The Substitute

Chapter Six: Security Logs

Elise's letter had said don't trust the security logs, so Mara went looking for a reason why.

Pete, the guard from her first day, turned out to be easier to talk to than Whitmore, and considerably more willing to gossip once she brought him coffee from the good place on the corner instead of the machine in the lobby.

"Funny thing," he said, leaning against his podium. "Night she disappeared, the system logged her badge leaving at 9:52 PM. Except I was on shift till midnight, and I'd swear on my mother I never saw her walk out that door. Camera near the elevator bank glitched out for eleven minutes right around then, too. IT called it a 'known issue.'" He made air quotes with visible skepticism. "Convenient known issue, if you ask me."

"Who has access to override the badge logs?"

"Only a few people. Facilities. IT admin." He hesitated. "And executive-level staff, if they've got clearance."

"Like Julian."

"Like Julian," Pete agreed, not unkindly, watching her face for a reaction. "Didn't say it was him. Just said he could."

That night — every night now, it seemed, arriving with the punctuality of something that knew her schedule better than she did — the messages resumed.

Found something interesting today, didn't you.

You're getting closer than she ever did.

That's either very good, or very bad for you. Depends what you find next.

Mara stared at the screen a long time before typing back, hands unsteady: Why are you telling me all this if you won't tell me who you are?

The reply took longer this time.

Because someone should have warned her.

I didn't, and look what happened.

I'm not making that mistake twice