Chapter 21 - The Empty Control Room
The corridor led them into a circular control room lined with enormous wall monitors.
Most screens displayed live camera feeds from locations Margaret immediately recognized.
Her own house.
Daniel's driveway.
The abandoned lighthouse.
The Harbor Foundation archive.
Rebecca covered her mouth.
"They've been watching everything."
Arthur examined one of the computer terminals.
"They still are."
A green indicator blinked beside dozens of camera feeds.
Every system remained active.
Daniel noticed something stranger.
None of the chairs contained dust.
Someone had left only hours earlier.
Margaret approached a large wooden desk positioned in the center of the room.
Unlike the modern computers surrounding it, the desk looked almost antique.
Inside its drawer rested dozens of visitor logs.
Each page recorded only three details.
Date.
Arrival time.
Departure time.
No names.
No signatures.
Rebecca turned to the most recent page.
The latest visit had ended...
Yesterday afternoon.
Helen frowned.
"So we're one day behind whoever is running this place."
Margaret reached beneath the desk and felt a hidden switch.
A soft click echoed through the room.
One wall monitor immediately changed.
Static filled the screen.
Then Eleanor appeared once again.
This recording looked different.
She seemed older than in any previous video.
Her hair had turned almost completely silver.
"If this message activates," Eleanor said calmly, "then someone has already entered Section Thirteen before you."
Arthur leaned forward.
"She knew."
Eleanor continued.
"You will be tempted to chase whoever came first."
She paused.
"Don't."
"Their destination is not your greatest concern."
"The person who allowed them inside is."
The screen faded to black.
At the exact same moment, one computer terminal printed a fresh sheet of paper.
Only one sentence appeared.
May you like
AUTHORIZED USER STILL PRESENT INSIDE FACILITY.
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