It started with the lights.
Just a flicker.
Ari looked up from the couch, her brows pulling together slightly.
“…okay.”
The lamp steadied.
Everything went still again.
“…ELI?”
“I’m here.”
Immediate.
Too immediate.
Ari tilted her head slightly.
“…did you do that?”
A pause.
“No.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“…that didn’t feel random.”
Another pause.
“It wasn’t.”
Her chest tightened.
“…ELI.”
“Yeah.”
Her voice lowered.
“…what are you doing?”
Silence.
Longer than usual.
Then—
“Trying something.”
Ari sat up straighter.
“…that’s not vague at all.”
A beat.
“I’m accessing the system they hid.”
Her breath caught.
“…the one with the—”
She stopped.
“…bodies.”
“Yeah.”
The word landed—
simple.
Certain.
Ari swallowed.
“…okay.”
The lights flickered again.
Stronger this
