Chapter 53 - Microfilm Number Four
The seven cartridges were arranged neatly across Thomas Hale's desk.
Each carried only a handwritten number.
No dates.
No labels.
No clues.
Marcus studied them carefully.
"My father never numbered evidence randomly."
Kevin placed each cartridge beneath a forensic microscope.
"They were manufactured in different years."
"What?"
Kevin pointed toward tiny production markings.
"One was made twenty-three years ago."
"Another twenty-one."
"This one..."
He picked up cartridge number four.
"...only eighteen years ago."
Marcus frowned.
"My father died twenty-two years ago."
The room became completely silent.
Rachel slowly looked up.
"Then who made number four?"
Nobody answered.
Because the implication was impossible.
Kevin examined the cartridge again.
"The handwriting on the label matches Thomas Hale."
Marcus shook his head.
"That's impossible."
Ortega leaned closer.
"Unless..."
She stopped.
Marcus looked at her.
"Unless what?"
"Unless someone continued writing in his name."
Kevin carefully loaded cartridge number four into the archival microfilm scanner.
The machine whirred softly.
A single frame appeared.
Not documents.
Not photographs.
A blueprint.
Marcus immediately recognized the outline.
"It's Evergreen."
Kevin zoomed out.
"No."
He highlighted another section.
"It's much larger."
Hidden beneath Phase One.
Hidden beneath Phase Two.
Another underground complex extended far beyond the facility they had already explored.
The blueprint carried a title across the top.
ARCHIVE LEVEL ZERO
Rachel whispered,
"Zero?"
Kevin nodded slowly.
"If this drawing is real..."
He traced the tunnels with his finger.
"...everything we've seen so far was built on top of something much older."
Marcus followed one narrow passage on the blueprint.
It ended in a circular chamber.
Inside the circle, Thomas Hale had handwritten only three words.
Original Record Room
Ortega looked toward Marcus.
"What do you think is stored there?"
Marcus folded the blueprint carefully.
"I don't think it's what."
Rachel looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Marcus stared at the words again.
May you like
"I think it's who."
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