"Am I familiar with gardening," muttered Albert between his teeth.
He had no way of knowing what time of day it was, nor how much time had passed. Food was brought to him based on if he was awake or not. A new pitcher of water would arrive shortly after he had finished the old one.
This had to be some sort of psychological trap. Some way to make Albert feel like he was running out of time, forcing him to give up Juliet's location. But... He wasn't going to. Albert had other worries to think about.
... Such as disabling the cameras.
The screen on the wall was a modern television, less than ten years old. It likely had wifi built-in and Anthea was activating it through a signal instead of wiring. Wifi meant that it was connected to a network, which meant that perhaps Albert had a way to contact the outside.
A smart television would have some sort of processor attached to it. They were more like a basic computer, with a rudimentary operating system that required updates. Even without a keyboard, Albert was convinced he could send out some sort of binary signal.
He may even be able to make it look like a security attack, using the television as a back wall to enter the manufacturer's systems. Albert laughed to himself. Utterly impossible without a keyboard, but it was still wishful thinking.
None of that would be possible with Anthea watching him. The cameras were hidden within the light fixtures. The table, chair, and bed were bolted to the floor. No chance of using them as cover. Destroy the lights, then Albert wouldn't be able to see.
Albert ran his fingers through his beard and tugged on the hairs so it stretched out his cheeks. Think, Albert, think. He could break a lightbulb, stick in a fork, and cause an electrical reset. It would stutter Anthea's computer and the router.
A minute to start up the computer, maybe two for the router. Program loading, probably passwords to type in... Still likely only two minutes before she could see him again. Another two to three before she could do anything to stop him.
Those were odds that Albert was comfortable with. Now all he needed to do to prepare as much as possible so he could pull his plan together quickly. Something he had learned was that he wouldn't get new food unless he returned any bowls and utensils to the food slot. He had been returning them right away so that he wouldn't cause suspicion.
He'd strike as soon as the next one showed up. Which should be soon, if his stomach was having any say. Just as he was thinking about it, the slot on the wall opened, and there was a bowl of oatmeal with bacon, beans, and a fried egg on top. Sure, it wasn't the tastiest, but it was probably nutritional.
Albert scarfed it down with a spoon. Problem solving on an empty stomach was never one of his strong suits. He then stood up, wrapped his jacket around his hand, climbed on the table, and plunged the handle of the spoon into a light.
Just like he predicted, the power breaker tripped with a loud crack, plunging the room into darkness. Albert's jacket protected him from feeling the zap, but his hands were still shaking. He carefully hopped down and felt his way towards the screen.
He discovered earlier that the plexiglass had been slipped in. Albert spread his hands wide against it, trying to get as much traction as possible as he lifted upward. Slowly, the glass shifted.
Albert managed to get his hands underneath it. Another lift and he managed to rotate it enough so he could pull it out completely. The lights flickered on just as he set it down. He stifled the urge to start counting up to 180, as needless numbers in his head would be too much of a distraction.
What was shocking was that the television was mounted on a moveable arm. All he needed to do was swing it out, and he had full access to the back... After he removed the rig, which would take forever to do with a spoon. He originally planned to use the zipper from his jacket, but there were more screws than he anticipated.
There was also an HDMI cable plugged in. Albert swung the television around and turned it on. It did have the option for a wireless internet connection, but wasn't online. The signal was being directly transmitted by Anthea.
Albert searched for a wifi signal and didn't find the city's access. There was a connection named CRT_VIS, but he didn't have the password. Buildings near the tram lines had their own internet, since the city net was constantly disrupted by the trams. He doubted this was the connection that Anthea was using.
Next, he began to flip through the different inputs and signals. The screen flickered from black to black to... Albert squinted his eyes. It was Anthea's computer startup screen. She had rebooted in safe mode in order to access her security systems quicker.
She had opened the program, but the router had yet to boot up. Everything was reported as no signal. Emergency protocols had been activated. System control would be restored when a connection was established.
... Emergency protocols?
Albert took a step to the side and pushed against the door. It swung open easily. Of course, emergency protocols would unlock all doors in order to prevent anyone from being trapped. He smacked his forehead and cursed his own stupidity.
Looking out the door, all Albert saw was a wide corridor. There was a set of double doors on one end, with a normal one on the other. Albert saw no hesitation in opening the third door, located directly across the hall from his. If there was another prisoner, they were going to get out of this place together.
What he found was another cell, but it had been converted into a kitchen. There was a hot plate on the table, and it seemed to be the place where they were making his food. Albert quickly backed out, fearful that he might end up locked up in here.
Next came the double doors. There was a practically ancient wood-burning furnace in here. Even the walls were bricked. Albert doubted that it was functionally useful for the building, but it was still in use. Someone had been maintaining the room.
Albert opened up the furnace and looked inside. There was ash mixed in with large brittle chunks of what he supposed was bone. Something glinted in the light and Albert reached inside. He found a button from a pair of jeans.
They did need someplace to dispose of bodies, and this old furnace seemed to do the trick. A chill ran up Albert's spine as the button slipped through his fingers. Anthea really was going to kill him. Somehow, keeping Juliet's identity a secret was the only thing keeping him alive.
But things were different now. All Albert needed to do was make it past that last door. He was going to get out of here, go to the police, and stop this madness from continuing.
He opened the door and was immediately greeted by the sight of Anthea sitting at her desk. Her feet were kicked up on the desk itself, and she had a double-barreled pistol pointed straight at Albert's chest.
"Greetings, Mister Short," she said calmly.
Anthea purposely let Albert see her computer screen on the television. She tried to bait him into a trap and completely succeeded. Rather than curse his foolishness again, Albert calmly leaned against the door frame.
"And how are you doing today, Miss Anthea?"
"Well enough." Anthea gestured the gun towards the door. "Please close the door."
Albert took a step in and shut the door behind him. "I don't suppose you'll be willing to let me walk out of here?"
"I believe it's time for us to have a serious conversation about your future, Mister Short. The opportunities that have been laid before you are dwindling." Her free hand rotated her monitor and she unpaused the video that she had been watching."
A collage of pictures from Albert's social media were plastered across the screen. They had blurred out the faces of others he stood with. A man's voice was narrating over the images.
"Albert Short is the latest victim in what is now being called the Midnight Kidnappings. Police have now come forward asking if anyone has any further information about him or any of the other seven victims.
Judy Mcintire, Short's partner, has agreed to do a live interview. Miss Mcintire hopes that her story will raise awareness and help prevent future tragedy. We will begin broadcasting this interview within the hour, but first, a look at the weather."
Albert felt a tightness in his chest as he watched Judy's face appear on the screen. There she was. His "Juliet." His hands tightened into fists as the last and only trump card slipped out of his grasp.
"... Shit."