Logan held out the spare key.
“Work emergency.”
“Ella asleep?”
“Yes.”
“Go.”
No questions.
Logan returned to the kitchen.
Saw the drawing Ella had made earlier.
The same theme again.
Open doors.
A man outside them.
DAD HELPING.
He folded it.
Put it in his jacket.
Then left.
At 12:18, Logan’s blue sedan stopped at the Raven Ridge gate.
The same security officer stood inside.
Marcus Lane.
Eight years at the facility.
Marcus looked at Logan.
Then at his radio.
“Mr. Barrett.”
“Marcus.”
“They’re expecting you.”
The gate opened.
No badge.
No scan.
For the first time in nine years, Logan entered Raven Ridge because the building needed him more than the access system did.
Connor waited in the main corridor.
“This is unauthorized.”
Logan kept walking.
Connor stepped in front.
“Your credentials are revoked.”
Charlotte appeared behind him.
“I requested his presence.”
Connor turned.
“You cannot simply bypass security protocol.”
Charlotte looked at him.
“Connor.”
He stopped.
“That is enough.”
It was the tone of someone who had finally reached the end of believing explanations.
In the control room, Logan ignored everyone important.
Board members.
Observers.
Dominic Stone.
Charlotte.
He went directly to Jason.
“Map.”
Jason pulled it up.
“Personnel count.”
“B5, two.”
“Everyone else?”
“Accounted.”
“Mechanical nonresponse list.”
Jason opened it.
“Maintenance deferrals.”
Another screen.
Logan read for forty-five seconds.
Then:
“B5 thirty-two is physical.”
Jason nodded.
“Actuator corrosion?”
“Likely.”
“Auxiliary bypass still intact?”
“Original mechanical path, yes.”
Connor spoke from behind them.
“This is theater.”
Logan did not turn.
He asked:
“Camera B5 section three.”
Jason opened it.
Two workers visible beyond reinforced glass.
A young woman in coveralls.
A man beside her holding a radio.
The woman had one hand against the wall.
Audio came through.
“Control, air quality warning is moving.”
Jason looked at Logan.
Connor said:
“Environmental systems will stabilize.”
Logan finally turned.
“Based on what?”
Connor opened his mouth.
Nothing.
Logan looked at Charlotte.
“I need Jason.”
“Take whoever you need.”
“Mechanical team?”
“On standby.”
“No.”
“They’ll take too long to reach the secondary bypass.”
“I know the path.”
Jason stood.
Connor stepped forward.
“You are not going into a restricted level.”
Charlotte looked at security.
“Mr. Vail is no longer directing this response.”
Connor stared.
“You’re removing operational command during a live facility event?”
“Yes.”
Charlotte answered.
“I am.”
Logan and Jason left.
The underground corridor lighting remained red.
Without the polished displays upstairs, Raven Ridge looked less like a technology company.
More like what it actually was.
Concrete.
Steel.
Conduit.
Mechanical systems.
Human-built infrastructure.
Logan moved quickly.
He knew every turn.
Jason followed.