At this point, the production team accepted an undeniable truth:
Aria Lane could not be stopped.
But maybe—just maybe—
she could be managed.
Thus began what would later be remembered as:
Operation Snack Concealment
(OSC: "Hide the food before the actress smells it.")
It was the biggest coordinated effort since shooting began.
Lighting was involved.
Props was involved.
Security was involved.
Catering was forced to sign NDAs.
And every department—every single one—took it dead seriously.
The Mandatory Meeting
Mason stood in front of fifty exhausted staff members, pointing at a whiteboard with the words:
"PROBLEM: ARIA."
Daniel raised his hand.
"Director, maybe don't phrase it like—"
Mason slammed the marker down.
"NO. WE ARE PAST DIPLOMACY."
The crew nodded.
Someone whispered,
"She sniffed out candy behind a wall panel."
Another murmured,
"She stole a chicken leg mid-walk."
A third whispered with trauma-filled eyes,
"She found my emergency Skittles… in a zippered pocket."
Mason raised his clipboard dramatically.
"Today, we outsmart her."
Julian, sitting in the back, smiled faintly.
"…Good luck."
Phase 1: Relocation
Catering moved all snacks to a new storage room.
A room nobody used.
A room with:
no windows
no signs
no airflow
no human activity
They also triple-wrapped all food items in airtight bags.
"Even she can't smell through THIS," the catering chief said proudly.
Famous last words.
Phase 2: Decoys
Props built fake snack boxes.
Ugly ones.
Dull ones.
Boxes no sane person would open.
Daniel labeled them:
"TAX RECEIPTS - DO NOT TOUCH."
Aria walked by one.
Didn't even glance at it.
Daniel sighed in relief.
Phase 3: Camouflage
Security placed snacks inside heavy equipment cases.
Rick the cameraman shouted:
"That's where my LENSES go!"
Mason hissed,
"Would you rather Aria eat your lenses or the snacks?"
Rick froze.
"…She might eat both."
Phase 4: Bluffing
Marcus suggested psychological tactics.
"If she thinks there are no snacks, she won't look."
Daniel blinked.
"Have you MET her?!"
Marcus reconsidered.
"…Fair point."
Aria Arrives
The plan lasted 17 minutes.
Aria walked onto set, expression calm and unreadable.
Julian greeted her.
"Morning, Aria."
She nodded politely.
"Morning."
She took two steps.
Stopped.
Turned slightly.
Tilted her head.
Sniffed the air.
The entire crew stiffened like hunted animals.
Daniel whispered:
"Don't move.
Don't breathe.
Don't exist."
Aria murmured:
"…New room."
Mason screamed inside his soul.
She Begins the Search
Aria walked left.
Catering froze.
She turned right.
Security froze.
She paused near a sound cart.
Sound team collectively fainted.
She touched a wall.
Props whispered,
"She knows."
Aria's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Snacks."
Daniel collapsed onto a chair.
"No.
NO.
NO THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE—WE SEALED THEM IN THREE LAYERS—"
Julian watched, fascinated.
"She's… impressive."
Mason shouted,
"STOP CALLING HER IMPRESSIVE!"
Aria took a step toward the hidden food room.
Catering silently cried.
The Last Line of Defense
Security Guards #1 and #2 stepped forward bravely.
"Miss Lane, this area is off limits."
Aria blinked.
"I'm not going there."
Everyone exhaled in relief.
Then Aria turned left.
Through a completely different hallway.
Straight toward the storage room's back wall.
Security #1 whispered,
"She changed the path!"
Security #2 whimpered,
"She's learning…"
Mason shouted,
"SOMEBODY STOP HER!"
Julian remained seated, amused.
Daniel was fully praying now.
Aria Finds the Room
She stopped in front of a blank wall.
A wall with no handle.
No cracks.
No airflow.
No reason for any human to notice it.
She pressed her palm gently.
The wall gave a soft click.
Daniel screamed.
"HOW—
HOW DID YOU FIND IT AGAIN?!"
Aria blinked.
"Someone moved the air."
Catering burst into tears.
Inside the Vault
She opened the door.
Saw the shelves of snacks.
Paused thoughtfully.
"…There are more than last time."
Mason fainted.
Daniel slapped his own forehead repeatedly.
Julian laughed quietly.
Catering fell into despair.
Security retired emotionally.
Aria's Final Line
She picked up a single granola bar.
Held it gently.
Then said:
"These are poorly hidden."
The entire production collapsed.