CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY - ONE - THE STRANGE SHORTAGES

Anna's brow furrowed as she scanned the inventory list for the third time that week. Something wasn't adding up. She tapped her pen against the clipboard, her mind racing through possibilities. "Hey, Anna!" a cheerful voice called out. It was Mia, one of the kitchen betas, carrying a box of fresh produce. "Doing inventory again?" Anna nodded, offering a tight smile. "Yeah, just double-checking some things. Hey, Mia, have you noticed anything... odd about our supplies lately?" Mia set down the box, wiping her hands on her apron. "Odd how?" "Well," Anna began, flipping through her notes, "it seems like we're going through things faster than usual. Especially non-perishables and fuel." Mia's forehead creased. "Now that you mention it, I did have to reorder canned goods earlier than expected last week. I thought maybe we'd just had a busy stretch." Anna's suspicion deepened. "And you're sure no one's been taking extra?" "Not that I've seen," Mia shrugged. "We're pretty strict about