Elo walked ahead of us with small, careful steps.
Not wandering.
Not hesitating.
Leading.
As if he still remembered this path—
as if his body recognized the way by instinct alone.
The other Phase Zero children followed him in a loose cluster,
their footsteps soft and uneven against the metal floor.
Sev clung to my left arm, trembling with every step.
Len pressed into my right side, glancing anxiously over his shoulder.
Their bodies stayed so close to mine it felt like they expected the walls themselves to lash out.
Rowan stayed behind me, hands on my shoulders like he was afraid I'd disappear if he let go.
Chandler walked ahead, keeping pace with Elo, jaw tight.
Horace mirrored him, posture rigid, scanning every shadow.
Lucian moved alongside us, tablet raised, jaw clenched.
"We're heading toward the deepest part of B7," he said quietly.
"Past this point… nothing is mapped."
Rowan swallowed.
"Nothing…?
Not even staff records?"
Lucian shook his head slowly.
"The Deep Lab wasn't for staff.
It was for the final phase."
Chandler muttered:
"So Elliot."
"Yes," Lucian said.
"And the one he was supposed to replace."
I flinched.
Horace touched the small of my back.
"You don't have to hear everything now."
But I shook my head.
"I need to."
Lucian exhaled.
"Elleanore… if Elliot's still active—if the system detected him waking—then the Deep Lab must still… function."
Rowan whispered:
"Function for what…?"
Lucian didn't answer.
Because we all knew.
To contain him.
To break him.
To force him further than any subject should go.
My steps slowed.
And then—
I felt it.
A faint sensation in my chest.
A tug.
Like a thread connecting me to something ahead.
My breath caught.
Rowan leaned around me.
"Elle?
What is it? What's wrong?"
I didn't know how to explain it.
"It's Elliot," I whispered.
"I can feel him."
Chandler and Horace stopped immediately.
Lucian stared.
"Elleanore—
your resonance profile is reacting."
"Reacting…?" Rowan echoed.
"Like—like what?"
Lucian turned slowly toward the corridor ahead.
"Like she's picking up a signal."
Chandler's eyes sharpened.
"He's calling to her."
Horace's voice was low.
"Or his instinct is."
The Phase Zero children all froze at once.
Every single one of them.
They turned toward the far end of the hall—
where the corridor narrowed
into absolute blackness.
Elo pointed with a shaking finger.
"…Elle…
he cry there…"
Sev whimpered horribly and held onto me tighter.
Len dropped into a crouch, bowing his head.
Rowan squeezed my shoulder.
"Elle…
we're close."
THE CORRIDOR THAT FUNNELS
When we reached the next turn,
the architecture changed.
The wide corridors narrowed into a single hallway—
long,
straight,
no doors on either side.
A funnel.
Chandler stopped.
"…Nope. Hate that."
Horace frowned.
"It's designed to contain movement."
Lucian nodded.
"This is a control path.
Any subject who breaks containment is forced down this corridor."
Rowan whispered:
"You mean trapped."
Lucian nodded.
"Yes."
I stepped forward—
and the lights ahead flickered on.
One by one.
Like they were lighting a path for me.
Rowan shuddered.
"Elle…
the lights only turn on for you."
Chandler scowled.
"This floor is obsessed with her. Not subtle about it either."
Horace placed a steady hand over my lower back.
"Elleanore.
Walk with us. One step at a time."
I nodded.
Sev and Len pressed even closer.
The children lined behind us.
We moved.
The deeper we went,
the colder the air became.
Not like normal cold—
like lifeless cold.
Like the air was filtered to remove warmth itself.
Lucian checked the readings.
"Air temperature is artificially lowered.
This corridor suppresses instinct spikes."
Chandler glanced back.
"So Elliot walked through this."
Lucian nodded grimly.
"Many times."
Rowan's breathing hitched.
"Elle…
I—I don't know if I can see what's at the end…"
I touched his hand.
"You can.
Because you're here with me."
He nodded—
barely—
but didn't let go.
Horace inhaled sharply.
"Elleanore.
Stop."
I froze.
Chandler moved in front of me instantly.
"What is it?"
Horace's eyes narrowed.
"I smell something."
Rowan stiffened.
"What smell?"
Horace's voice dropped.
"Alpha.
Strong."
Chandler's jaw clenched.
"I smell it too.
Not human-strong.
Experiment-strong."
Lucian looked terrified.
"That means he's awake."
Chandler nodded, expression tightening.
"Elliot."
Sev whimpered and covered his ears, curling in on himself.
Len hid behind my arm.
Elo grabbed my hand again.
"…Elle…
he cry…
but no hurt…"
Rowan whispered:
"He's scared…
that means he's still him…"
Lucian didn't look convinced.
"Be careful.
Instinct spikes in subjects brought beyond Phase Two are unpredictable."
Chandler looked back at him.
"He's her brother."
Lucian didn't argue.
Just lowered his eyes.
"He is.
But that doesn't mean he'll recognize that right away."
Horace added:
"Don't shield her.
But stay ready."
Chandler nodded sharply.
"I hear you."
Rowan tightened his grip on my sleeve.
"Elle…
we're almost there."
