Chapter 21 - June’s Impossible Drawing
Iris found a manual release beneath the central console.
It required three biological confirmations: Mara, Adrian and an unknown third administrator.
Theo searched the system records while Adrian attempted to remove the sphere.
It would not move.
June sat on the floor and began drawing with a piece of chalk from her pocket.
She drew the chamber.
Then she added a narrow tunnel behind the cabinet wall.
“There’s a door there,” she said.
Theo inspected the wall and found no handle.
Mara placed her palm against it.
A panel opened.
The tunnel beyond was old, made of brick rather than metal. Its construction predated the house.
Adrian looked disturbed.
“This wasn’t in Mara’s plans.”
The group entered as the countdown reached three minutes.
At the tunnel’s end stood a wooden door covered with names.
Some belonged to Helix North employees.
Others were ordinary citizens.
Mara found her own name.
Beside it was Theo’s.
Below Theo’s name appeared a date from twelve years earlier—three years before Mara allegedly created Lattice.
“This system knew me before I met you,” Theo said.
June pointed to the lowest name.
It had been carved recently.
JUNE ELLISON — ORIGIN ADMINISTRATOR.
May you like
The door opened before anyone touched it.
Behind it, someone was waiting.
