As the room plunged into total darkness, the only thing visible was the glowing monitor, where a new line appeared: 11:05:03 PM – End of file.

He jerked his hand away from the mouse, but the scrolling continued, faster now, fueled by the completed download. The file wasn't just a record of his past; it was a real-time rendering of his present. He scrolled frantically to the bottom of the document, his heart hammering against his ribs.

11:04:55 PM – Elias Thorne looks behind him. 11:04:58 PM – The door to Sector 7 opens. 11:05:00 PM – The light goes out.

11:04:02 PM – Elias Thorne opens the terminal. 11:04:05 PM – Elias Thorne hovers over the file. 11:04:08 PM – Elias Thorne wonders why the file is so large. Elias froze. His breath hitched.