Lena Marsh hurried across the quiet car park beside the old football stadium. The floodlights were off, and the concrete stands looked like giant grey teeth in the night. She pulled her coat tighter around her. She had come to meet her friend Marco, a tech journalist who had sent her a nervous message only an hour earlier.
I have something dangerous. Meet me at Gate C. Do not tell anyone.
When Lena reached the gate, Marco was already there. His face looked pale under the yellow streetlight.
Thank you for coming, he said. I found something strange during my investigation into city contracts. Someone is tampering with the emergency communication system. If it fails during a crisis, no one will get warnings.
Lena stared at him. But why here?
Because the main relay is underneath the stadium, Marco replied. And someone has been accessing it at night. I followed the logs. There will be a meeting down there soon. We need proof.
Before she could answer, a loud metallic click came from behind them. A tall man in a dark jacket stepped out from the shadows. He held a small device in his hand like a remote.
Looking for this? he said calmly. The device controls the relay. And you two have seen too much.
Marco pulled Lena behind a support pillar as the man raised something that looked like a stun weapon. A sharp electric snap echoed through the empty car park. Lena felt her heart hammering.
Run, Marco whispered.
They sprinted along the edge of the stadium until they reached a maintenance door. It was slightly open. They slipped inside and found themselves in a dim corridor that smelled of dust and rusted metal.
The relay room is down here, Marco said. If we can switch the system back to normal, the police will get an alert.
They turned a corner and froze. Another figure was standing by the relay door, checking cables with a tablet. She looked up, surprised but not afraid.
You should not be here, she said coldly. Leave now.
Lena shook her head. You are putting the whole city at risk.
The woman sighed. It is not about risk. It is about control. If the system stays in our hands, we can shape how people react. Fear is a useful tool.
Lena spotted a fire extinguisher on the wall. While the woman focused on Marco, who was trying to block her path, Lena lifted the extinguisher and slammed it against a pipe. A burst of steam hissed out, filling the corridor with white fog.
Move! Lena shouted.
Marco pushed through the cloud and reached the relay door. Inside, screens glowed with flashing red warnings. He typed quickly, his fingers shaking.
The emergency system is coming back online! he cried.
Footsteps thudded behind them. The tall man burst in, grabbed Lena by the arm, and tried to pull her away from Marco. But she twisted free, stumbled, and hit the main alarm switch on the wall.
A deafening siren roared through the stadium.
Police will be here in minutes, Lena said, standing firm.
The man scowled, then ran. The woman followed him into the corridor.
They are escaping, Marco said.
Not far, Lena replied. The alarm locked all the exterior gates.
Ten minutes later, police officers arrived. The two criminals were found trying to climb a service fence. They were arrested, and the relay system was secured.
As dawn rose over the silent stands, Lena looked at Marco and smiled with relief.
You saved the city, she said.
We saved it, he answered.
Vocabulary Notes
Tampering
Meaning: Interfering with something in a secret or harmful way, usually to damage it or change how it works.
Example: Someone is tampering with the emergency communication system.
Similar words: interfering, meddling, sabotaging, altering (secretly).
Relay
Meaning: A piece of equipment that receives and sends signals, often used in communication or electrical systems.
Example: The main relay is underneath the stadium.
Similar words: transmitter, switch, signal unit, communication hub.
Stun weapon
Meaning: A device that delivers an electric shock to temporarily stop or weaken someone.
Example: The man raised something that looked like a stun weapon.
Similar words: taser, electric shock device, incapacitating device.
Burst of steam
Meaning: A sudden release of hot vapour, usually caused by pressure.
Example: She slammed it against a pipe. A burst of steam hissed out.
Similar words: jet of steam, cloud of vapour, sudden release.
Siren
Meaning: A loud warning device, often used by emergency services to alert people.
Example: A deafening siren roared through the stadium.
Similar words: alarm, warning sound, alert signal, klaxon.
Story written by ChatGPT.
Image created by ChatGPT.
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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