Chapter Three: The Absent Director

Shen had reappeared by the river three days later, soaked through, with only a scorched film fragment in his pocket. He had forgotten the six months before the fire—and why he and Lin had stopped speaking. “What was the Echo project?” he asked. Lin did not answer at once. She took the silver tie clip from an evidence bag. The closed eye caught the fluorescent light. “This belonged to the Viewing Society. They funded archive restoration three years ago, then dissolved after the fire.” She turned a tablet toward him. Security footage showed a black-coated figure leaving the restaurant. The face never met the camera. A wristwatch flashed instead. On its inner bezel: 03:17.