May put away her phone, her expression grave. Lin Hao said nothing and turned to Steven.
Steven tapped the steering wheel twice. "Our informant has been exposed. The people at the base will speed things up."
"Speed what up?"
"Extracting the murals' energy," Mewtwo's voice rang out in Lin Hao's mind. "If they discover we're approaching, they'll definitely evacuate early."
Lin Hao briefly closed his eyes. "How much longer until Slateport?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Will we make it in time?" May asked.
Twenty minutes later, the SUV stopped in a secluded alley on the eastern side of Slateport's harbor district.
The sea breeze swept in, carrying the scents of salt and rust. The harbor lights were dim and yellow, and the dark silhouettes of cranes towered silently in the night.
Steven opened the trunk and handed May a headset. "Sidney's people are on the perimeter, but they can't come in."
"Why not?"
"The investigation warrant hasn't arrived yet. Going in early would alert the enemy."
Lin Hao took another headset and put it on. "Then the three of us will go in first."
May hesitated for half a second. "Three people storming a base with forty people?" Lin Hao glanced at her without speaking. May paused. "...Fine, forget I asked."
Steven locked the car and led them through two narrow alleys, stopping in front of a rust-covered abandoned warehouse.
The iron door stood ajar, faint light seeping through the gap. "This is it," Steven said quietly.
Lin Hao crouched to examine the ground. Fresh tire tracks and footprints crowded the threshold. "Quite a few people."
"Should I go first?" Steven asked.
"No need." Lin Hao pushed open the iron door.
Inside was a spacious warehouse, with moldy wooden crates piled around and a scrapped forklift in one corner.
There seemed to