Elias approached the rusted steel doors. The first four digits, 5825 , represented the origin code—a defunct research station in the Arctic. The remaining seven, 3104988 , were supposed to be the weight and contents. But the math didn't add up. 3,104,988 kilograms was impossible for a single crate; it would have sunk the ship the moment it touched the deck.
The manifest in Elias’s hands was damp from the harbor fog. He ran his thumb over the entry at the bottom of the page: . 5825-3104988
As he reached for the latch, a low, rhythmic thumping started from within the metal walls. It wasn't the sound of shifting cargo. It was a heartbeat. Elias approached the rusted steel doors