The server room hummed with a low, constant vibration. It was a sound that lived in the bones of the building. Like a beast sleeping beneath the concrete floor.
Lisa sat at the main console. Six monitors surrounded her in a semi-circle. Code scrolled across the screens in cascading lines. Green. Blue. White. The light from the displays reflected in her glasses, masking her eyes.
She did not look up when the door opened. She did not need to. The security feed showed the hallway. She knew who was coming.
Sophie entered the room. She closed the door behind her. The lock clicked with a solid thud. She did not walk to the console immediately. She stood by the entrance. She checked the handle. Twice. She tested the weight of the door. She listened to the hinges.
Lisa's fingers did not stop typing, but her mind shifted gears.
"You do not trust the electronic lock," Lisa said. Her voice was flat. Neutral.