I nodded and stepped forward—
and the corridor finally opened.
THE DEEP LAB
The room was huge.
Cathedral ceilings.
Dark glass walls.
Rows of silent, inactive machinery.
A platform in the center—
empty.
Like something had been there.
Something large.
Rowan clutched my arm.
"Wh-where is he?"
Lucian scanned the surroundings.
"He… he was here.
The system shows movement.
Within the last fifteen minutes."
Chandler turned slowly.
"So where the hell did he go?"
Horace stiffened.
"Elleanore.
Stay close."
Because from the far corner of the dark room—
something moved.
A shadow.
Small.
Stumbling.
And then a voice echoed through the lab.
A voice I knew better than my own heartbeat.
Small.
Weak.
Fragile.
"…Elle…?"
Rowan sobbed.
Sev gasped.
Len covered his mouth.
Elo squeezed my hand.
Chandler stepped forward.
Horace's hand shot out to stop him.
Lucian froze completely.
I—
I couldn't breathe.
Because the shadow stepped into the faint pool of light—
and there he was.
Elliot Jan Fonze.
Barefoot.
Pale.
Thin.
Hair grown unevenly.
Eyes glassy with exhaustion.
But alive.
Alive.
He blinked.
Stared at me.
And whispered again:
"…Elle…?
Is it… really you…?"
My legs buckled.
Rowan caught me with a shocked sob.
Chandler's breath left him in a sharp exhale.
Horace held me by the shoulders to steady me.
Lucian's tablet nearly fell from his hands.
Sev cried out and hid behind me.
Len trembled violently.
Elo stepped forward with tiny steps.
But Elliot—
Elliot walked toward me.
Slow.
Fearful.
Disbelieving.
Not reaching.
Not yet.
Just—
looking.
Looking at me like he had woken up from a nightmare
and wasn't sure if the world in front of him was real.
I took a single step into the light.
"Elliot."
His breath broke.
His eyes widened.
His voice cracked.
"…Elle…"
He took one more step.
Then another.
Shaking.
Like he might fall.
Rowan whispered:
"He's coming to you…"
Horace whispered:
"He recognizes her."
Chandler whispered:
"Hurry. Get to him."
Lucian whispered:
"Careful—
he might—"
But there was nothing careful left in me.
I ran.
Elliot staggered forward the same moment.
And when we collided—
he broke.
Sobbing.
Shaking.
Clinging to me with everything he had left.
"Elle—
Elle—
I tried—
I—
I thought—
I thought you—"
I held him tightly, tears falling freely.
"I'm here.
I'm here, Elliot.
You're safe."
He cried into my shoulder.
Rowan sobbed behind us.
Sev pressed against my back, trembling.
Len dropped to his knees.
Elo smiled softly.
Chandler looked away, blinking hard.
Horace bowed his head, eyes closing.
Lucian whispered:
"He's still Elliot."
But then—
the lights flickered.
Elliot stiffened.
His breathing changed.
Chandler's expression snapped to alert.
Lucian checked the tablet in horror.
"Elleanore—
MOVE—"
But it was already too late.
Because Elliot lifted his head—
and the eyes looking at me
were no longer the ones I remembered.
When Instinct Wakes Before the Mind
Elliot's grip on me changed.
Not gentle.
Not relieved.
Tight.
Too tight.
His breathing hitched—
once,
twice—
then deepened into a slow, animal inhale.
Rowan felt it first.
"Elle—
Elle, wait—
his scent—
it changed—"
Chandler's posture snapped rigid.
Horace stepped forward immediately, eyes sharpening.
Lucian's tablet beeped wildly.
"Stop—
Elleanore—DON'T MOVE—"
But Elliot already had his arms locked around me.
His forehead pressed into the side of my neck.
And he inhaled—
long, slow, hungry.
Like he was drinking my scent in.
Rowan gasped.
"Elle—
he's imprinting—
he's imprinting on you—right now—!"
Chandler stepped forward.
"Elliot—
HEY—
Let. Her. Go."
Elliot didn't move.
He didn't even flinch.
Horace's voice lowered dangerously.
"Elleanore.
Take one step back."
But Elliot tightened his hold so sharply
I lost my breath.
He growled.
Growled.
Not loud.
Not violent.
A warning.
Low and guttural.
Chandler froze mid-step.
Horace inhaled sharply.
Lucian whispered:
"Oh no.
Oh god—
He's in Phase Four instinct mode—"
Rowan shook his head violently.
"He won't hurt her! He wouldn't—he's Elliot—"
Lucian didn't look away from the readings.
"Rowan, he doesn't recognize anyone right now.
Not me.
Not you.
Not even himself."
Elliot's fingers curled at my waist—
possessive.
Unsteady.
Desperate.
His breath hitched against my throat.
"…Elle…
mine…"
My heart dropped.
Chandler stepped forward sharply.
"NO—
Back off her—!"
But Elliot reacted instantly.
His head snapped toward Chandler with such speed
that Chandler halted on instinct.
Elliot's eyes—
they weren't the glassy blue I remembered
or the fragile ones that cried into my shoulder minutes ago.
They were darker.
