Monday arrived with an unusual calm.
The rain had finally stopped.
Golden sunlight poured over Northfield University, and students filled the walkways once again.
Laughter echoed across the campus as clubs recruited new members, athletes practiced on the fields, and professors hurried between lectures.
To everyone else…
It was just another ordinary day.
But for Team Seven, nothing felt ordinary anymore.
The words from the old computer refused to leave their minds.
CHECKMATE IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
Inside the engineering workshop, Professor Hayes gathered everyone around the workbench.
The black knight, the white queen, Daniel’s letter, and the recovered data chip lay neatly arranged before them.
“I spent the entire weekend reviewing every document we recovered,” she began.
“And I found something important.”
Everyone immediately leaned closer.
Professor Hayes unfolded an old blueprint of the university.
It looked far older than the modern campus maps students normally used.
“This map was drawn nearly twenty years ago.”
She pointed to the engineering building.
“Originally, the university’s robotics department wasn’t here.”
Her finger moved across the page.
“It was connected to the medical research center.”
She tapped a section hidden beneath both buildings.
“This underground area…”
“…is Sublevel B.”
Noah stared at the blueprint.
“So it really exists.”
Professor Hayes nodded.
“It does.”
“But according to university records, it was permanently closed after the robotics accident.”
“Why?” Ariana asked.
Professor Hayes looked thoughtful.
“No official reason was ever given.”
Ethan folded his arms.
“If Daniel hid something…”
“…could it be down there?”
Professor Hayes sighed.
“Possibly.”
“But entering a restricted underground facility isn’t exactly simple.”
Noah grinned.
“So…”
“…we need a plan.”
Claire looked uneasy.
“A careful plan.”
Just then, a knock sounded at the workshop door.
A university staff member stepped inside.
“Professor Hayes?”
“Yes?”
“The Dean would like to see you.”
Professor Hayes frowned slightly.
“The Dean?”
“He said it’s urgent.”
“I’ll be there shortly.”
After the staff member left, Professor Hayes looked back at the team.
“Keep working on the robot.”
“I won’t be long.”
As the door closed behind her, Noah slowly turned toward the others.
“So…”
“We’re definitely going exploring after class, right?”
Claire immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“We should wait.”
Ethan looked at Ariana.
“What do you think?”
She hesitated.
“We need more information first.”
Noah sighed dramatically.
“Fine.”
“But I’m blaming responsibility for ruining my afternoon.”
While Professor Hayes met with the Dean, Team Seven continued improving Project Aurora’s successor.
The robotic arm moved more smoothly than ever before.
Its sensors detected objects accurately.
Everything finally seemed to be coming together.
Then…
The workshop door opened again.
A man in a dark business suit entered.
He appeared to be in his late fifties.
Neatly combed gray hair.
Calm eyes.
A polite smile.
“Good afternoon.”
The students looked up.
“I’m looking for Team Seven.” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
“That’s us,” Ethan replied.
The man smiled warmly.
“I’m Dr.
Samuel Bennett.”
“I oversee partnerships between the university and several medical technology companies.”
Noah whispered to Ariana,
“He sounds important.”
Dr.
Bennett admired the robot for a few moments.
“I heard impressive things about your project.”
He looked directly at Ariana.
“You must be the lead designer.”
She nodded nervously.
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent work.”
He turned to Ethan.
“And you’re Daniel Carter’s younger brother.”
The room suddenly became quiet.
Ethan looked surprised.
“Yes.”
Dr.
Bennett’s smile remained unchanged.
“Your brother was exceptionally talented.”
“It’s nice to see the Carter family still contributing to robotics.”
Something about his words felt…
Too carefully chosen.
Before anyone could continue the conversation, Professor Hayes returned.
The moment she saw Dr.
Bennett…
She stopped walking.
Her smile disappeared.
“Samuel.”
The man nodded politely.
“Professor Hayes.”
“It’s been a long time.”
Ariana noticed the tension immediately.
“You know each other?”
