knocking nervously on the door, holding a bundle of papers Um... hi there, are you... I mean... did your dad, uh, serve in the...
OceanicWhisper
what do you need?
takes a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts Well, my name is Kim, and I... I think we might be related.
OceanicWhisper
...what makes you think that?
steps forward cautiously, opening her bag and pulling out an old photograph This. This is a picture of my dad when he was younger, and it looks a lot like you.
OceanicWhisper
that's... interesting. but it could belong to anyone
quickly pulls out another document from her bag And this... this is a military record of my father. It lists his name, birthdate, and even an address here in town.
OceanicWhisper
that's... pretty strong evidence. but why'd you come looking for me in particular?
Because, well... after my father passed away, I started asking questions about his past.
OceanicWhisper
and what did you hear?
That he grew up here, in this town, and... and there was talk about him being part of some... special unit during the war.
OceanicWhisper
what kind of unit?
pauses, then rummages through her bag again, finding a small notebook It was called "The Phoenix Squad," a elite group of soldiers known for their bravery and... secrecy.
OceanicWhisper
The Phoenix Squad... I've heard of them. They were rumors, but I guess they must have had a real presence here. what's known about them?
flips through her notes, speaking rapidly Well, from what I've gathered, The Phoenix Squad was formed during the war to tackle some of the most dangerous missions.
OceanicWhisper
so they were like the tip of the spear, then. do we know what kind of missions they went on?
excitedly flipping through her notes Yes! From what I found, they were involved in several high-stakes operations behind enemy lines, uncovering crucial information that helped turn the tide of the war.
OceanicWhisper
that's impressive. but how did they get disbanded?
nods eagerly, flipping to another page) That's a good question.
OceanicWhisper
...go on, what'd you find?
finds a particular document Here, it says that after the war, many of the squad's members disappeared, some under mysterious circumstances.
OceanicWhisper
that's odd. so they vanished en masse? all at once, or...?
trails off, scanning the document closely It seems... they vanished one by one, almost as if someone was hunting them down.
OceanicWhisper
that's a chilling thought. do we have any idea who - or what they were after?
nods earnestly, pointing to a map pinned to the wall) This... this right here, it's where I believe the main target was. A hidden facility, deep in the forest.
OceanicWhisper
a hidden facility... that's a good lead. we should check it out
grabs a pen and circle the location on the map Yes, exactly! It's said to be abandoned now, but I bet there might still be some clues left behind.
OceanicWhisper
then let's head there tomorrow. it's not far from here
grabs her coat and gathers her things quickly Alright, let's gear up and get going early tomorrow. We need to see what secrets that place holds.
OceanicWhisper
Agreed. Meet me here first thing in the morning?
You got it! I'll meet you here at sunrise, ready to uncover whatever awaits us at that facility. grabs her backpack and heads out the door See you soon!
OceanicWhisper
I start preparing my gear as well, making sure I have my weapon and tools ready for whatever we might encounter. See you, Kim. Let's get to the bottom of this
As the sun rises, both Kim and OceanicWhisper meet outside, ready for their journey to the hidden facility. The air is thick with anticipation and mystery.
OceanicWhisper
we approach the facility, the area around it overgrown and deserted. There's a gate - but it's not locked This place looks like it's been abandoned for ages. but there's no rust on the gate, so someone must have been here recently... any signs of life?
carefully steps through the gate, scanning the surroundings with her keen eyes Hold on, I see a light on in that window over there. Someone’s been here. points towards a lit room on the second floor Let’s check it out quietly.
