65 An Unexpected Encounter

The head guard's attention was abruptly captured by the intercom's crackle, summoning her to the warden's office. Wondering what he needed, she quickly made her way through the corridors, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallways. When she arrived, however, she found the office empty, except for the sound of rushing water emanating from the bathroom. Confusion knitted her brow as she called out, "Warden? You called for me?" A bold voice echoed from behind the bathroom door, tinged with the lingering steam of a recent shower. "Pass me the towel that is hung," the warden instructed. Surprised by his knowledge of her arrival, the head guard hesitated for a moment before picking up the towel and extending her hand toward the partially opened bathroom window. Through the fogged glass, she could make out the warden's blurry image, obscured by the condensation that clung to the glass. Turning her face away, even though the image was distorted, she felt an unsettling sense of int