Page 111 of Immersed
As the group dispersed to prepare, Asher moved beside Levi, close enough that their shoulders touched.“You’re getting comfortable with the leadership role,”he observed.“It suits you.”
“It’s just practicality,”Levi replied, though something in him responded to the praise despite his better judgment.“They listen to me for some reason.”
“Because you speak with authority,”Asher murmured.“You’ve grown beyond the frightened prey I first encountered in the forest.”His fingers brushed Levi’s wrist, feather-light.
“Don’t,”Levi said softly, pulling his hand away.“Not here.”
Asher’s eyes darkened momentarily, but he stepped back, respecting the boundary—for now.“Later, then,”he promised, his voice dropping to a register that seemed to vibrate directly through Levi’s chest.“When we find somewhere private.”
Before Levi could respond, Zoe approached with a detailed hand-drawn map of the East Wing.“I’ve marked the maintenance doors I found,”she explained, spreading her map next to the blueprint.“If your floor plan is accurate, this one should connect to the Specimen Storage area.”
“Ready to move,”Jasper announced, shouldering a backpack filled with equipment. The othershadlikewise prepared, gathering flashlights, tools, and supplies.
“Stay close,”Levi instructed as they headed out.“And stay alert.”
The East Wing corridorswerenarrower than those in the main building, with lower ceilings that created an oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere. Water damage warped the floorboards in places, making every step feel unsteady.
Zoe led the way, moving with quiet confidence through the maze of patient rooms and treatment areas.“Specimen Storage should beat the end of this hall,”she whispered, consulting her map.“Past the hydrotherapy rooms.”
They passed a series of rooms containing rusted metal tubs and elaborate piping systems—the hydrotherapy area Zoe mentioned. Levi kept his eyes forward, refusing to look at the equipment. Some memorieswerebetter left undisturbed.
The corridor ended at a heavy metal door marked“Authorized Personnel Only.”The now-familiar triangular symbolwasetchedinto its surface.
“This is it,” Zoe confirmed. “Specimen Storage.”
Asher stepped forward with his lock picks, but Levi caught his arm.“Wait,”he said, examining the door more closely.“Look at the hinges.”
The metal around the hinges showed signs of tampering—scratch marks and dents that suggested someone tried to force entry.
“Someone’s been here before us,”Levi observed.“Recently.”
“Another investigation team?”Owen suggested.
“Or Faine himself,”Asher countered.“If he continued working here after the sanitarium closed, he would havehadaccess to these areas.”
“Either way, we should be careful,”Levi said.“There might be additional security beyond the lock.”
Asher nodded, proceeding with greater caution as he worked on the lock. It took longer than usual, his brow furrowed in concentration as he manipulated the tumblers.
“It’s not a standard mechanism,”he explained, voice tight with focus.“There are additional pins, counterweights. Someone didn’t want this door opened by amateurs.”
“Good thing you’re not an amateur,”Elliot mumbled.
Asher ignored the jab, continuing his work until a satisfying click emanated from the lock.“Got it,”he announced, a hint of pride in his voice as he glanced at Levi for approval.
“Don’t open it yet,”Levi said, examining the door frame.“There might be a secondary system. An alarm or—”
Too late.
Tyler pushed past them and twisted the handle, swinging the door open with unnecessary force.“Or we could just go in,”he said with a smirk.
For a breathless moment, nothing happened. Then a high-pitched whine filled the corridor, rising in intensity until it became painfully shrill. Red lights embedded in the ceiling began to flash, bathing them in pulsating crimson.
“Nice going, jackass,”Jasper hissed at Tyler.“So much for the subtle approach.”
“We need to move,”Levi decided, gesturing them through the door.“Whatever security system that triggered, we don’t want to be in the corridor when it activates.”
They hurried into Specimen Storage and pulled the door shut behind them. The roomwasnoticeably colder than the corridor, their breath visible in small clouds. Unlike much of the sanitarium, this area appeared well-maintained, the equipment modern and operational despite the building’s overall state of abandonment.