Dilated.
Flooded with instinct.
Horace grabbed Chandler's collar and yanked him back.
"DON'T provoke him."
Chandler gritted his teeth.
"He's choking her!"
Horace's voice tightened.
"He's anchoring.
Not choking."
But Elliot's grip was too strong.
My lungs burned as I tried to breathe.
Rowan stepped forward—
"Elle—Elle, give me your hand—"
—but Sev lunged and tackled him,
holding him down with shaking arms.
"NO—
no touch Elle—
no touch—
he hurt you—"
Rowan gasped, stunned.
"Sev—!"
Len was in front of me now, crouched low, hands spread wide—
trying to protect me from Elliot
with his entire tiny body.
But Elliot barely noticed him.
He pressed his face into my neck again.
Shaking.
"…Elle…
Elle…
don't… leave…"
His voice—
that broken, terrified whisper—
stabbed through the panic.
He wasn't attacking.
He was clinging.
Drowning.
Trying not to disappear.
I lifted a trembling hand
and touched the back of his head.
His entire body stilled.
"Elliot," I whispered, voice cracking.
"It's me."
His breath caught.
His grip loosened—
just a fraction—
just enough for me to breathe again.
Lucian's voice dropped into a fast whisper.
"Elleanore—
keep talking to him—
it's the only thing cutting through the instinct spike—"
Horace positioned himself behind Elliot—
not attacking,
not restraining—
but ready.
Chandler paced like a caged wolf,
hands flexing at his sides.
Rowan was pinned gently beneath Sev,
but Sev wasn't hurting him—
Sev was trembling.
"E-Elliot…
no hurt Elle…
please… no hurt…"
The Phase Zero children hid behind Len's crouched form,
eyes wide,
breathing fast.
Elliot shuddered against me, whispering:
"…Elle…
mine…
mine…"
My heart broke.
"No," I whispered.
"You're my brother."
His grip froze.
Then tightened suddenly, painfully.
"…no…
not brother…"
His breath shook.
"Elle… call… call you… my—"
Lucian's eyes snapped up.
"DON'T say it—!
If he completes the instinct claim—"
Chandler snarled:
"Elle, pull away NOW!"
Horace reached for Elliot's shoulder.
Rowan screamed:
"DON'T HURT HIM—!"
But Elliot jerked violently—
a tremor ripping through his body.
He backed away from me so fast
I nearly fell forward.
Breathing ragged.
Eyes wild.
He stared at his own hands
like they terrified him.
"…no…
no…
not… what I wanted…"
Rowan froze.
"Elliot—?"
Elliot stumbled back, shaking his head aggressively.
"…stop…
stop…
get out…
GET OUT OF ME—"
Lucian paled.
"He's fighting his conditioning."
Horace whispered:
"He's still himself in there."
Elliot slammed his fist into the wall.
The glass shattered violently.
Rowan gasped.
Sev screamed.
Len hid behind me.
The children whimpered in unison.
Chandler swore.
Horace stepped between Elliot and all of us.
Lucian checked his tablet frantically.
"Elleanore—
your voice—
your scent—
your presence—
it's pulling him both ways—
he WANTS you—
and he REMEMBERS you—
and those instincts are contradicting each other."
Rowan whispered:
"He's hurting because he's trying to be both—
her brother
and her programmed anchor—
at the same time."
Elliot pressed both hands against his skull
like the noise was inside his head.
"…Elle…
I don't—
I don't want—
I don't want to be this—
I don't want to hurt you—"
I stepped forward.
Chandler grabbed my arm.
"ELLEANORE—NO—"
But I shook my head and pulled free.
"Elliot."
He jerked his gaze toward me.
Every muscle in Chandler and Horace locked.
Rowan held his breath.
Lucian went still.
Sev sobbed.
Len trembled.
The children clung to each other.
And I—
I took another step.
Elliot shook visibly.
"D-Don't—
don't come closer—
Elle—please—"
His voice cracked.
"I don't… trust my hands…"
I placed my palm gently against his shaking hand.
His breath broke.
The feral look vanished.
The dark pupils shrank.
The trembling eased.
And Elliot collapsed to his knees
with a sound that tore through the whole room.
"…Elle…
help me…"
I knelt with him.
Held him.
He buried his face in my lap and cried—
like the child he once was,
like the boy who tried to protect me,
like the teenager who disappeared into this hell
alone.
Rowan cried quietly behind me.
Chandler looked away.
Horace rested a gentle hand on Elliot's back.
Lucian wiped his eyes silently.
The children slowly approached.
Sev held my arm.
Len wrapped trembling arms around my side.
Elo leaned into my knee.
We stayed like that until Elliot's sobs softened.
He lifted his head—
eyes clearer, steadier, human.
"…Elle…
is it really you…?"
I cupped his cheek.
"Yes.
I'm here, Elliot.
I'm right here."
He exhaled, shaking.
"I thought I lost you.
Over and over.
Every day.
They made me see you.
Hear you.
Reach for you.
And you were never there."
His voice cracked.
"Are you… real?"
I pressed my forehead to his.
"Yes."
His eyes closed.
He whispered:
"Then don't leave me."