simple base—it looked like a fortress.
The sky stretched vast and empty above, but the land itself was sealed off, surrounded by massive concrete walls. Tall guard towers lined the periter, stationed with ard soldiers scanning the area
It was isolated.
There were no city lights in the distance. No roads leading in or out. No signs of civilization beyond these walls. It was as if they had driven into the middle of nowhere—a place that wasn't ant to be found.
Inside the walls, the base seed to be a city in its own right.
Large buildings sprawled across the landscape, so clearly designated as barracks while others looked like research facilities.
In the distance, Arthur spotted military planes parked neatly along the airstrip, their forms reflecting the dull light of the overcast sky. Tanks were lined up further ahead.
Armoured cars moved through the base, carrying supplies or personnel, each vehicle marked with insignias Arthur didn't recognize. Soldiers moved about in coordinated motions, training, patrolling, or speaking in hushed tones.
Arthur took it all in quickly.
This place was built for war.
Not just for national defense—this was sothing else. Sothing bigger.
Donald didn't give him ti to dwell on it.
He walked toward a vehicle—a black, unmarked military SUV—and slid into the driver's seat.
Arthur followed without question, getting into the passenger side.
As the doors shut, the low hum of the engine filled the silence. Donald drove at a steady pace, weaving through the base like he had done this route a thousand tis before.
Arthur remained silent, watching through the window as the base unfolded before him.
The more he saw, the more he realized—they knew.
About the ga. About what was coming. About everything.
And he was now a part of it.
After a few minutes, Donald pulled up to a relatively small building.
It wasn't tiny, but compared to the massive facilities surrounding it, it was modest. A simple, square structure with reinforced walls and tinted windows.
No labels. No insignias.
Just there.
Donald put the car in park and turned off the engine.
"Let's get off."
Arthur nodded and stepped out, his boots hitting the pavent with a solid thud.
He followed Donald inside.
The interior of the building was quiet.
The halls were clean and well-maintained.
Inside, a middle-aged man sat behind a desk, his face weathered but still sharp. His hair was beginning to grey, but there wasn't a single sign of weakness in his posture.
As soon as Donald entered, the man imdiately stood and saluted.
Donald smiled slightly. "At ease."
The man relaxed slightly, but his sharp gaze flickered toward Arthur, assessing him instantly.
"This is Arthur Fate," Donald introduced. "He's joining us today."
Arthur felt the weight of the man's stare. His worth was being silently evaluated in those few seconds.
Then, after a pause, the man nodded.
"Nice to et you. I'm Raymond." His voice was firm, and controlled.
Arthur inclined his head. "Likewise."
Donald glanced at Raymond. "I need a first-class room."
Raymond raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. He knew better than to ask unnecessary questions when it ca to requests like these. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire
Instead, he nodded and stepped toward a locked cabinet at the back of the office. With a quick motion, he twisted a key and pulled the heavy door open, revealing an assortnt of neatly labeled compartnts. His fingers found the correct one almost imdiately.
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