CLOSED ARCHIVE. Book 1.10

Chapter 10: "An Unexpected Ally"

"Gromov?" Elena couldn't hide her surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"The same as you," the colonel held his pistol, but somewhat uncertainly, without his usual firmness. "Looking for the truth."

The rain intensified, wind drove heavy clouds over the cape, but the strange glow above the stone didn't weaken. Through the noise of the elements, voices could be distinguished—people at the stone were discussing something, clearly excited by what was happening.

"Are you with them?" Elena nodded toward the group of scientists and military personnel surrounding the stone. "Are you working for Markov?"

Gromov hesitated, then slowly lowered his pistol.

"No. But not entirely with you either. The situation... is more complicated than it seems."

Elena relaxed slightly, but remained alert:

"Explain yourself."

They stood in the rain, sheltered behind a large boulder. The bluish glow reflected in the water droplets, creating a surrealistic picture.

"My father," Gromov began, lowering his voice, "Alexander Gromov, was one of the participants in the 'Dawn-7' project. He worked in security, responsible for maintaining secrecy. When the contact with 'Object X' occurred, he was one of the first to interrogate Velichko after his return."

"You knew about this all along?" Elena couldn't hide her disappointment. "From the very beginning of the investigation?"

"No," Gromov shook his head. "I only knew that my father worked on some secret space program. He never shared details. But when you began investigating Kornev's death and the name 'Dawn-7' appeared, I started gathering information."

He sighed heavily, running his hand through his rain-soaked hair.

"My father died in 1968. Officially—from a heart attack. But before his death, he managed to pass a sealed envelope to my mother with instructions to give it to me when I turned thirty. In the envelope was a brief note about the 'Dawn-7' project, about contact with an extraterrestrial object, and about the warning that Velichko received."

"And what did you do with this information?"

"Nothing," Gromov smiled bitterly. "What could I do? It was just a note from a dead man, written fifteen years before I read it. I had no evidence, no way to verify this information. Besides, I was just starting my career in the agency, didn't want to ruin it by digging into KGB's secret materials."

A gust of wind nearly knocked them off their feet. Elena pressed against the rock, trying to maintain her balance.

"But you didn't forget about this information," she said when the wind subsided a bit.

"No," Gromov nodded. "It was always somewhere in the back of my mind. And when you started this investigation, and the name 'Dawn-7' surfaced, everything came back. I realized I needed to know the truth. To understand what my father really died from."

"And what did you find out?"

"He was killed," Gromov answered grimly. "Like many other project participants who knew too much or doubted the correctness of concealing the information. My father believed that humanity should know the truth about the contact. That the message received by Velichko was intended for everyone, not just the chosen few. That's why they eliminated him."

Elena looked at Gromov intently. His eyes revealed sincere pain that had been accumulating for decades.

"Who specifically killed him?"

"Viktor Markov, the grandfather of the current minister, who headed the commission investigating the incident. He made the decision to completely classify the information and eliminate potential sources of leaks." Gromov clenched his fists. "And his grandson continues the family business. Only now the stakes are even higher."

Elena nodded toward the glowing stone:

"Is this the place Velichko talked about? The place of return?"

"Yes," Gromov confirmed. "According to the prediction, after fifty years 'they' should return to the same place where they left their mark thousands of years ago. Local legends say that since time immemorial, Cape Rytyi has been a place of contact with 'celestial visitors.' And in 1967, Velichko received the exact coordinates and time."

"Time..." Elena pondered. "Fifty years was completed in June 2017. Why is the return happening only now?"

"Because a key was needed," Gromov replied. "The sample you brought. It activated gradually, reaching full power only by the deadline for return. And then it had to be delivered to the right place—to this stone, which has the same pattern carved on it as the structure of the sample itself."

"And Markov knew about this?"

"Of course. Their family kept this secret for half a century, preparing for the return. They want to control the contact, monopolize access to technologies and knowledge that might be obtained."

Elena peered out from behind the boulder. Activity around the stone had intensified. People in protective suits were setting up some equipment, adjusting instruments. Markov stood a little to the side, periodically giving orders. Andrei and Anna remained tied to posts, soaked in the rain.

"We need to rescue the hostages," Elena said decisively. "And then deal with Markov."

"It's not that simple," Gromov cautioned. "He has a whole special forces unit here, not to mention the scientists. The two of us can't handle them."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Gromov hesitated, then said: "I have a plan. But to implement it, I need the sample you brought."

