Chapter 29 - The Signal in the Dark
Without warning, every light inside the underground school went out.
Darkness swallowed the corridor.
Emergency lamps flickered weakly along the floor.
Officer Ramirez switched on his flashlight.
The beam swept across the classroom.
The empty file labeled ETHAN TURNER had disappeared.
"It was right here!" he shouted.
No one had moved.
No doors had opened.
Yet the folder was gone.
Then a low electronic tone echoed through the corridor.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Samuel's expression changed immediately.
"We have to leave."
"What is it?" Laura demanded.
"They've activated the recall signal."
"The recall signal?"
Samuel pointed toward the ceiling.
"You've noticed there are no clocks anywhere underground."
Michael looked around.
He was right.
Not a single clock.
Not one watch.
Not even a calendar.
Samuel spoke urgently.
"People raised here never relied on time."
"They relied on sound."
The electronic tone repeated.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Somewhere far away...
Other tones answered.
Then more.
Soon the entire tunnel network echoed with synchronized signals.
Officer Ramirez checked his radio.
Every police channel had gone silent.
One tactical officer suddenly lowered his rifle.
His face became strangely blank.
Detective Bennett noticed immediately.
"Officer Collins?"
No response.
Another officer slowly removed his helmet.
Then another.
Their expressions became distant.
As if listening to something no one else could hear.
Samuel grabbed Michael by the arm.
"We have seconds."
"What is happening to them?"
"They're remembering."
"Remembering what?"
Samuel looked toward the motionless officers.
"The training they were never supposed to remember."
At that exact moment, Officer Collins slowly turned toward Detective Bennett.
His voice sounded calm.
Almost mechanical.
"Protocol Raven has resumed."
Then, one after another, three more officers repeated the exact same sentence in perfect unison.
May you like
Michael realized with horror that the conspiracy had never been outside the investigation alone.
It had already reached inside the police unit standing beside him.