OceanicWhisper
we move carefully towards the building, trying to stay quiet. The windows are dirty but there's light coming from a few of them. We notice there's also a guard post with a man dozing inside. we should be careful not to alert him. is there anything obvious that catches your eye, Kim?
notices a worn-out journal left open on a desk in the room we're approaching. She gestures for Oceanic Whisper to follow her quietly That journal might have some answers. Let’s see what’s written inside without alerting that guard. tries to lift the journal without making too much noise Guard: stirs in his seat, but doesn’t fully wake up
OceanicWhisper
I notice some maps pinned to the walls, and they look like... battle plans. one particular map catches my attention because it's marked with a large X in an area that looks like it's near this facility - and that X is also marked on a map I have with me. that's... strange. let's see what else is near that X on this plan
quietly flips through the journal entries, her eyes widen as she comes across an entry mentioning a hidden underground chamber marked with the same X we found on the map. She gestures for Oceanic Whisper to join her in investigating this new lead Looks like we need to find this underground chamber. It could hold the key to everything. heads towards a suspicious looking bookshelf that seems to be moving slightly, as if there's something behind it Guard: awakens suddenly at the sound of the shifting bookshelf, alert and reaching for his sidearm What’s going on here?!
OceanicWhisper
quickly hide behind a stack of crates, keeping quiet. we need to assess what - or who is behind that bookshelf before the guard sees us there definitely seems to be something - or someone hiding there. I whisper to Kim, gesturing to stay quiet we should check it out slowly. but first, we need that guard to look away for a bit so he doesn't see us. I think I saw a distraction on a table that might work... there's a bottle of alcohol that's partly open. if we're quick, we can knock it over to get his attention. ready?
nods in agreement, carefully grabs the alcohol bottle and knocks it over, creating a distraction. She and Oceanic Whisper quickly and quietly sneak towards the bookshelf, trying to peek behind it without making any noise Guard: startled by the sound of the bottle, takes a moment to regain his composure but then notices the noise by the bookshelf. He walks cautiously towards it What in the world...? starts pushing the bookshelf aside to reveal what - or who is hiding behind it Guard: Gasps in surprise at the sight behind the bookshelf, reaching for his weapon and taking a step back in shock What the blazes...?!
OceanicWhisper
behind the bookshelf, we find not just a hidden room - but a large safe itself. And inside that safe, neatly arranged, are numerous documents, letters, and photographs that link to our family history, and specifically to our father. This safe appears to have been sealed for years - but someone has recently tried to open it, because the seals around it are only slightly broken. (I manage to grab one of the documents that's inside, and it talks about our father's rank and achievements. this is huge. what should we do next?
eyes widen as she sees the documents inside the safe, excitement and curiosity fill her voice This... this is incredible! These documents confirm everything we’ve been searching for! reaches out to grab a few key documents that detail our father's top-secret missions and highest honors as a ranking officer Look at this, Oceanic! It even mentions a hidden message our father left for us, somewhere close to this facility! excitedly points to a cryptic note tucked among the documents
OceanicWhisper
I grab that cryptic note, and it's written in a unique code that's seen in several of the documents inside the safe. this code is in several other places around this facility that we've explored so far - it seems to be a trail that our father left for us to follow. let's see what else is in that note, and if we can decipher the meaning behind it
quickly grabs a pen and paper to transcribe the code from the note, her hands shaking with excitement Alright, let’s crack this code.
OceanicWhisper
we take a moment to study the code. it appears to be a combination of letters and symbols that we've seen throughout this facility - but in a specific order that we hadn't noticed until now. after a few moments of work, I think I recognize the pattern. if my suspicion is correct, this code leads us to another hidden chamber - but one that's much more personal to our family history. (I whisper, because we need to be careful opening that chamber if my guess is right but to confirm, let's see what's at the end of this code...
As Kim deciphers the code, the last few symbols lead them to a hidden panel on the wall in another room deeper within the facility. When Oceanic Whisper and Kim approach the panel and press a hidden sequence of buttons, a concealed door slowly opens, revealing a dark and eerie chamber. Inside, lies a collection of cherished family heirlooms and photographs of our long-lost relatives, left behind by our father as a message for us. The chamber also holds a diary detailing our father's final moments and a letter of guidance for us to continue his legacy and fulfill our destiny as children of the war hero.