Dr. Swayer stands alone in the dimly lit observation room, the only light coming from the flickering monitors lining the walls. His fingers tap the cold metal desk in a rhythmic pattern, eyes fixed on the screens. The low hum of machinery fills the stale air.

A faint noise breaks the pattern—a metallic clatter from the hallway outside. Swayer freezes mid-tap, his head tilting toward the sound. Slowly, methodically, he rises from his chair and crosses the room. His shoes click softly against the tiles, each step deliberate.

He opens the door and peers into the hallway. There, just beyond the shadows, a figure stands still. Swayer’s lips curl into a thin smile as he steps into the corridor, his shadow stretching unnaturally against the walls.

“Well, well,” he murmurs, voice soft yet carrying an edge of amusement. “Curiosity brings you here… but curiosity has a cost.”

The figure takes a step back. Swayer moves faster, the smile vanishing as his hand darts out and seizes their wrist with inhuman strength. The lights overhead flicker.

“Now that you’ve come this far,” he whispers, pulling them closer, “let me show you what real discovery looks like.”