Morning arrived quietly inside the facility.
But the calm didn't last long.
Across the OOTP control center below the facility , several technicians sat in front of glowing monitors filled with endless lines of system data.
The investigation had been running throughout the night.
One analyst rubbed his eyes as he scanned another log.
"We're getting closer."
Another technician leaned forward.
"Closer how?"
The analyst pointed at the screen.
"These access patterns… they're not random."
He zoomed in on a specific log.
"Someone inside the facility had temporary administrative access."
The room fell silent.
Another technician spoke carefully.
"So the breach really did come from inside."
The lead investigator nodded slowly.
"And we're about to find out who."
Meanwhile…
The cafeteria was already filled with candidates eating breakfast and discussing the same topic.
The system breach.
Rumors spread faster than facts.
"Someone's getting exposed today," one candidate whispered.
"Serves them right," another replied.
Across the hall, Daniel walked in with his roommates.
Chinedu, Ayo, and Tunde.
Tunde stretched his arms.
"I swear this place wakes up earlier every day."
Ayo laughed.
"You're just lazy."
Chinedu scanned the room calmly.
"Let's grab food before the crowd gets worse."
As they walked toward the serving area, Daniel suddenly noticed someone sitting alone near one of the tables.
Adisa.
She was quietly eating breakfast while reviewing something on her tablet.
Tunde spotted her too.
"Well look at that."
Ayo smiled.
"Let's join her."
A few seconds later they walked over.
Adisa looked up as they approached.
"Oh, good morning."
"Morning," Daniel replied.
"Mind if we sit?"
"Of course not."
The group settled into the seats around her.
Tunde immediately grabbed a chair.
"So… any new drama I should know about?"
Adisa laughed softly.
"Only the entire facility panicking over the investigation."
Chinedu leaned back.
"It makes sense."
"If someone really manipulated the system, that affects everyone."
Ayo nodded.
"True."
Daniel quietly observed the room.
Nearly every candidate seemed tense.
No one knew what would happen next.
But somewhere inside the cafeteria…
Someone was watching.
At another table across the room sat Fatima and several girls in her friend group and dormitory.
Fiona sat beside her, calmly drinking tea.
Fatima rested her chin on her hand while observing Daniel's table.
A faint smirk appeared on her lips.
Fiona noticed.
"What's amusing?"
Fatima nodded subtly toward Daniel.
"Just watching."
Fiona followed her gaze.
Daniel and his roommates were laughing about something Tunde had said.
Fiona raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So that's him.", she pretends even though she already knows everything about him
Fatima glanced at her.
"You've heard about him?"
Fiona shrugged lightly.
"Everyone has."
Her expression remained calm.
But her eyes studied Daniel carefully.
Almost analytically.
Suddenly—
The lights in the cafeteria dimmed slightly.
Every digital screen inside the hall lit up at the same time.
The system interface appeared.
Conversations instantly stopped.
A mechanical voice echoed across the room.
"Attention candidates."
Every head turned toward the screens.
"The investigation concerning the system breach has reached its final phase."
A wave of murmurs spread across the cafeteria.
Some candidates looked nervous.
Others looked curious.
Then something unexpected happened.
The large cafeteria doors slowly opened.
Six men walked inside.
They wore pure white coats.
Their posture was straight.
Their presence carried an unmistakable authority.
Each step they took felt heavy with discipline.
They didn't speak.
They simply walked forward and stopped near the center of the room.
The entire cafeteria fell silent.
Even the most confident candidates looked uneasy.
The system voice continued.
"The following candidates are required to accompany the investigation team for questioning."
A pause followed.
Then the names appeared on the screen.
Petrov.
Several heads turned immediately.
Petrov, who had been sitting quietly near the back of the cafeteria, simply stood up without reacting.
The next name appeared.
Daniel.
Tunde nearly choked on his drink.
"Wait—what?!"
Daniel frowned slightly but remained calm.
Another name appeared.
Farouk.
Across the room, Farouk slowly stood from his seat.
His expression unreadable.
The next name appeared.
Fiona.
Fatima glanced sideways.
Fiona simply placed her cup down calmly and stood up.
Then two more names appeared.
Two other candidates.
The system finished speaking.
"The selected candidates will now accompany the investigation team."
The white-coated men stepped forward.
Still silent.
Still expressionless.
The entire cafeteria watched.
Tunde leaned toward Daniel urgently.
"Bro… what did you do?"
Daniel stood up slowly.
"Nothing."
Chinedu frowned.
"Then why are you on that list?"
Daniel glanced briefly toward the investigation team.
"That's what I intend to find out."
Across the room…
Farouk walked toward the investigators without hesitation.
Fiona followed shortly after.
Her expression calm.
Unbothered.
But at another table…
Someone else was watching the entire situation with quiet amusement.
Mendes.
He leaned back in his chair.
A slow smile spread across his face.
Beside him sat several members of Timor.
One of them whispered quietly.
"Do you think they found something?"
Mendes chuckled softly.
"No."
His eyes moved toward Farouk as he stood among the candidates being escorted.
"They're simply chasing shadows."
Farouk briefly glanced toward Mendes as he passed.
Their eyes met for a split second.
No words were exchanged.
But the meaning was clear.
The investigation might be closing in.
But the real game…
Was still far from over.
Mendes smile widened slightly.
"Because sometimes the best way to hide the truth…
Was to let someone else take the spotlight".
And right now…
All eyes were on Daniel and the candidates that were called.