MERCER: “Because he told me the project was being shut down. He said the records would be transferred to a secure archive. I trusted him.”
MILLER: “And later?”
MERCER: “I discovered the equipment had been sold. I tried to report it. Before I could, I received a message telling me that my family would be harmed if I continued.”
MILLER: “Did you report the threat?”
Mercer shook his head.
MERCER: “My wife had just undergone surgery. My daughter had two young children. I was afraid.”
MILLER: “You stayed silent.”
MERCER: “Yes.”
He lowered his eyes.
MERCER: “I have regretted it every day.”
Miller closed his notebook.
MILLER: “We need you to identify the chamber.”
MERCER: “I can.”
MILLER: “Then we'll arrange transportation.”
Mercer looked at him.
MERCER: “I want to see Arthur first.”
***
Arthur was surprised when Miller arrived with Dr. Mercer.
For several seconds, he simply stared at the older man.
ARTHUR: “Elliot?”
MERCER: “Hello, Arthur.”
Arthur slowly sat up.
ARTHUR: “I thought you were gone.”
MERCER: “I thought the same about you.”
Arthur's eyes filled with emotion.
ARTHUR: “You knew what Brooks was doing.”
MERCER: “I suspected.”
ARTHUR: “You let me believe I was the only one who saw the discrepancies.”
MERCER: “I was afraid.”
ARTHUR: “We all were.”
Mercer approached the bed.
MERCER: “I should have stood with you.”
Arthur looked at him for a long moment.
ARTHUR: “Yes. You should have.”
Mercer lowered his head.
MERCER: “I'm sorry.”
Rebecca watched quietly.
She had never seen her father speak to another person with such a mixture of anger and sadness.
Arthur finally extended his hand.
Mercer took it.
ARTHUR: “We can't change what happened. But we can finish it.”
MERCER: “That's why I'm here.”
Miller stepped forward.
MILLER: “Dr. Mercer has identified a hidden testing chamber beneath the old laboratory. We believe the missing signature page may be there.”
Arthur nodded.
ARTHUR: “Then we need to move quickly.”
MILLER: “We'll secure the facility first.”
ARTHUR: “Brooks knows we're looking for it.”
MERCER: “He may already have someone inside.”
MILLER: “The facility is under federal control.”
MERCER: “Then check the maintenance entrance.”
MILLER: “Why?”
MERCER: “Because the underground chamber has an independent access route. It doesn't connect to the main security system.”
Arthur looked at Mercer.
ARTHUR: “You never told me that.”
MERCER: “It was part of the emergency design.”
MILLER: “Can you show us?”
MERCER: “Yes.”
***
The FBI returned to the facility with Mercer the following morning.
The main building had been secured.
Agents were stationed at every entrance.
The recovered ledger was sealed inside an evidence container.
But the maintenance entrance was located several hundred yards from the main structure, hidden behind a concrete retaining wall.
Mercer pointed toward a narrow metal hatch.
MERCER: “There.”
Miller examined the area.
MILLER: “This hasn't been opened in years.”
MERCER: “That's what we wanted people to believe.”
The technician removed the outer lock.
A narrow staircase descended into darkness.
The agents entered carefully.
At the bottom, they found a long corridor lined with old electrical panels.
The air was cold.
Water dripped somewhere in the distance.
Mercer walked slowly, supported by an agent.
MERCER: “The chamber is at the end.”
Arthur's voice came through Miller's phone.
He had insisted on remaining connected during the operation.
ARTHUR: “There should be a wall panel on the left.”
MILLER: “We see it.”
ARTHUR: “Look for a small metal plate with three circular markings.”
The technician examined the wall.
TECHNICIAN: “Found it.”
ARTHUR: “Press the center marking.”
The technician did.
A mechanical click sounded.
A section of the wall moved inward.
Behind it was a heavy door.
MERCER: “That's the chamber.”
MILLER: “Can it be opened?”
MERCER: “It requires the master key.”
MILLER: “Do we have it?”
Mercer looked at the door.
MERCER: “Brooks took it.”
Arthur spoke through the phone.
ARTHUR: “Try the emergency release.”
Mercer shook his head.
MERCER: “It was disabled.”
ARTHUR: “Not completely.”
MILLER: “What do you mean?”
ARTHUR: “There should be a manual lever beneath the lower panel.”
The technician searched.
He found a small metal handle.
TECHNICIAN: “Got it.”
ARTHUR: “Pull it down slowly.”
The technician followed the instruction.
A loud metallic sound echoed through the corridor.
The door opened a few inches.
Miller signaled for the agents to move forward.
Inside, the chamber was smaller than expected.
It contained a central table, several old storage cabinets, and a wall of sealed metal drawers.
A red emergency light blinked above the main console.
TECHNICIAN: “The system still has power.”
MILLER: “Check the room.”
The agents searched carefully.
No one was inside.
Then Mercer pointed toward the far wall.
MERCER: “The archive cabinet.”
Miller approached.
The cabinet had three locks.
One was mechanical.
One was electronic.
The third was a fingerprint scanner.
MILLER: “Can you open it?”
MERCER: “Not without Brooks.”
Arthur spoke again.
ARTHUR: “There is a secondary override.”
MILLER: “Where?”
ARTHUR: “Under the table. There should be a small black switch.”
The technician crouched.
TECHNICIAN: “I found something.”
ARTHUR: “Don't touch it yet.”
MILLER: “Why?”
ARTHUR: “Because that switch activates the chamber's emergency recording system. If it is pressed without the correct sequence, the cabinet locks permanently.”
Miller looked at Mercer.