Elena looked at the colonel warily: "Why?"

"Markov is preparing a trap for 'them,'" Gromov explained. "He wants to use the sample as bait, and then activate special equipment that, in his opinion, can neutralize or even capture 'them.' But he doesn't understand what he's dealing with. Velichko's message was a warning, not an invitation to aggression."

"And what do you want to do?"

"Prevent a catastrophe," Gromov replied seriously. "Ensure peaceful contact. And for this, the sample must be activated correctly, according to the scheme Velichko transmitted. Not as a weapon or trap, but as a bridge."

Elena pondered. Trusting Gromov was risky, but her intuition suggested he was telling the truth. Besides, she had no real choice—alone against an armed squad, she had no chance.

"Alright," she finally said, taking the container with the sample from her bag. "But we do this together. And rescuing Andrei and Anna is the priority."

"Agreed," Gromov nodded. "I promise to do everything in my power to get them out of there alive."

Elena handed him the container: "What's the plan?"

"Markov expects you to appear with the sample," Gromov began explaining. "He's even counting on it—otherwise he wouldn't keep the hostages in plain sight. You'll surrender, give him the sample, and he'll probably order his men to bring you to the hostages. Meanwhile, I'll go around the plateau from the other side and take up a position for a sniper shot."

"Are you going to shoot Markov?"

"Only as a last resort," Gromov shook his head. "The main goal is to create a diversion. When I open fire over their heads, you'll free the hostages and try to reach the stone. There, according to Velichko's records, it should be relatively safe."

"And the sample?"

"During the commotion, I'll try to intercept it and activate it according to the correct scheme," said Gromov. "If Velichko's prediction is to be believed, after proper activation, 'they' will manifest themselves. And then the outcome will depend on how we behave."

The plan was risky, but they had no better options. Elena nodded: "Alright. I'll do my part. Give me five minutes to go around the plateau and come out from the opposite side."

"Be careful," Gromov squeezed her shoulder. "Markov isn't one to follow rules. He may break any promise if he feels his plans are threatened."

Elena nodded and, crouching, began to circle the plateau, hiding behind boulders and rock outcroppings. The rain and wind made movement difficult but also helped her remain undetected.

Gromov, with the container in hand, moved in the opposite direction, choosing a convenient position for shooting.

After a few minutes, Elena reached the opposite edge of the plateau. From here, she had a good view of the entire area with the stone, equipment, and people. She took a deep breath, checked her pistol, and stepped out of cover.

"Halt!" came the immediate shout, and several automatic rifles were aimed at her. "Hands up!"

Elena slowly raised her hands. The military surrounded her, one of them conducted a quick search and took her pistol.

"Take me to Markov," she said calmly. "I've brought what he wants."

They led her to the minister, who was standing near some complex device, talking to a scientist in protective gear.

"Captain Svetlova," Markov turned to her, a slight smile playing on his face. "Welcome. We've been expecting you."

Elena looked at him coldly: "Where's the sample?"

"We'll get to that later," Markov replied. "First, I want to make sure you've brought what we need."

"First, I want to see my loved ones," Elena said firmly. "Make sure they're alright."

Markov smirked and nodded to one of the guards: "Bring the hostages."

A minute later, Andrei and Anna were brought closer. Their clothes were soaked through, Andrei had a bruise on his face, and Anna's arm was bandaged, but overall they looked relatively unharmed.

"Elena!" exclaimed Andrei, taking a step forward, but the guard roughly pulled him back.

"Easy now," warned Markov. "They'll be perfectly fine if you cooperate. Now, Captain, where is the sample?"

Elena looked at her husband and Anna, then turned her gaze to Markov: "I have only the container with the sample from 'Object X' with me. The one Kornev found."

"And the second sample?" Markov frowned. "From Severov's bank deposit box?"

"I didn't have time to retrieve it," Elena lied. "Your men found me too quickly."

Markov clearly didn't believe her but decided not to press: "Fine, we'll deal with that later. Where's the container?"

"In my bag," Elena nodded to her bag, which one of the soldiers was holding. "Just remember: I brought it as you demanded. Now you should release the hostages."

Markov laughed: "I made no such promises, Captain. Your friends will remain with us until the operation is complete. As a guarantee of your cooperation."

He nodded to his assistant, who took the container from Elena's bag, and then... looked at Markov in surprise: "Sir, it's empty!"

