THE HIDDEN WAREHOUSE

Meanwhile, Ethan overheard a conversation between two colleagues nearby:

"...can't believe she's been assigned to the Atlas Project. I heard it's top-secret..."

"...yeah, and I heard rumors of strange occurrences happening around the lab. Equipment malfunctioning, strange noises at night..."

Ethan's curiosity was piqued. He wondered what the Atlas Project was and what kind of strange occurrences were happening. The more he heard, the more he felt that his mother's work was somehow connected to the impending danger.

As they approached his mom's workstation, Ethan noticed a piece of paper on the desk with some scribbled notes:

"Meet me at the old warehouse at 3 PM. -J"

Ethan's heart raced as he wondered who wrote the note and what it meant. He felt like he was getting close to uncovering a secret, but he didn't know what or who to trust. The office felt like a maze of secrets, each corner potentially hiding a clue or a threat.

Suddenly, Mrs. Thompson appeared, her expression warm but her eyes calculating. "Ethan, are you lost? Can I help you with anything?" she asked, her voice too sweet.

Ethan forced a smile. "No, Mrs. Thompson, I'm fine. Just looking for some documents my mom needed."

Mrs. Thompson nodded, but Ethan noticed her glance at the piece of paper on the desk. "Well, don't stay too long. You wouldn't want to get in trouble," she said, her tone light but with an undertone that sent chills down his spine.

Ethan watched her walk away, his mind racing. He had to find out more about the Atlas Project and the note he found. Who was "J," and what was happening at the old warehouse at 3 pm..With the note securely in his pocket, Ethan made his way towards the exit. He had a few hours before 3 PM, and he needed to prepare. His mom's life depended on it.

As he exited the building, Mr. Jenkins called out, "Ethan! Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes, Mr. Jenkins, thank you!" Ethan replied, giving the guard a wave. "I'll see you later!"

Once outside, Ethan took a deep breath. "Alright, first things first. I need to figure out what's going on at that warehouse."

So, Ethan entered his driver Mr. Rudeus's car, and they set off. Mr. Rudeus glanced at Ethan in the rearview mirror and asked, "So, what did you do in there, Ethan? Have a girlfriend there?" He laughed heartily.

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Hey, now's not the time for jokes. Besides, I had other things to do there."

In his mind, Ethan thought, "I have to find out what this old warehouse means and where it's located in the city. I don't have time to waste."

"Mr. Rudeus," Ethan asked aloud, "how many warehouses are there in Mishap City?"

Mr. Rudeus raised an eyebrow. "Warehouse? Why would you want to know that? Well, this city isn't that big, but I think maybe six... at least the ones I know of. Why are you asking? Wait, hope you don't plan on going to all the warehouses in the city?"

Ethan thought to himself, "Only six? Well, I'm sure there are more than that. Even if we have to go to a thousand warehouses, I'll do it because I need to save Mom."

He then turned to Mr. Rudeus and said, "Uh... well, yeah, I kind of need you to help me with something. Just think of it as a favor, and I'll repay you in the future." Ethan flashed a smile.

Mr. Rudeus sighed. "Hey, this is the 26th time you're owing me a favor and the 26th time you're saying you'll repay me. But oh well... I guess anything for you, Mr. Ethan."

Meanwhile, back at NovaTech Inc., Mrs. Thompson walked briskly through the hallway, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor. She smiled and exchanged pleasantries with a colleague who passed by, but as soon as she turned away, her face hardened. She stepped into the elevator, and as the doors closed, her expression became even more severe. The elevator ascended to the top floor, where she exited and approached a large, imposing door that opened automatically. Inside, six people were seated around a round table, including the man in the white suit Ethan had noticed earlier. A chair at the center was vacant, clearly reserved for her. She sat down and addressed the group, "Well then, let's begin."

At Ethan's home, Clara was busy preparing for her trip, while her husband, Dick, looked on with concern. "Clara," he said, his voice hesitant. "Do you really want to go on this trip?"

Clara paused and looked at him. "Why are you and Ethan so worried about me? This isn't my first trip, you know." She smirked. "Oh wait, don't tell me you also had a bad dream like Ethan."

Dick shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm just... you know, looking out for you. Of all the trips you've gone on, this one... it just doesn't feel right."

Clara hugged him before he could finish his sentence. "Tell me, Dick, are you really sure there's no reason you don't want me to go?"

Dick hesitated. "No, not at all." But in his mind, he thought, "Why do I feel like this is the last time we're going to hug like this? What's this feeling?"

Clara, sensing his unease, tried to lighten the mood. "Do you remember when we first met?" She began recounting their past, bringing up fond memories and moments they had shared. "After all those times, I still came back to you and Ethan. I'll come back this time too."

Just as they were about to kiss, Dick's grandmother opened the door and teased them. Clara pecked Dick on the cheek and said, "I'm going to get my remaining stuff."

Meanwhile, at NovaTech, a janitor named Mr. Grayham was making his rounds. He noticed a light still on in one of the offices and went to check. Peeking inside, he saw Mrs. Thompson and the others in deep discussion. The room fell silent as they all turned to look at him. Mrs. Thompson smiled coldly. "Oh, Mr. Grayham. How do you do?"

"I'm fine," he stammered. "I just saw the light on. The office is supposed to be closed for today, so I wondered why it was still on."

"Well, sorry for the disturbance. I'm sure the meeting must be important," he said, closing the door and walking away quickly. Inside the room, one of the men raised his hand, signaling the man in the white suit to follow Mr. Grayham. They couldn't afford any loose ends.

Ethan and Mr. Rudeus drove around the city, checking all the warehouses Mr. Rudeus knew, but found nothing. Exhausted and frustrated, they stopped at a restaurant. As they sat down, Mr. Rudeus noticed Ethan's stressed expression. "Why did you bring me here, Mr. Rudeus?" Ethan asked wearily.

"You looked stressed. You need to eat something," Mr. Rudeus replied. "We've checked all the warehouses, and you haven't found what you're looking for. What exactly is the problem? I might be able to help."

Ethan thought, "I wish I could tell you... and not just you, but Mom and Dad, that I'm from the future and that I need to save Mom because she's in danger." Out loud, he said, "Ugh, if only I knew where they were meeting and which warehouse they were talking about and who wrote that note."

Suddenly, it hit him. "Wait, it said 'meet me at the old warehouse.'" He asked Mr. Rudeus, "How long have you known my parents?"

"About 16 years," Mr. Rudeus replied while eating.

"Is there any warehouse that's related to NovaTech? Does it have any specific warehouse?" Ethan asked eagerly.

"Well, it has some in the city, not just here but also in other countries," Mr. Rudeus said. "Not to mention the old warehouse that was closed down."

"Old warehouse?" Ethan's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"It was the first warehouse NovaTech had. It was closed for some illegal matter that happened, but no one really knows what. It's located on Queen Land Street, down the road. But no one has gone there since, and it's restricted. Not even NovaTech members can go there."

Ethan's face lit up with determination. "Let's go, Mr. Rudeus. We don't have time."

"But you haven't even eaten anything!" Mr. Rudeus protested as Ethan dragged him out of the restaurant. "Hey, I haven't finished my spaghetti yet!"

Determined to save his mom, Ethan and Mr. Rudeus sped off to find the old warehouse.