The person in the doorway did not speak.
They simply stood there.
Watching.
Liam remained focused on the screen, unaware of the presence behind him. The moving pattern of dots twisted across the display like something alive expanding, collapsing, rebuilding itself again and again.
The machine typed another line.
YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE BROUGHT IT HERE.
Liam frowned.
"You just said I brought it back."
A pause.
Then:
YES.
Another line followed.
BUT NOT FOR THEM.
Liam felt the familiar pressure building behind his eyes again. It was stronger now, almost like a distant vibration spreading through his skull.
"For who?" he whispered.
The machine did not answer.
Behind him, the silent observer stepped forward.
Soft footsteps crossed the floor.
Liam didn't hear them.
His attention remained locked on the screen.
"Who are you talking about?" he asked again.
The dots on the display suddenly collapsed into a single point.
Then the text appeared.
THE ONES WHO ARE WATCHING.
Liam's fingers tightened on the edge of the desk.
"What does that mean?"
The machine responded immediately.
TURN AROUND.
His heart skipped.
Slowly, Liam turned in his chair.
Lara stood behind him.
For a moment, relief washed through him.
"You scared the hell out of me."
But something about her expression was different.
Too controlled.
Too quiet.
"I didn't know you were still here," he said.
Lara glanced briefly at the book on the desk.
Then at the screen.
Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the moving pattern.
"It's active again," she said softly.
"It never stopped."
She stepped closer.
"You brought the book."
"I didn't mean to," Liam said. "It was in my bag."
Her gaze sharpened. "You didn't notice?"
"No."
Silence settled between them.
Lara turned toward the screen.
"What did it say?"
Liam hesitated.
"Nothing useful."
She looked at him.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You're a terrible liar."
Liam rubbed his temples.
"It said something about watchers."
Lara froze.
"Watchers?"
"Yes."
She slowly turned toward the observation glass at the far side of the lab.
The panel looked empty.
Dark.
But Liam suddenly realized something.
The glass was reflective from this side.
He couldn't actually see inside the observation room.
"Is someone in there?" he asked.
Lara didn't answer.
Instead, she walked toward the console and began typing rapidly.
"What are you doing?" Liam asked.
"Checking system logs."
Her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard.
A new window opened.
Then another.
Lines of data scrolled down the screen.
Her expression slowly changed.
"Liam…"
"What?"
"We're not the only ones accessing this system."
His stomach tightened.
"What do you mean?"
"There's another connection."
"From where?"
Lara zoomed into the log entry.
Her voice dropped.
"Remote access."
"That's impossible," Liam said. "The system isn't connected to the outside network."
"Someone found a way."
"Who?"
Before she could answer, the machine typed something again.
HELLO, LARA.
Both of them froze.
Lara stared at the screen.
"I never logged in."
The machine continued.
YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COME BACK.
Liam slowly leaned closer to the monitor.
"It knows your name."
Lara whispered, "Of course it does."
Another line appeared.
HE IS ALREADY CHANGING.
Liam felt the pressure return instantly.
"What does that mean?"
The machine ignored him.
Instead it typed:
THEY WILL NOT LET YOU LEAVE WITH THE BOOK.
Lara grabbed the book from the desk immediately.
"Who won't?" Liam asked.
Before the machine could answer.
The lab lights suddenly shut off.
Darkness swallowed the room.
For a split second, the only light came from the computer screen.
On it, a final message appeared.
TOO LATE.
A loud click echoed from the hallway.
Security locks.
The door to the lab slammed shut automatically.
Red emergency lights flickered on.
Liam's pulse started racing.
"What's happening?" he asked.
Lara looked toward the door.
"They've sealed the floor."
"Who?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she slowly turned back toward the observation glass.
This time,
There were silhouettes behind it.
Three figures.
Standing still.
Watching them.
One of them stepped closer to the glass.
The red emergency light revealed his face.
Dr. Arman Vale.
He pressed a button on the control panel beside him.
A voice echoed through the lab speakers.
Calm.
Controlled.
Cold.
"Liam," Vale said.
Liam felt his stomach drop.
"You were never supposed to bring that book here."
Liam glanced at Lara.
She looked terrified.
"What are you going to do?" Liam asked the speaker.
Vale smiled faintly through the glass.
"We're going to find out," he said softly,
"what happens when the key is forced to open the door."
Behind Liam
The machine began humming.
Louder than it ever had before.
And the book in Lara's hands…
Slowly began to open by itself.