Six Hours of Blue

[SFX: Toggle switch. Relay switch activated]

NARRATOR: The ghost orchids required six uninterrupted hours of blue light to open together. Building logs showed three interruptions during the donor event, but the flowers had experienced none. Someone powered the lamps from a separate laboratory battery.

NOAH WREN: Felix's drone cart carries one.

FELIX CROW: It was stolen.

TESS ARDEN: Its wheels left lithium grease on the service ramp. Your company adds violet dye to that grease for warranty tracking.

NARRATOR: Violet marks crossed the ramp, stopped at the mist cabinet, and continued to the roof. Felix had installed the toxin cartridge, powered the false light cycle, and prepared the stolen tissue during the ten minutes he left his guests.

DR VERA MOSS: Ten minutes is not enough.

LILA QUINN: Unless someone opened the cabinet beforehand.

NARRATOR: Vera had opened it that afternoon for Felix's inspection and failed to relock it. Her compromise gave him access but not intent. Felix's motive appeared in Saye's scheduled email: at dawn, it would release the forged agreements and invalidate patents worth millions.

[SFX: Computer notification beep]

FELIX CROW: Emil benefited from those patents. He panicked and chose me as a cleaner villain.

TESS ARDEN: Then explain the pollen on your watch seal. It matches the cartridge, including blue-light dye.

NARRATOR: Felix ran. He entered the main glasshouse and locked the biometric door, believing filtered air protected him. Tess saw the mist console begin another automatic cycle.