Chapter 35
The sterile hallway stretched out before Sarah as the last researchers filed out of the meeting room, their shoes clicking on the polished floor as they went about their business. Sarah stood near the door, her posture poised, a faint but polite smile on her face as she greeted the passing researchers. Some offered nods, a few acknowledged her with short comments, but most remained focused on their tasks, their minds already on the next phase of their work. She waited, scanning the room with calculated patience. The soft hum of fluorescent lights overhead filled the silence, and the faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air. The walls were lined with glass panels that allowed a view of the high-tech, controlled environment they worked in. Sarah knew how this place operated—impersonal,
- Writer
