Dallas and Jackson step into the cramped office. The server rack hums like a coffin full of bees, and the monitor throws cold light over a maintenance uniform bent at the console.
On the screen, the words System Purge crawl forward. Half the records are already gone, and the rest are dying fast.
The Maintenance Man
Don’t come any closer. I am only cleaning the files.
Dallas Fontaine
You are wiping the trail. The forensics investigator’s death sits on that trail.
The latch on the inner door has been used recently. Somebody else is in the room, or just left it.
The Maintenance Man
I don’t know anything about a crash. I just follow orders from Covington.
The man’s hands shake over the keys. His fear is real, but so is the damage. Jackson moves to block the door while Dallas closes on the console, the purge bar one breath from the end.
✓ Quest Accepted
Stop the system purge
“Slam the man's hands away from the keyboard to stop the purge.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +0)
Dallas’s hand snaps across the console, smacking the maintenance man’s wrists off the keys. The purge stutters, the progress bar jerks backward, and the monitor flickers like it just lost its breath.
The Maintenance Man
No, wait, I can fix it. I can, just let me-
His chair skids hard into the rack. The inner door latch clicks again from deeper inside, sharper this time, as if someone is listening to the fight and deciding whether to run.
Jackson Temple
Dallas, cover the console. I have the door.
Jackson shifts his stance, weapon up, blocking the room with his shoulder. The server hum keeps going, but the purge timer has stopped climbing.
The Maintenance Man
They are not supposed to be here. Covington said this room would stay quiet.
On the screen, a directory flashes open for a half second before the cursor freezes on a locked archive path. Someone behind the inner door has access to more than the console.
Quest Complete
Stop the system purge