Chapter 35 - THE GENERATOR
The vibration grew stronger.
Dust drifted from the ceiling despite the fact that Level C had appeared perfectly maintained only moments earlier.
Emergency lights switched from white to amber.
A computerized voice echoed through hidden speakers.
Primary systems restored.
Standby protocol terminated.
Daniel's expression darkened.
"This facility wasn't abandoned."
"It was asleep."
The corridor outside suddenly filled with the distant sound of machinery awakening after years of silence.
Heavy ventilation fans began turning.
Electrical relays clicked one after another.
Somewhere below them, massive generators rumbled to life.
Alex looked toward the ceiling.
"Did we activate all this?"
"No," Daniel replied.
"I think someone wanted us to."
Bennett opened the Orion folder again.
Between two pages she found another folded note that none of them had noticed before.
Unlike Donovan's handwriting, this message had been typed.
Power restoration occurs only after Primary Subject enters Level C.
Alex stared at the words.
"So the building was waiting for me."
Daniel slowly nodded.
"Apparently."
Before anyone could continue, every monitor in the nursery illuminated simultaneously.
Instead of Elias Voss...
...security camera feeds appeared.
Dozens of them.
Corridors.
Archives.
Storage rooms.
The elevator.
Then one camera displayed the maintenance employee they had left behind.
He was still standing outside D-17.
Except...
He was no longer alone.
A tall man wearing a charcoal-gray suit had quietly approached him from behind.
The maintenance employee never noticed.
The stranger calmly placed a hand on his shoulder.
The camera feed froze.
Then went black.
Alex's heartbeat accelerated.
"We have to go back."
Daniel was already moving toward the exit.
"No."
He pointed toward another monitor.
The elevator doors upstairs were now open.
Empty.
The maintenance employee was gone.
No struggle.
No blood.
No explanation.
Just...
May you like
Gone.
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