👉 Previous choice: You chose Option B – Lock the door silently, keep the computer running, and attempt an audio IP trace while confronting whoever is outside.
My fingers flew, flicking the deadbolt into place. A click echoed in the silent room. I spun back to my computer, hitting the shortcut for my audio IP trace, praying for a server handshake.
The doorknob stopped turning. A moment of silence. Then, a distinct metallic scraping as a key slid into the lock from the outside.
The door swung inward.
My father, Arthur, stood in the doorway, his face a mask of stern disapproval. Behind him, my mother, Helen, wrung her hands. And then I saw Julian. My older brother, looking pale and distraught, holding my secondary hard drive in his hands.
“Leo, what is this?” Arthur’s voice was low, dangerous. His eyes were fixed on the glowing waveform on my screen.
Julian stepped forward, tears welling in his eyes. “He’s been doing it for weeks, Dad. Fabricating these audio tracks, these ‘confessions’.” He gestured vaguely at my setup. “To boost his numbers for Dead Air.”
Helen made a small, choked sound. “Oh, Leo, honey. Your podcast. It’s gone too far.”
“I found these search histories on his old hard drive,” Julian continued, holding it up like evidence. “How to deepfake voices. How to stage crime scenes. He’s been spiraling.”
My mouth worked, but no words came out. Fabricated? He knew the truth. He was twisting it.
“I have proof. This isn’t about numbers, Julian!” I finally managed. “This is real. He sent me an ultimatum. The killer is in the house.”
Arthur stepped fully into the room, his shoulders squared. “Your podcast obsession, Leo, it’s triggered a paranoid episode. Give me your laptop.” He extended a hand. “Now.”
My eyes flickered to Julian, who offered a sympathetic but firm head shake. He’d planned this. He knew I’d be alone.
“You’re going to stay up here until morning,” Arthur stated, his voice final. “We’ll talk about this at the family conference. Get some rest.”
He took my laptop from my numb fingers, then ushered Helen and a sniffling Julian out. The heavy click of the deadbolt locking from the outside echoed, sealing me in.
➡️ Read CHAPTER 4 to continue the story
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