~~BEYOND THE BINARY~~

Chapter- 5

Chapter 5 – Silent Archives (Part 1)

The door clicked shut behind her, the faint hum of the outside world fading into an unsettling silence. Iris stood alone in the small room, her breath echoing in her ears. The glow of the screen illuminated her face, casting an unnatural light.

She didn't know exactly what she was expecting to find—but she had to try. She needed answers.

For a moment, her fingers hovered over the keyboard, doubt creeping in. But she shook it off. Now was not the time to hesitate.

The public-facing NOXIS library was as neat and orderly as always—cold and clinical. This wasn't about browsing articles or checking updates. No, Iris was after something hidden, something that wasn't meant for her eyes.

She clicked around aimlessly, trying to blend in as just another user. The usual search results popped up—files, archives, articles—but none were what she needed. The deeper layers, those files that felt like they had secrets to hide, were locked.

Access Denied.

Not unexpected. The system was designed to keep out unauthorized users. But she couldn't give up now. Turning back was not an option.

Leaning closer to the screen, she tapped her fingers against the desk, searching for a way in. There had to be a method.

Without hesitation, she navigated to the deeper sections of the library's database, bypassing public search functions and initiating a manual query. The NOXIS library was vast, organized by layers of security, but Iris had learned a few tricks. She didn't need to be a master hacker; she just needed a way through.

She input a subtle search query and hit enter. The screen blinked, and she bit her lip, waiting.

Finally, a flicker of a different page appeared. It was just a flash—too quick to catch—but Iris's heart raced. That could be the lead she needed.

But as she clicked on the file, the screen flashed a warning.

Access Denied.

Frustration bubbled up, but she pushed it down. She couldn't stop now. Iris backed out, avoiding any trace of her actions, then tried another route. A combination of simple codes—nothing too advanced—just enough to probe the security.

Each attempt resulted in the same answer. Access Denied.

The weight of the room felt heavier. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The hum of the cooling system, the sound of her own breath—all amplified in that moment.

Her fingers brushed against her phone, lying beside the keyboard. She glanced at it; the light flickered briefly. Ash had sent a message, but she ignored it. No distractions.

With a sigh, Iris shifted her focus back to the screen. The library's search functions were designed to be user-friendly, but every roadblock seemed to pull her deeper into forbidden territory. She opened another window, a file directory this time, hoping to find something less protected.

The cursor moved slowly, clicking through archives and documents, titles that meant nothing to her. But her eyes remained sharp, scanning each file for a hint—a lead. There had to be something. Anything.

Suddenly, her fingers stilled. One file name caught her eye. Buried under layers of innocuous titles was a document that seemed out of place.

She clicked on it quickly. The page began to load—but before it could fully appear, the screen froze. Then flickered.

Iris sat still, eyes fixed on the screen, waiting for the glitch to pass. Her pulse quickened. What had just happened?

The screen returned to normal, but the file had vanished.

Access Denied.

Frustration surged again. She typed once more, hands steady despite the unease in her stomach. This time, the screen began to load slowly.

As it progressed, a new window opened, revealing logs—entries from another user who had attempted to access the same restricted area. The name stood out: K1X.

Iris leaned closer as details populated the screen. K1X had made several attempts, each one more frantic. The logs revealed snippets of his searches and a chilling final entry.

"They're watching. I need to know what NOXIS is hiding."

Before she could process this, the screen flickered again, and the entry vanished.

Access Denied.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. What had happened to K1X?

Her phone buzzed beside her, but she didn't look at it. The weight of what she had uncovered pressed down on her.

What had K1X discovered?

As the hum of machinery filled the room, Iris could feel NOXIS's presence, a reminder that she was digging into something far more dangerous than she realized.

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"What if the walls you trust the most are listening... and they've been hearing more than you ever intended?"