The municipal archive building closed at eight.
Elena arrived five minutes before the doors locked. Rainwater still sat in cracks along the parking lot from earlier that afternoon. The front lobby lights had already dimmed to night mode.
Mateo waited near the security desk holding a ring of old storage keys.
"You're late," he said.
Elena checked the clock above the entrance.
"Barely."
Mateo looked behind her.
"Alexander coming?"
"He said he would."
Almost on cue, the glass doors opened again. Alexander stepped inside carrying two folders and a portable scanner case.
Mateo gave him a tired look.
"You planning to scan the whole basement?"
Alexander answered calmly.
"Depends what we find."
Mateo sighed once and motioned toward the back hallway.
"Archives are downstairs. Most flood records got moved after the storm ten years ago. Some boxes never got reorganized."
The hallway lights flickered once as they walked.
