Narrow Passage

Dropped from the mattress fold. Hit hard timber. Click... whir. A low passage opened beneath the desk legs. I sprinted in a sudden burst, hook dragging flat against the floorboards until I reached a narrow metallic labyrinth—interlocking power strips and thick black cables. Perfect cover. I wedged my left foot between two coil loops and hooked a loose zip-tie, pulling it taut to test the tension. Held firm. Now crouching silent in the shadow, mapping the perimeter.