Chapter 6 - The Record in the Vault
Ethan pushed the heavy door open, stepping onto a smooth epoxy floor lit by faint, low-voltage recessed floor lights.
The room was vast, immaculately clean, and lined with climate-controlled glass cases housing dozens of sealed metal filing boxes, vintage tape reels, and leather-bound journals.
In the center of the room stood a child's small wooden bed covered with a clean white blanket, a pair of miniature blue sneakers sitting neatly on the rug beside it.
On the small bedside table sat an old cassette recorder with its red recording light glowing steadily in the dim illumination.
Ethan approached the table slowly, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
He reached out, his trembling fingers pressing the stop button on the cassette player.
The red light flickered off, and the small speaker emitted a faint hiss of magnetic tape static before a woman's voice began to speak softly from the internal speaker.
VOICE ON TAPE: "If Ethan is listening to this recording, it means Victoria has failed to protect the second key."
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Ethan's breath hitched in his throat as he recognized the voice instantly.
ETHAN: "Sarah..."