Markov turned sharply to Elena, his face contorted with rage: "What does this mean?"

"I don't know," Elena looked genuinely surprised. "It was there when I was climbing the cape."

"Search her!" Markov ordered. "Check every inch of the plateau! The sample must be here!"

Commotion ensued. The military scattered across the plateau, illuminating every corner with flashlights. Elena cast a quick glance in the direction where Gromov should have been, but nothing was visible in the darkness and rain.

"You'll regret this," Markov hissed, coming close to Elena. "I can make your friends die slowly and painfully."

"You don't understand what you're dealing with," Elena replied calmly. "This isn't something you can use as a weapon or a tool of power. It's a message, a chance for all of humanity."

"Don't lecture me, Captain," Markov hissed. "My family has guarded this secret for half a century. We know what it is and how to handle it."

At that moment, the bluish glow above the stone suddenly intensified, turning into a bright pillar of light penetrating the clouds. Simultaneously, all electrical devices and equipment on the plateau went dark, including the soldiers' flashlights.

"What's happening?" shouted one of the scientists.

"Everyone remain calm!" Markov commanded. "Turn on the backup generators!"

But it was too late. The glow had transformed into a pulsating sphere that hovered above the stone, illuminating the entire plateau with an ethereal blue light. And then figures appeared in this light—vague, translucent, but clearly humanoid.

"My God," whispered one of the scientists. "It's them."

Markov quickly gave an order: "Activate the force field! Prepare for capture!"

But nothing happened. All the equipment remained dead, while the figures became clearer. There were three of them, tall, with thin limbs and disproportionately large heads. They didn't touch the ground, hovering several dozen centimeters above the plateau's surface.

And then a shot rang out. One of the soldiers, clearly panicking, opened fire on the aliens. The bullets passed through the figures without harming them, but the act of aggression itself seemed to change the atmosphere.

The glow around the figures intensified, and then a voice resounded in the heads of all present—not a sound, but a mental voice, calm and deep:

"We have returned, as promised. Fifty of your years have passed. Has your species made its choice?"

Markov stepped forward: "Who are you? What do you want?"

"We are observers. We monitor the development of intelligent life in the Universe. Fifty years ago, we transmitted a warning and a promise to return to your representative. We see that the warning was not heeded. Your civilization continues on the path to self-destruction."

"That's not true!" objected Markov. "We're developing, progressing..."

"You accumulate weapons capable of destroying your planet. You deplete resources. You are divided into hostile groups. And you, personally, planned to use our contact as a tool of power."

The glow around the figures pulsated in rhythm with the words. Elena noticed that the guards had loosened their grip, mesmerized by what was happening. This was her chance.

She rushed to Andrei and Anna, pulled out a small knife hidden in her sleeve, and quickly cut their bonds.

"Run to the stone," she whispered. "Quickly!"

They ran, hunched over, toward the stone with symbols. Strangely, no one tried to stop them—everyone was too absorbed by the aliens.

Reaching the stone, Elena saw Gromov hiding behind a protrusion. In his hands was the sample from "Object X"—somehow he had managed to extract it from the container and replace it.

"Made it," exhaled the colonel. "Look!"

The sample in his hands glowed with the same bluish light as the aliens and seemed to pulsate in rhythm with their glow.

"What is this?" whispered the astonished Andrei.

"What Severov was talking about," Elena replied. "A part of them. A communication tool and information carrier."

Meanwhile, Markov continued his dialogue with the aliens: "What do you want from us?"

"We do not demand. We offer a choice. Continue the path leading to destruction, or accept help for transformation. Not conquest, not control—but partnership. Knowledge, technologies, new forms of social organization. A path to the stars, not to ashes."

"And who will make this decision?" asked Markov. "Who will control these knowledge and technologies?"

"No one and everyone. Knowledge must belong to the entire species, not the chosen few. Your representative, whom you called Velichko, understood this. Many of those you eliminated also understood."

At these words, Markov noticeably paled.

"We know of your crimes. Of the lies, murders, manipulations. We see your soul, and it is dark."

"You have no right to judge us!" Markov almost shouted. "It's not for you to decide the fate of our planet!"

"We are not judges. We offer a choice. But it must be made by all, not by individuals."

And then Gromov, to Elena's surprise, stepped out of hiding, holding the glowing sample.

"I think I understand," he said, addressing the aliens. "The sample isn't just a key to contact. It's an information carrier, a kind of... library? With knowledge you want to transmit?"

