to become something greater. To see beyond the ordinary.»
«You kidnap and torture children,» cold contempt sounded in Anna’s voice. «Is that evolution?»
«You’re mistaken, detective. We don’t cause them pain. We… liberate them. It’s like taking off a heavy backpack after a long day. Only the backpack is the limitations of one’s own personality.»
He moved forward again, continuing to speak:
«Doctor Berkut has found a way to go beyond individual consciousness. To touch something… greater. You can’t even imagine what opens up there, beyond the boundary.»
Anna caught strange notes in his voice – a mixture of religious ecstasy and fanaticism. It seemed Berkut was truly not just a leader to them, but something of a guru.
They climbed to the third floor. It was noticeably brighter here – modern lighting fixtures, fresh paint on the walls. Nothing resembled an abandoned sanatorium. Sokolov stopped in front of large double doors at the end of the corridor.
«The doctor is waiting for you inside,» he stepped aside. «Alone.»
«That’s not happening,» Anna gripped her pistol tighter. «Open it.»
Sokolov shrugged and pushed the door. Behind it was a spacious office with panoramic windows overlooking the forest. Modern furniture, elegant design, paintings on the walls. And books – hundreds of books on shelves from floor to ceiling. Alexander Viktorovich Berkut sat behind a massive dark wood desk.
«Anna Vitalyevna,» he smiled, rising to meet her. «I’m glad you accepted my invitation.»
«Where is Sophia Velichko?» Anna aimed her pistol at him, not wasting time on pleasantries.
«Safe, I assure you,» Berkut gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite his desk. «Why don’t we talk first? There’s so much I’d like to tell you.»
«I’m not going to play your games,» Anna remained standing in place. «Where is the girl?»
Dorokhov, who had quietly entered the office behind Anna, kept Sokolov at gunpoint.
«Maybe we should search the building?» he suggested. «The team is ready.»
Berkut sighed with theatrical disappointment.
«How banal. I expected more understanding from you, Anna Vitalyevna. But if you insist…» he pressed a button on his desk. «Igor, escort Detective Sviridova to the laboratory. Show her our guest.»
«Dorokhov, stay here,» Anna ordered. «Don’t take your eyes off him. And call for backup.»
She followed Sokolov, who led her down the corridor to an elevator at the end of the wing. The metal doors slid open with a soft hiss. Inside were only two buttons: up and down. Sokolov pressed «down.»
«How many levels are underground?» Anna asked, not expecting an answer.
«Three,» Sokolov unexpectedly replied. «The doctor repurposed the old bomb shelters. The result is… impressive.»
The elevator seemed to descend forever. Finally, the doors opened, and Anna saw a long, brightly lit corridor. Sterile cleanliness, white walls, closed doors with small windows. Like a hospital. Or a prison.
«What is this place?»
«The transformation laboratory,» Sokolov moved forward. «The most important work happens here. Here, personalities… are restructured. They take on a new form.»
He stopped at one of the doors and looked through the small window.
«Look. Your Sophia.»
Anna pushed him aside and peered through the glass. Inside was a small room with white walls. On a hospital-like bed lay Sophia. Her eyes were closed, and on her head was a strange device with numerous wires, resembling a helmet. Next to the bed stood medical equipment: monitors, IVs, some devices Anna had never seen before.
«What have you done to her?» Anna grabbed Sokolov by the collar, pinning him against the wall. «Open the door! Immediately!»
«She’s just sleeping,» he replied calmly. «The drug works gently. No pain, no violence. Only… transformation.»
«Open this damn door!»
Sokolov took a key card from his pocket and swiped it through the reader. The lock clicked, the door opened slightly. Anna pushed Sokolov away and burst into the room.
Sophia lay motionless, but her chest rose and fell evenly – she was breathing. Anna checked her pulse – steady, strong. There was an injection mark on the girl’s arm.
«Sophia? Sophia, can you hear me?» Anna gently shook the girl’s shoulder.
No response. Her eyes moved rapidly under closed lids, as if dreaming. Her lips moved silently.
«What did you inject her with?» Anna turned to Sokolov, who stood in the doorway, watching with curiosity.
«The „Key.“ That’s what Doctor Berkut calls his invention. A drug that opens the doors of perception. Makes consciousness… pliable. Ready for changes.»
«What are the side effects?»
«Nothing dangerous. Dizziness, weakness, sometimes hallucinations,» Sokolov shrugged. «Sophia is just dreaming. Special dreams, in which her consciousness is restructured, taking on a new form.»
Anna began disconnecting the sensors from the girl’s head. Carefully removed the strange helmet. A mesh of electrodes remained on Sophia’s head, thin wires entangling her skin.
«What’s the antidote? What neutralizes the drug’s effect?»
«Time,» Sokolov smiled. «Just time. In a few hours, she’ll wake up. New. Renewed.»
«You’re monsters,» Anna checked the girl’s pupils. They responded to light – a good sign.
«No, we’re visionaries. Pioneers. Those who see the future of human consciousness.»
Anna pulled out her radio.
«Dorokhov? I’ve found Sophia. Basement level, west wing. She’s unconscious but alive. We need a medical team and…»
A sharp pain in the back of her head interrupted her sentence. The world momentarily darkened. When her vision returned, Anna found herself on the floor. The radio had flown aside. Sokolov stood over her, holding a metal tray – evidently what he had hit her with.
«Sorry, detective, but Doctor Berkut insisted that you also become part of the experiment,» Sokolov put the tray on the nightstand and leaned toward her. «Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt. Quite the opposite.»
Anna tried to reach for her gun, but her body wasn’t responding well. Her vision was doubled. Sokolov easily intercepted her hand and took her weapon.
«Why…» she managed with difficulty. «Why do you need this?»
«The doctor believes you’re an ideal candidate for the next phase of the experiment. Strong personality, sharp mind, unshakable will,» he helped her up and sat her on a chair next to Sophia’s bed. «People like you are rare. And experiments need… quality samples.»
The sounds of gunshots and shouts came from the corridor. Sokolov turned toward the door, then back to Anna. His face reflected doubt.
«Stay here,» he closed the door and turned the key in the lock.
Anna tried to stand, but the room spun before her eyes. Concussion? Seemed like it. She focused on her breathing, trying to clear her mind. The radio lay several meters away from her. If she could reach it…
At that moment, Sophia moaned and opened her eyes. A foggy, unfocused gaze slid across the room and stopped on Anna.
«You… came,» the girl’s voice was weak, barely audible. «Katya said you would come…»
«Katya?»