CHAPTER 15.2 — “Footsteps in the Empty Corridor”

Chapter 15.2 pushes the investigation into something more physical. After the quiet tension of earlier chapters, I wanted this one to feel sharper—like the world is beginning to glitch in ways the characters can actually touch. A shifted camera, a drag mark with no source, scratches on metal that shouldn’t scratch at all… these are the kinds of clues you can’t explain away with system errors.Eli becomes more hands-on here, following the evidence the way he once did during the blackout years. Maren tries to stay grounded, but even she’s starting to run out of rational explanations, and that balance between them is part of what drives the arc forward.And the thermal trail at the end? That’s the reminder that this isn’t just data or theory. Whatever they’re following has weight— and it was close.Thank you for reading. From here on, the mystery isn’t just hidden in code anymore… it’s etched directly into the station itself. 💙