Chapter 17: The Files Black Owl Wanted Destroyed
Chapter 17: The Files Black Owl Wanted Destroyed
The hidden office remained silent.
No one touched the computer.
The words BLACK OWL still glowed on the screen, casting an eerie reflection across the investigators' faces.
For the first time since the investigation had begun, even Jonathan Vale looked deeply unsettled.
Dr. Evelyn Brooks turned toward the forensic team.
"I want complete copies of every drive in this room."
"No file is to be opened directly."
"Image everything first."
The analysts immediately got to work.
Portable drives were connected.
Evidence labels were attached.
Every cable, keyboard, and hard drive was photographed before being touched.
Anna watched quietly.
Her grandfather noticed.
"You've seen something."
She nodded.
"The email."
"What about it?"
"It says..."
She pointed toward the screen.
'If the office is discovered before I return, activate Phase Two immediately.'
She looked at Jonathan.
"It doesn't say if investigators discover the office."
"It simply says if the office is discovered."
Jonathan's eyes narrowed.
"Meaning?"
"Whoever wrote it expected someone else to check first."
The room became quiet.
Dr. Brooks looked impressed.
"That's a good observation."
She turned toward the investigators.
"Search for automatic processes."
"If Phase Two exists..."
"...it may already be running."
One analyst immediately began examining the computer logs.
Only thirty seconds later, he looked up sharply.
"Superintendent."
"I found something."
"What is it?"
"There was a scheduled task."
He enlarged the system timeline.
Every monitor displayed the same countdown.
Automatic Data Purge
Time Remaining:
08:42
Gasps echoed through the hidden office.
Richard Carter stared at the screen.
"It's going to erase everything."
The analyst nodded.
"Not just these computers."
He continued reading.
"It's connected to multiple remote servers."
Jonathan immediately spoke.
"Disconnect the network."
The analyst shook his head.
"If we disconnect now..."
"The purge activates immediately."
Everyone froze.
Dr. Brooks frowned.
"So touching the system destroys the evidence."
"Exactly."
Another analyst added,
"And doing nothing allows the countdown to finish."
Anna stepped closer.
"Can you stop the timer?"
"We're trying."
Rapid keyboard clicks filled the room.
One analyst attempted to access administrator controls.
ACCESS DENIED
Another tried bypassing the security.
PERMISSION REVOKED
A third analyst searched the operating system.
"No local override."
Richard looked increasingly anxious.
"Can't someone just pull the plug?"
The lead forensic specialist answered without looking up.
"That would be the worst possible choice."
"The system is designed for that."
Jonathan quietly exhaled.
"So whoever built this..."
"...expected investigators."
The specialist nodded.
"They're extremely experienced."
Suddenly another investigator called out.
"I found another hidden partition."
Everyone turned.
He entered a recovery command.
A single encrypted folder appeared.
Its title made the room fall silent.
PHASE TWO
Dr. Brooks stepped forward.
"Open it."
The analyst tried.
Password Required.
He attempted forensic recovery.
Nothing.
Another analyst examined the encryption.
His expression slowly changed.
"This isn't ordinary security."
"What is it?"
He looked at Jonathan.
"It's military-grade."
Jonathan remained calm.
"Can you break it?"
The analyst hesitated.
"Eventually."
"How long?"
He quietly answered,
"Several weeks."
Richard laughed bitterly.
"We have eight minutes."
Silence returned.
Anna walked slowly around the hidden office.
She ignored the computers.
Ignored the filing cabinets.
Instead...
She examined the room itself.
The bookshelves.
The furniture.
The walls.
Mrs. Foster watched curiously.
"What are you looking for?"
Anna smiled slightly.
"My grandfather taught me something."
Jonathan folded his arms.
"What was that?"
"When intelligent people create complicated security..."
"They often hide simple clues nearby."
Jonathan couldn't help smiling.
"I did teach you that."
Anna stopped beside an old wooden bookshelf.
Everything in the room looked modern.
Except this.
The shelf seemed strangely out of place.
She carefully ran her fingers across the books.
Most were fake.
Decorative covers hiding empty boxes.
Only one felt real.
She pulled it slightly.
Nothing happened.
Then she noticed tiny scratches near the base.
As though it had been moved hundreds of times.
She gently pushed the book inward instead.
Click.
Every investigator looked toward her.
A hidden compartment slowly slid open beneath the bookshelf.
Inside...
Lay a small black notebook.
No lock.
No password.
Only handwritten notes.
Jonathan carefully picked it up.
The first page contained a single sentence.
"Computers lie only when people tell them to."
The second page listed dozens of passwords.
Network keys.
Server credentials.
Administrator accounts.
The analysts stared in disbelief.
"This..."
One whispered.
"...is everything."
The lead specialist immediately entered the first password.
The encrypted PHASE TWO folder unlocked instantly.
The countdown continued.
05:31
He opened the folder.
Instead of deleting files...
It contained instructions.
Step-by-step instructions.
Every document listed names.
People.
Schools.
Servers.
Bank accounts.
Emergency contacts.
Safe houses.
The room became silent once again.
This wasn't a backup plan.
It was an escape plan.
One page carried a bold heading.
If Exposure Becomes Unavoidable
Another.
Officials Who Can Be Trusted
Another.
Individuals Who Must Never Testify
Dr. Brooks slowly turned another page.
Then suddenly stopped.
Her face lost all color.
Jonathan immediately noticed.
"What is it?"
Without speaking...
She handed him the notebook.
Jonathan read only one paragraph.
Then slowly closed it.
His calm expression disappeared for the first time that day.
Anna looked between them.
"What did you find?"
Jonathan answered quietly.
"They've been watching us..."
He looked directly into Anna's eyes.
"...long before you ever enrolled at this school."
The room fell into complete silence.
Because according to the notebook...
Anna had never accidentally become the target of the school's biggest bully.
Someone...
May you like
Somewhere...
Had selected her before she ever walked through the front gate.
