Darkness
For a split second, Charles saw only flashing emergency lights and confused silhouettes in the studio. The broadcast was cut midstream. Screams echoed from the corridors.
Then the lights flickered back—half-powered, unstable. The studio was in chaos. Security rushed toward the soundboard, trying to regain control.
Lena grabbed Charles's arm.
"We need to leave. Now."
But Charles stood still, staring across the room.
Victor Kane hadn't moved.
He was calm, too calm.
Charles narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"
Victor slowly raised both hands, backing away. "Nothing. But someone else moved before either of us could."
Then came the sound—one that froze everyone in place.
BEEP.
[System Message: Emergency Override – User "Unknown_ID-77" Attempting Direct Access]
Lena's tablet buzzed.
She flipped it around, hands trembling. "This isn't Reed… This is someone else. An actor buried deep in the original system source."
