At 99%, the hum of the server room suddenly cut out. Silence.

The fluorescent lights of the server room hummed a low, hypnotic B-flat as Elias stared at the blinking cursor. On his screen, a single, cryptic directory sat in a hidden partition of a salvaged drive: .

Then, a voice—mechanical, distorted, and sounding like it was being pulled through a straw—emerged from his speakers. "Entry Point 8268 established. Who is the requester?"