"Yes. Your scientists would call it a quantum data repository. But it is more. It is part of our collective consciousness."

"And if activated correctly, according to the pattern carved on the stone..."

"The information will become available. Gradually, as your species becomes ready to accept it. It is not a weapon or a magical artifact. It is a tool for the evolution of consciousness."

Markov signaled to his men, and several soldiers began to quietly surround Gromov.

"Give me the sample, Colonel," demanded the minister. "You don't understand what you're dealing with."

"No, it's you who doesn't understand," replied Gromov, turning to Markov. "My father died trying to convey the truth about the contact. As did many others. You and your family have hidden information that could have changed humanity's course for half a century."

"We were protecting national interests!" objected Markov. "Imagine what would happen if these technologies fell into the hands of our adversaries!"

"Protection from others is an outdated concept for a species standing on the threshold of the cosmic era," the mental voice resounded in their heads again. "Division leads to destruction. Unity leads to evolution."

"That's exactly what my father said," nodded Gromov. "And Velichko. And Severov. And all those you silenced."

He raised the sample above his head: "I'm activating it according to the pattern. Let the information become available to everyone, not just the chosen ones."

"No!" shouted Markov and rushed toward Gromov.

But it was too late. The colonel touched the sample to the symbols on the stone, and something incredible happened: bluish light enveloped the entire plateau, everyone present froze, and then each person—from Markov to the last guard—seemed to fall into a trance. Their eyes glazed over, their faces frozen in expressions of profound shock.

Only Elena, Andrei, Anna, and Gromov himself remained conscious.

"What's happening to them?" whispered Anna, looking at the frozen people.

"I believe they're being shown," Gromov quietly replied. "What Velichko saw. The truth about our place in the Universe, about possible paths of development, about the consequences of our current choices."

The alien figures approached them.

"You have made the right choice," the mental voice resounded. "The sample will remain with you as a communication channel. Through it, we will observe and, if necessary, guide. But the choice always remains yours."

"What will happen now?" asked Elena. "With Markov, with this whole situation?"

"They will see. Some will understand. Others will resist. But the seed is planted. Knowledge cannot be returned to darkness once it has seen the light."

The glow began to gradually dim, the figures becoming more and more transparent.

"We will observe. We will return when the time comes. Until then—the sample is yours. Use it wisely."

With these words, the aliens completely disappeared, leaving only a faint bluish glow above the stone. The rain stopped, the clouds began to disperse, revealing the starry sky.

The people around them gradually began to come out of their trance. Some fell to their knees, some cried, some stood with a stunned look. Markov sat down on the stone, covering his face with his hands.

"Did you see?" whispered Andrei, embracing Elena. "Did you see the same thing I did?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Possible futures. Good and bad. And the choice we have to make."

Gromov approached them, holding the sample, now calmly glowing with a soft blue light.

"What now?" he asked.

"Now," Elena looked at Markov and his people, still coming to their senses, "we have a struggle ahead. For truth. For the future. To ensure this knowledge becomes available to all, not a tool of power for the chosen few."

"The struggle won't be easy," noted Gromov. "Markov and those behind him won't surrender easily."

"But now we have something more than just suspicions and fragments of information," Elena took her husband's and Anna's hands. "We have the truth. And it can no longer be hidden."

They stood on the plateau, under the starry sky of Baikal, holding an artifact of extraterrestrial origin and understanding that the world would never be the same. Ahead lay a long road, full of dangers and uncertainty. But also—hope for a new beginning for all of humanity.

Gromov extended the sample to Elena: "I think you should have it. You've earned the right to decide its fate."

Elena carefully took the glowing object, feeling a slight vibration and warmth.

"Not me," she shook her head. "All of us. Together."

And the sample in her hands, as if in response to these words, glowed a bit brighter, continuing to pulsate in rhythm with their heartbeats.

Markov finally rose from the stone and, staggering, approached them. His face was distorted by a complex range of emotions—shock, anger, confusion, and something resembling fear.

"You don't understand what you've done," the minister's voice sounded hoarse. "There are things humanity isn't ready to know."

"Who are you to decide this for everyone?" Elena asked calmly. "Your family has hidden information that could have changed the course of history for half a century. How many lives could have been saved? How many wars prevented? How many diseases cured with the knowledge you monopolized?"

