Ethan walked swiftly toward the Warden's office, the silence in the hallways now an active threat. He reached the door and found it unlocked, just as he expected.
Inside, the office looked stripped down. The personal touches were gone, and the space felt vacant, as if it had been emptied of all traces of Director Hayes very recently.
Ethan didn't bother searching further. He walked to the center of the room and sat down in the high-backed director's chair, his orange jumpsuit contrasting sharply with the polished wood of the desk. He did nothing but wait.
Three hours passed. Then four. Then six.
Just as the sun began to set, the sounds of heavy, coordinated movement finally broke the unnatural calm of the block. A middle-aged man in an impeccable suit and a furious expression strode into the office. Behind him, former Warden Hayes walked with her head bowed, her jaw visibly clenched.
