Dr. Evelyn Walsh sank into her high-backed chair, a wave of exhaustion washed over her; exhaustion that went far beyond the late nights spent hunched over numbers and troubleshooting code. It was the exhaustion of a soul trapped and held hostage.
Glancing at the framed picture on her desk, she felt a pang of bittersweet emotions. It was a photo from a simpler time – her, and a dearest colleague, all smiles and sunshine, before the Beckleys, before Project Phoenix.
A sharp knock on the door shattered the silence. "Come in," she sighed, already knowing who it was. Andrew Beckley, the master of her current misery, pushed open the door, his smile as smooth as his tailored suit.
"Dr. Walsh," he drawled, his voice dripping with false sincerity, "Just checking in on our progress. Any breakthroughs with the prototype?"
Evelyn forced a smile, her stomach churning. "We're making steady progress, Mr. Beckley. As you know and as I have said before, these types of advancements take time."
"Time," he echoed, his smile slipping slightly. "A valuable commodity. But one I'm willing to be patient with, as long as the results are… fruitful."
His eyes, sharp and calculating, held hers for a beat too long. Evelyn felt a shiver crawl down her spine. The man gave off a sense of entitlement, a predatory feeling that made her skin crawl. Freeing herself from Project Phoenix was the only way to escape his suffocating influence and his veiled threats.
"Of course," she said, her voice tensed. "Project Phoenix is our top priority."
With a curt nod, Andrew turned to leave, then paused at the door. "By the way, Dr. Walsh," he said, his voice low, "security has been a bit lax lately. Perhaps a reminder to your team about access protocols wouldn't be amiss."
His words hung heavy in the air, a thinly indirect accusation. Evelyn fought down a torrent of anger. What else does this man want? Already, access to the restricted area was tightly controlled, and biometric scans and retinal verification were required for entry.
Across the corridor, Annie's heart hammered against her ribs. The past few weeks had been one of long observations, late nights spent going over stolen data files, and countless cups of coffee keeping her awake. Finally, she thought she had it – the plan to enter the restricted area, the one leading to Project Phoenix.
It was a risky plan, one Penelope strongly advised against. But she needed to do this and the idea burned too bright to be ignored.
With trembling fingers, Annie typed in the code which she had gotten after weeks of watching researchers stream in, on the access pad beside the heavy steel door marked "Authorized Personnel Only, - Project Phoenix." A green light flickered to life. The door swung open, revealing a corridor beyond.
Taking a deep breath, Annie slipped inside, her senses on high alert. The air had a metallic tang of ozone. The corridor was lined with workstations, each glowing with complex displays. Annie moved cautiously, her eyes scanning the room, searching for some clue, some answer to the questions that haunted her.
Suddenly, she became aware of a figure, silhouetted against the soft glow of a screen, bent over a console. Panic flooded Annie's veins. She had been careless and hadn't checked the schedule. There was someone else here!
Instinct urging her to flee, Annie darted for a nearby workstation, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Just as she flattened herself against the cool metal, the figure straightened and turned.
Dr. Walsh, the head researcher, hopefully, this woman does not see her. But she did.
Recognizing the young woman's fiery spark, a flicker of empathy ignited within Evelyn. This intern, lost and clearly out of her place, deserved protection. She was supposed to be reported and immediately executed. How did she even get in here?
Annie emerged from her hiding place, shooting a weary look at Evelyn. "I am sorry," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I --" she stammered, she hadn't ever thought she would find anyone in.
"You shouldn't be here, Evelyn interrupted her voice firm but laced with a hint of concern. "This place is dangerous. "
"It's not safe," Evelyn repeated. "Trust me, you don't want to know what would happen to you if you had been caught by someone else, today is just your day of grace from me, it won't be next time"
Evelyn watched the young lady study her intently, her gaze filled with a mixture of emotions she really couldn't understand and she knew that she wouldn't be easily dissuaded. This wouldn't be the first time she encountered someone curious about Project Phoenix.
With a deep breath, Evelyn decided to buy some time. "Look," she said, her voice calmer now. "If you're truly interested in answers, you need to be careful. This isn't a game. And coming down here alone was… reckless."
The young woman nodded curtly, a spark of understanding flickering in her eyes. "I understand," she said. "I will be on my way."
Evelyn knew she wouldn't. This young woman reminded her too much of someone else.
"Just… be careful," Evelyn pleaded, offering a small smile. "And for heaven's sake, stay out of restricted areas."
The young woman nodded again, a hint of a smile gracing her lips. With a final glance at Evelyn, she turned and disappeared into the corridors of the facility.
Alone in the dimly lit lab, Evelyn felt a pang of unease. The encounter had left her shaken, what happened to the security systems? Perhaps, in helping this curious intern, Andrew will never get to know of the failure of the security measures she had kept in place.
As she turned to leave the lab, a single thought echoed in her mind: who was that young woman, and why did she look familiar? The thought danced at the edges of her awareness, then vanished as quickly as it came.
She placed a call to the head of security, her voice firm and laced with urgency. "There's been a security breach in the restricted area," she declared. "Someone accessed Project Phoenix. Increase security patrols immediately."
A terse silence followed before the response came, laced with disbelief. "Dr. Walsh, are you sure? There's a strict protocol for access."
Evelyn pressed on, ignoring the suspicion in the voice. "There's no time for explanations. Implement a new access code rotation system immediately. Every entry point should require a freshly generated code. And lastly," she paused, her voice dropping a notch lower, "clear the camera recordings from the restricted area for the past thirteen minutes. Understand?"
Another beat of silence, then a hesitated acknowledgment. "Consider it done, Dr. Walsh. But-"
"No buts," Evelyn cut him off, her tone leaving no room for argument. "This is a top priority. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear, Dr. Walsh. Security will handle it."
Evelyn ended the call, her heart pounding, she had acted impulsively. It was a risk, erasing the footage, but perhaps the only way to protect the girl and maintain her fragile cover.