CHAPTER 5: DISTURBANCE AND WARNINGS

The fifth day in Kluang began with an eerie silence. The morning air was more humid than usual. The trees surrounding the homestay stood still. No wind. No birds. No chirping crickets that usually greeted them before breakfast. Aiman woke up earlier than the rest and sat on the porch, staring at the screen of his old Nokia phone. Last night’s message was still there.

“You’re getting close to the truth. Don’t go too deep, Aiman. Some doors are better left closed.”

He was no stranger to warnings, but this one felt different. It wasn’t just provocation. There was a personal tone to it. As if the sender knew him.

“Up early, I see,” Risa said, sitting beside him. She handed him a cup of freshly mixed 3-in-1 coffee.

Aiman gave a faint smile and took the cup. “Couldn’t sleep. I feel like we’re all in danger.”

Risa looked at him for a long moment before replying, “Danger’s already begun.”

*****

At 10 a.m., the five of them headed into town on foot, claiming they needed to “buy groceries,” just an excuse to get away from Mr. Azmi, who was busy prepping for the third day of the conference. In truth, they were returning to the public library to check microfilms and archived records related to Project Lambak.

But only a few minutes after reaching the main road, Aiman received another message. This one was shorter.

“Stop. Or be ready.”

He showed it to the others. Reactions were mixed. Zara scoffed. Nico looked thrilled. Liam sipped from his Milo box in silence. Risa only looked down.

“Whoever they are, they’re watching us,” said Aiman. “Maybe since yesterday.”

“Maybe since we first stepped into Kluang,” added Risa.

Suddenly, a black Proton Perdana drove slowly past them. Dark-tinted windows. The number plate was covered with a piece of paper. The car stopped at a junction, engine running, but no one got out.

“Why does this feel like a mafia movie?” Liam joked, trying to lighten the mood.

The car eventually drove off. But the unease lingered.

“Confirmed. We’re being watched,” Zara muttered. “So, what now?”

“We keep going,” said Aiman. “If they’re trying to scare us, it means we’re getting close to something.”

*****

The Kluang library was quiet that morning. Not many visitors. At the back section, Risa and Aiman pored over microfilm files, while Liam and Nico used an old computer running Windows XP. Zara stood with her arms folded, scanning the room with sharp eyes.

“Aiman, I found a 2005 article,” Liam called. “Some kind of unregistered construction system discovered at the base of Mount Lambak. But the authorities said it was just a storage area for construction materials. Still, the building in the photo… it looks weird.”

Aiman took the clipping and copied it into his notebook. Then, in the microfilm archive, he found a short 2006 article from a science magazine titled Alternative Energy Sources and Their Threats to Earth’s Geography.

The author? Dr. Johan Yusof.

The article was filled with technical jargon, but the conclusion was clear:

“If underground energy is disturbed aggressively, it can trigger micro-vibrations and uncontrollable geological instability. The long-term effect on small towns may be catastrophic.”

“He warned them years ago,” Aiman said quietly.

“And no one listened,” Risa replied.

*****

On their way back to the homestay, they realised they were being followed. A black EX5 motorcycle with a rider in a leather jacket and mirrored visor helmet had been tailing them since they left the library. When they stopped at a photocopy shop, the motorcycle waited nearby. When they crossed to a burger stall, the rider merely circled and parked at a junction.

“Who do you think he works for?” Nico asked.

“Not the police. Police use different bikes,” Zara replied.

“Let’s try to lose him,” Aiman suggested. “We’ll head toward the old mosque, then slip into the alley near Pak Karim’s. If he follows, it’s confirmed. We’re being watched.”

They pretended to chat and laugh while walking. But clearly, the motorcyclist remained behind them. When they reached the quiet road near the mosque, Aiman gave a signal. They split into three directions.

Zara and Nico ran right. Liam went left. Aiman and Risa slipped behind the mosque into the bushes.

Minutes passed. No one showed up. The sound of the motorcycle had vanished.

“He’s gone,” whispered Risa.

“For now,” said Aiman.

*****

That night at the homestay, after everyone returned to their rooms, Aiman reviewed the photos taken throughout the day. But when he opened the final folder on Liam’s camera, he froze.

There was one picture they hadn’t taken.

It showed the five of them standing outside the library.

The angle was from above, as if it had been shot from a tree or rooftop.

The timestamp? One minute before they realised they were being followed.

Aiman pressed delete. But an error message appeared:

“File protected by system. Cannot delete.”

He turned to the window. The curtain billowed slightly in the night breeze.

At that moment, Aiman realised this was no longer just a school investigation into an old lab. They had become targets in a conspiracy far bigger than they had imagined.