Chapter 56 - The Missing Cartridge
Marcus immediately ordered everyone to stop moving.
"No one leaves this room."
Kevin checked every evidence bag.
"One..."
He counted again.
"Two..."
His face tightened.
"Three, five, six, seven."
Rachel looked confused.
"What about four?"
Kevin slowly shook his head.
"No."
Marcus understood first.
"Number One."
The first cartridge had vanished.
Detective Ortega replayed footage from Kevin's portable evidence camera.
The camera had been recording continuously since they opened Thomas Hale's briefcase.
Frame by frame, they watched themselves examining the contents.
Nothing unusual.
Then, for less than a second, the image distorted.
Static.
One missing frame.
When the video resumed...
The cartridge was gone.
Kevin froze the footage.
"There."
A faint shadow appeared near the edge of the frame.
Not clear enough to identify.
Only the outline of someone standing just outside the camera's view.
Marcus replayed it repeatedly.
The shadow never entered the room.
It remained hidden beyond the doorway.
Rachel whispered,
"We weren't alone."
Officer Brooks immediately searched every corridor around the office.
Nothing.
No footprints.
No open doors.
No movement.
Kevin checked the camera's internal clock.
"The missing frame lasted exactly one second."
Marcus frowned.
"No one could enter, steal it, and leave in one second."
Kevin looked uneasy.
"Unless..."
He hesitated.
"They were already inside."
Silence settled over the office.
Marcus slowly turned toward Thomas Hale's preserved desk.
His father had written one sentence only hours earlier in their investigation.
> They preserved this office because they wanted you to find it.
Marcus looked around the room again.
"No."
He spoke almost to himself.
"They wanted us to stay here."
The radio suddenly crackled.
Brooks' voice sounded strained.
"Marcus."
"What is it?"
"I found fresh footprints."
"Where?"
"In the maintenance shaft."
Marcus gripped the flashlight tighter.
May you like
"They're going to Level Zero."
---
