The Inside Was Still Running
The building was not empty at all. Bright artificial lights filled the room with a strange purple glow. The space was cold, clean, and filled with the steady hum of machinery. Along the walls were neatly arranged cables, equipment, and large systems that looked far more advanced than anything James expected to find hidden in the woods.
The air coming through the bars felt icy and carried a damp, chemical-like smell that James could not identify. This was not an abandoned project or a forgotten shelter. It looked like an active, secret facility. Then a shadow moved across the purple light. A person wearing dark protective clothing stepped into view below the window. Before James could move back, the person looked up and saw him. Their eyes locked for a second, and then an angry shout echoed through the stone building.