Markov shook his head: "You're naive. The world isn't governed by good intentions. There are forces, structures, interests... You think you can just take and change all this in one sweep?"

"No," Gromov answered instead of Elena. "But we can begin. Step by step. Truth by truth."

The military and scientists around them were slowly coming to their senses, some already raising their weapons, but their movements were uncertain, their eyes unfocused.

"Order your men to stand down," Elena firmly told Markov. "Enough deaths, enough lies. Something changed tonight, and you feel it."

The minister looked at her for a long time, then at the sample in her hands, then at the starry sky above Baikal. And something in his gaze changed.

"Lower your weapons," he finally ordered. "Everyone step away from the stone."

"Sir?" one of the officers asked in confusion.

"Obey!" barked Markov, and the soldiers reluctantly retreated.

He turned to Elena again: "You think you've won, Captain. But this is just the beginning. What we all saw... it will change everything. Not just my plans, but your conception of reality. Are you ready for the consequences?"

"No," Elena answered honestly. "But I'm ready to face them with open eyes. As your grandfather should have done fifty years ago."

Markov smirked: "Those were different times. The Cold War, the arms race. My grandfather did what he thought necessary to protect the country."

"At the cost of innocent lives?" Gromov asked harshly. "At the cost of humanity's future?"

The minister didn't answer. He simply turned and headed toward his men, throwing over his shoulder: "You're free to go. But remember: what began today will have consequences. For all of us."

Elena, Andrei, Anna, and Gromov remained by the stone, watching as Markov and his men gathered their equipment and prepared for evacuation.

"He's just letting us go?" Andrei asked incredulously. "After everything that happened?"

"No," Elena shook her head. "He's retreating to regroup. To devise a new strategy. This isn't the end."

"What should we do then?" asked Anna, still pale and trembling from the experience.

Gromov put his hand on Elena's shoulder: "We must act quickly. We have the sample and knowledge of what happened. We need to find a way to transmit this information to the world. But in a way that won't silence us before it's time."

"I know who can help," said Anna. "My colleague, Professor Lebedeva from the Academy of Sciences. She specializes in extraterrestrial radiation, studying the possibility of life in the Universe. And importantly, she has extensive international connections."

"Good idea," Elena nodded. "But first we need to get out of here and reach civilization."

They looked down at the shore of Lake Baikal, where Elena's small boat was still visible, miraculously surviving the storm.

"The nearest settlement is about fifty kilometers away," said Gromov. "If the weather permits, we can get there in a few hours."

"And the sample?" Andrei looked at the glowing object in Elena's hands. "How do we transport it? It's... active."

"In Severov's container," Elena replied, taking a special container from her bag that she had found in the bank deposit box. "It was designed specifically for this."

She carefully placed the sample in the container, and the glow immediately became less noticeable, though it didn't completely disappear.

"They'll still notice it," Gromov shook his head. "We need to avoid checks and official routes."

"I have friends in Irkutsk," said Anna. "People we can trust. They'll help us get to Moscow through unofficial channels."

"Good," Elena nodded. "Then we go down to the shore and travel by water to the nearest village. We'll decide how to proceed from there."

They began descending the steep path leading from the plateau to the shore. Looking back one last time, Elena saw Markov standing by the stone, gazing at the starry sky, and something in his solitary figure seemed strangely vulnerable, almost tragic.

For the first time in many hours, Elena felt she could breathe normally. There were still many questions, dangers, and unknown factors. But the main thing—Andrei and Anna were rescued, the contact had occurred, and the sample containing the key to incredible knowledge was with them.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Andrei, walking beside her.

"That we're standing on the threshold of something grand," Elena replied. "Something that will change everything. And it's frightening."

"Me too," he admitted. "What we saw today... It goes beyond our understanding."

"But at the same time," added Elena, "I feel a strange... calmness. As if we're finally moving in the right direction. For the first time in a long while."

Andrei took her hand: "Whatever happens next, we'll manage. Together."

Elena smiled and squeezed his hand tighter. Ahead was a long road, full of dangers and uncertainty. But also—hope. Hope for the future they had seen in the message from "Object X." A future that was now possible.

The boat glided smoothly over the night waters of Baikal, carrying them away from Cape Rytyi, the place where humanity had taken its first step into a new era. To the stars, not to ashes, as the aliens had said. And in this darkness, under the light of distant stars, they felt not just survivors of a dangerous adventure, but participants in something much greater. The beginning of a story that was just starting.

End of the first book.