Professor Hayes answered without taking her eyes off him.
“We used to work together.”
Dr.
Bennett adjusted his glasses.
“I was simply congratulating your students.”
“I’m sure you were.”
There was a strange edge to Professor Hayes’ voice.
One Ethan had never heard before.
After another polite goodbye, Dr.
Bennett left.
The workshop remained silent until his footsteps disappeared.
Noah looked between Professor Hayes and the door.
“…Okay.”
“What was that?”
Professor Hayes took a slow breath.
“Dr.
Bennett worked with Professor Adrian Wells years ago.”
Everyone froze.
“The former Robotics Club advisor?” Ariana asked.
Professor Hayes nodded.
“They led several research projects together.”
Ethan frowned.
“Do you trust him?”
Professor Hayes hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
“But…”
“He always appears whenever old robotics research becomes important.”
That evening…
Ariana stopped by the library to return one of the archive books.
The building was nearly empty.
Only a handful of students remained, quietly studying for upcoming exams.
She placed the book on the return cart.
As she turned to leave…
She heard two librarians talking in hushed voices.
“…someone requested access again.”
“The restricted files?”
“Yes.”
“The ones connected to the old robotics investigation.”
Ariana instinctively stopped walking.
“Who requested them?”
“I don’t know.”
“The request was approved by Dr.
Samuel Bennett.”
Ariana’s heartbeat quickened.
Bennett?
Why would he need those files?
She quietly left the library and immediately texted Ethan.
Ariana: Meet me outside the library.
I found something important.
Less than a minute later…
Ethan: On my way.
Ten minutes later, Ethan arrived, slightly out of breath.
“You sounded worried.”
Ariana explained everything she had overheard.
Ethan’s expression became serious.
“So Bennett is looking into the old case too.”
“But why now?”
Neither of them had an answer.
As they walked across campus together, the evening sky slowly darkened.
The old clock tower stood in the distance, its frozen clock face glowing faintly in the moonlight.
“You know,” Ethan said softly, “when I was little, Daniel used to bring me here.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“He promised that one day I’d build robots with him.”
He smiled sadly.
“I guess life had other plans.”
Ariana looked at him.
“I think…”
“…you’re keeping that promise anyway.”
Ethan met her eyes.
For a moment, he forgot everything else.
The mystery.
The danger.
The secrets.
All he saw was Ariana smiling at him.
“You always know what to say,” he admitted.
She laughed quietly.
“I usually don’t.”
“You do with me.”
A gentle silence settled between them.
Without realizing it, they had wandered toward the campus lake.
The water reflected hundreds of tiny lights from the surrounding buildings.
“It’s beautiful,” Ariana whispered.
“It is.”
Ethan wasn’t looking at the lake.
He was looking at her.
Before either of them could say another word—
“Found you!”
Noah’s voice echoed across the path.
He jogged toward them, waving his phone excitedly.
“I’ve been trying to call you!”
“What happened?” Ethan asked.
Noah held up the screen.
“I was reviewing the old video again.”
“And?”
“I zoomed in on the reflection in the window behind Daniel.”
Everyone leaned closer.
The blurry image had become slightly clearer.
Standing in the reflection was the unknown person wearing the university watch.
Their face still couldn’t be seen.
But one detail stood out.
A silver ring engraved with the initials:
S.B.
Ariana slowly looked up.
“Samuel…”
Ethan finished the sentence.
“…Bennett.”
The three of them stood frozen.
Had they finally uncovered their first real suspect?
Or…
Was someone leading them toward another trap?
High above them, inside an office overlooking the campus, Dr.
Samuel Bennett stood by the window.
He looked down at Team Seven gathered near the lake.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face.
Then he quietly closed the blinds.
Somewhere beneath the university…
A hidden elevator descended deeper into the earth.
The lights flickered as it stopped at a single destination.
SUBLEVEL B
The doors slid open.
A shadow stepped out into the darkness.
The game was entering a new phase.
And Team Seven had no idea how close they were to the truth.