Chapter 7 - The Locked Server Room
Daniel reached the third floor through the emergency stairwell.
The alarm covered the sound of his footsteps.
Employees stepped into the hallway, confused by the sprinklers.
Daniel lowered his head and walked with them.
The server room was behind a steel door near the finance department.
He swiped Javier’s keycard.
Red light.
He tried again.
Red.
A woman carrying a laptop stopped.
“Can I help you?”
Daniel turned.
It was Ana Beltrán, Ricardo’s executive assistant.
She recognized him immediately.
“Daniel?”
“I need access.”
“To the server room?”
“Yes.”
Ana looked at his sling, his split lip, and his soaked shirt.
“What happened?”
“My father.”
That answer appeared to make sense to her.
She glanced toward the ceiling camera.
Then she swiped her own card.
The light turned green.
“You have three minutes.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Why are you helping me?”
Ana’s expression didn’t change.
“Because your father forgets assistants can hear through doors.”
Inside, Daniel connected a portable drive to the server terminal.
Javier had texted him a folder number.
R-19.
The folder contained hundreds of video files.
Private dinners.
Business meetings.
Cash exchanges.
Politicians entering through the side gate.
Daniel searched by date.
The file from Sofia’s attack appeared.
He copied it.
Then he noticed another folder.
FAMILY — ARCHIVE
He opened it.
Old footage filled the screen.
Mariela slapping Javier.
Teresa screaming at a housekeeper.
Ricardo pushing a contractor against a wall.
Then Daniel saw himself.
Three years earlier.
Standing in the courtyard.
His mother was speaking to him.
The audio was clear.
“Camila is using Sofia to control you.”
Daniel watched his younger self nod.
Not agree.
But not object.
The shame hit harder than the bat.
He closed the file.
A timer appeared.
REMOTE WIPE INITIATED: 90 SECONDS
His father had started deleting the server.
Daniel copied everything he could.
The progress bar moved painfully slowly.
Thirty percent.
Forty-two.
The door handle shook.
“Daniel!” Ricardo shouted.
Ana stepped in front of the door outside.
“You can’t enter during an active alarm.”
“Move.”
“I’m following protocol.”
Something struck the door.
The metal frame rattled.
Sixty-eight percent.
Files disappeared from the server list one by one.
Daniel pulled out his phone and started uploading the Sofia recording directly to Lucía.
The video opened briefly on screen.
Sofia reached for a red truck.
Mariela turned.
Lifted the coffee.
Paused.
Then threw it directly at the child’s face.
Daniel’s stomach twisted.
He had imagined it.
Seeing it was worse.
The door burst inward.
Ricardo entered.
Daniel yanked out the portable drive.
His father grabbed him by the throat.
“You stupid boy.”
Daniel shoved the phone beneath the server rack.
Ricardo didn’t see it.
“You think you can destroy this family?”
Daniel struggled for air.
“No.”
Ricardo tightened his grip.
“You already did.”
Behind them, Daniel’s phone continued uploading.
Ninety-eight percent.
May you like
Then the screen went black.
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