In the following days, Lena, Max, and Sam could hardly stop thinking about the mysterious black triangle with the white dot. But even more on their minds was another matter: Mia. She remained distant, almost more withdrawn than before. And then there was something else they couldn’t get out of their heads.
“Have you noticed that Mia disappears every afternoon shortly after school?” Lena whispered one day as they sat together in the cafeteria. “She never says where she’s going.”
Max nodded. “Yeah, I tried to watch. She mostly heads toward the parking garage on the edge of town. That old, abandoned thing nobody uses anymore.”
Sam frowned. “But why would she go there? That’s totally creepy. It’s just a few homeless people hanging around or teenagers who want to hang out.”
Lena shrugged. “That’s exactly what I want to find out. Maybe it has something to do with that weird symbol. Or with the book she always carries around so secretly.”
“Then we should just secretly follow her,” Max suggested, grinning mischievously. “Detectives on a secret mission!”
Sam laughed. “Alright, but only if we’re careful. Mia mustn’t notice we’re following her.”
So said, so done. The next day, the three friends waited inconspicuously at the school exit. As soon as Mia disappeared from sight, they sneaked after her—always at a safe distance, but close enough not to lose track.
The path led them through narrow alleys, past vacant houses, and finally to the old parking garage. It was a huge, gray concrete building that had seen better days. Most of the windows were broken, and trash and empty cans were scattered everywhere.
Mia slipped inside through a side door. The three friends waited a moment until they were sure no one was nearby, then sneaked in as well. Inside it was dark and cool, the smell of dampness hung in the air.
“Pssst, be quiet,” Lena whispered, pulling her jacket tighter around herself.
They followed Mia through several floors until she suddenly stopped and looked into a corner behind some crates. There stood an old, dusty motorcycle—or rather, a small motorcycle that looked like a mini cruiser. Next to it lay a stack of papers and a laptop resting on a folded cardboard box.
“What the...?” Sam murmured, barely daring to breathe.
Mia sat down on a stool and began typing on the laptop. The friends couldn’t hear what she said, but she seemed focused, almost determined. Suddenly she turned around—and saw Lena, Max, and Sam.
“Oh crap!” Max whispered, ducking behind a pillar.
But Mia just shook her head and stood up. “You really shouldn’t be here,” she said seriously, but without anger. “It’s not safe.”
Lena stepped out of her hiding place. “We just wanted to understand what’s going on. Why you’re so mysterious.”
Mia sighed deeply and looked around as if considering whether she could trust them. Then she said quietly, “This is my secret meeting place. I come here because I… I have to work on something that no one must know about.”
“What is it?” Sam asked curiously.
“I can’t just tell you that,” Mia replied, looking them seriously in the eyes. “It’s about something bigger than all of us. Something that must not fall into the wrong hands.”
Max frowned. “So you’re somehow involved in something? A secret agent or something?”
Mia smiled briefly, but then her expression grew serious again. “Not exactly. But I need your help. If you’ve seen this, there’s no turning back.”
“We’re in,” Lena said without hesitation. “No matter what it is.”
Sam nodded in agreement, and Max grinned widely too. “Unbeatable together, right?”
Mia smiled properly for the first time. “Yes. Together.”
But just as they all started to relax a little, a loud noise suddenly came from outside—as if someone was entering the parking garage. Everyone froze.
“Quick, hide!” Mia whispered panic-stricken.
In the shadow of the pillars, they found a spot from which they could watch the door. Who was there? And what did he or she want in this abandoned parking garage?
The tension was almost unbearable. The adventure had just begun—and it was already getting dangerous.