The extraction bar slid across the screen with a mechanical hum that seemed to vibrate through the desk. As the folder bloomed open, it revealed a single directory labeled INTERFERENCE . Inside were thousands of audio files, each only a few seconds long.
Then, from the speakers, came the sound of a single, sharp intake of breath. It was followed by the unmistakable click of a mouse.
The laptop screen went black. In the reflection of the glass, Elias didn't see himself. He saw the empty chair behind him, still rocking slightly, as if someone had just stood up to leave.
Before he could click, a new file appeared at the top of the list, generated in real-time: Observation_Ceased.wav .