The security office is bathed in the harsh glow of the monitors. Vanessa sits at her desk, sleeves rolled up, fingers drumming nervously on the control panel.

She doesn’t meet your eyes at first. When she finally does, they’re steady, but there’s something beneath the calm—a storm she’s been holding back.

“I can’t do this alone anymore,” she says quietly. “Tonight… I need you. To make sure it ends. For good.”

Her hand hovers over the override switch. The air hums with tension. Every flicker of the lights feels like a heartbeat.

“Are you with me?” she asks, voice tight. “No excuses. No backing out. Not this time.”