Chapter 38 - The Hall of Records
Henry suddenly remembered another passage.
"This way."
He led everyone through a narrow maintenance tunnel hidden behind a row of electrical cabinets.
After several minutes, they entered an enormous archive unlike anything they had expected.
Thousands of filing cabinets stretched into the darkness.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves held decades of carefully labeled boxes.
Every cabinet carried a year.
1983.
1984.
1985.
1986.
1987.
The rescue team leader stared in disbelief.
"This is impossible."
Henry shook his head.
"No."
"It's their history."
Samuel carefully opened one drawer.
Inside were detailed files on local residents.
Birth certificates.
Property records.
Financial statements.
Photographs.
Everyday people.
Families.
Teachers.
Doctors.
Business owners.
"They've been collecting information on everyone," one rescuer whispered.
Then Elias noticed something disturbing.
A cabinet near the back carried only one label.
REPLACEMENTS
He slowly opened it.
Inside were dozens of sealed personnel files.
Every folder contained two photographs.
May you like
One labeled Original.
The other labeled Replacement.
