Chapter 8: Bribe Security Trap

👉 [Previous Decision]: You chose Option B – Offer a heavy cash bribe to an overnight floor security officer to open the Sub-level 3 door.

The thought of more memory erasure, of the creeping blanks, was intolerable. I couldn’t wait for a promotion. We needed to act now.

I spent two days observing the overnight security rotation on the 14th floor, identifying the guard who seemed the most disengaged, the one who spent ten minutes staring at his phone during rounds. A young man named Marcos, no older than twenty-five, with tired eyes.

I approached him cautiously during my evening departure, after the main rush had cleared. “Marcos,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Could I speak with you for a moment?”

He looked up, surprised. “Yeah? Everything okay, sir?”

I led him to a quiet corner, away from the immediate gaze of the surveillance cameras. I pulled out a thick envelope, fifty crisp hundred-dollar bills, a total of five thousand dollars. It was nearly a month’s salary for him.

“I need access to Sub-level 3,” I said, pushing the envelope towards him. “Just for ten minutes. No questions asked. The door ‘accidentally’ left open.”

Marcos’s eyes widened at the sight of the cash. He glanced around, his movements jerky. He licked his lips.

“Sub-level 3, sir?” he stammered, his gaze darting between the money and my face. “That’s a serious breach. I could lose my job.”

“You could also have five thousand dollars,” I countered, nudging the envelope closer. “For a ten-minute ‘oversight’.”

He hesitated, his hand hovering over the envelope. His eyes were wide with a mix of fear and greed.

“Just leave the door ajar,” I pressed. “No one has to know.”

Marcos swallowed hard. He snatched the envelope, stuffing it quickly into his pocket. “Alright,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Ten minutes. I’ll make sure it’s open at 2:00 AM. But you didn’t hear it from me.”

“Understood,” I said, a wave of relief washing over me.

I arrived back at the LuminaTech building at 1:55 AM, my heart pounding. I took the express elevator to the 14th floor. The corridor was empty, bathed in the cool glow of emergency lights.

I approached the heavy, reinforced door to Sub-level 3. It was locked tight. Not ajar.

A cold dread settled in. Then, two burly security guards in dark uniforms emerged from a hidden alcove. Marcos was with them, his face pale, his eyes avoiding mine.

“Evan Novak,” one of the guards said, his voice flat. “You’re under arrest for corporate espionage and attempted bribery.”

Marcos looked at me, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. He must have reported it immediately, taking the money and turning me in for a bonus.

Before I could speak, a sharp pain erupted at the base of my skull. I felt a needle, a rush of fluid. My vision blurred.

“Project Lethe will ensure you cooperate,” I heard Marcos say faintly, his voice echoing as darkness consumed me. “A full reset.”