Elliot's breathing had settled—
but only barely.
His head rested against my lap,
arms wrapped around me like he was afraid of slipping back into the dark.
Rowan knelt beside us, wiping tears from his face.
Chandler stood guard, watching Elliot with a tight jaw.
Horace stayed at my back, anchoring me with a steady hand on my shoulder.
Lucian scanned Elliot's vitals on the tablet, frowning.
"His heartbeat is irregular.
Instinct spikes are still cycling."
Rowan leaned closer.
"What does that mean?
Is he in danger?"
Lucian hesitated.
"In danger…?
Not exactly.
But unstable."
Chandler scoffed.
"That's helpful."
Horace leveled him with a look.
"Stay focused, Monteverde."
Chandler rolled his eyes but didn't snap back.
Elo crawled closer, small hands reaching for Elliot's sleeve.
"…Elle…
he need you…"
Sev nodded, trembling but present.
"…no leave him…"
Len pressed against my side, whispering:
"…save Elliot…"
The Phase Zero children circled around us, silent and wide-eyed.
Elliot stirred.
Slowly.
Painfully.
His fingers curled tighter into my clothes.
"…Elle…?"
My breath caught.
"Yes.
I'm here."
His lashes fluttered open.
For a second—
a real second—
I saw him.
The Elliot I remembered.
Soft eyes.
Gentle expression.
The boy who always stood between me and trouble.
His voice cracked.
"Elle…
I didn't…
I didn't hurt you, right?"
I shook my head, brushing hair away from his forehead.
"No.
You didn't."
He exhaled with relief—
but then his entire body tensed again.
His gaze flicked to Chandler.
Then to Horace.
His pupils dilated sharply.
Rowan pulled back.
"Elliot—?"
Lucian's eyes widened.
"Oh no—his instinct is shifting—"
Chandler braced.
"What does that mean?"
Lucian swallowed.
"It means he senses competition."
Rowan paled.
"Competition…
for what?"
Lucian didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
Elliot's grip around my waist tightened again.
Not violently.
More like a reflex.
A need.
Horace stepped into Elliot's line of sight
as calmly as possible.
"Elliot.
She's safe.
No one here will take her away."
Elliot stared at him—
unblinking.
Fixated.
Chandler tensed.
"Why is he looking at him like that?"
Lucian's voice lowered.
"Because Elleanore is his anchor.
And Horace's Alpha presence is the strongest challenge."
Rowan's breath hitched.
"No—
no, Elliot wouldn't hurt Horace—"
Horace exhaled slowly, posture relaxed but ready.
"He's not trying to hurt me.
He's trying to decide if I'm a threat."
Chandler muttered:
"You ARE a threat."
Horace ignored him.
I touched Elliot's cheek gently.
His eyes snapped back to me instantly.
His breathing slowed.
Lucian watched the readings change.
"Elleanore…
your voice alone stabilizes him by almost 20 percent."
Chandler scoffed.
"So she's the only thing keeping him calm."
"Yes."
"And if she backs away?"
Lucian hesitated.
"He'll spike again."
I swallowed.
"So I stay."
Elliot's hand rose shakily and clasped mine.
"D-Don't…
don't go…"
My chest tightened.
"I'm not going anywhere."
His shoulders relaxed—
but his jaw tensed sharply again.
Lucian frowned.
"Another spike is incoming.
Something's triggering it."
Rowan looked around.
"What could be—?"
Sev suddenly yelped and clung to my arm.
Len backed up against my leg.
The Phase Zero children huddled together.
Elo reached for Elliot, trembling.
"…bad…
bad come…"
Chandler's brows knit.
"What's wrong with them?"
Lucian checked the tablet.
"They're reacting to something further ahead."
Horace turned toward the far corner of the Deep Lab.
"Something in B8."
Rowan shivered.
"Is that where they kept Elliot before…?
Before this room?"
Lucian nodded once.
"Yes."
Chandler clicked his tongue.
"So whatever screwed him up—
it's still active."
Lucian's tablet beeped loudly.
He froze.
Rowan grabbed his sleeve.
"What?!"
Lucian lifted the display.
"The door to B8 has begun a timed sequence."
Horace's eyes narrowed.
"What triggered it?"
Lucian pointed at Elliot.
"He did."
Rowan gasped.
"W-What?! How?!"
"Elliot's awakening…
activated the next stage."
Chandler scowled.
"You mean the system knows he's up?"
"Yes."
"And it wants him back?"
"…yes."
Chandler cursed.
Horace placed a steadying hand on my shoulder.
"Elleanore.
Stay behind us."
But Elliot clung to me harder.
"No—
don't—
don't leave—"
I held his hand.
"I'm here."
Lucian's voice shook as he read the next line.
"The system is calling him to B8.
It's a directive he can't ignore."
Rowan froze.
"You mean he'll…
he'll be dragged there?
Or he'll go on his own?"
Lucian exhaled.
"Both are possible."
Chandler growled.
"Over my dead body."
But Elliot shuddered violently.
His breath hitched.
His pupils blown wide again.
"…Elle…
I… I have to—
go—"
I cupped his face, forcing him to meet my eyes.
"No.
Look at me, Elliot.
You don't have to go anywhere."
His breathing faltered.
"I…
It hurts when I don't…
I can hear it…
calling—"
He pressed a hand to his skull.
"…Elle…
please…
make it stop…"
Rowan sobbed.
"Elle—help him—please—!"
Lucian snapped his head up.
"There's only one thing that can override the directive."
Chandler stiffened.
"Her voice again?"
Lucian shook his head.
"No."
Rowan grabbed him.
"Then WHAT?!"
Lucian whispered:
"Physical contact."
Horace blinked.
"Touch?"
"Yes.
Not just a hand—
full contact.
Anchor-level connection.
It will short-circuit the directive temporarily."
Rowan went pale.
"Anchor-level…
that means… she has to hug him."
Lucian nodded.
"Hold him.
Tightly.
Long enough for the directive to break."
Chandler stared.
"So the way she calmed him earlier—
she needs to do it on purpose now."
Lucian swallowed.
"Yes."
Rowan looked at me, terrified.
"Elle…
can you…?"
I nodded.
"I can."
Chandler opened his mouth—
but closed it.
Horace stepped aside, giving me space.
Elliot trembled.
"Elle…
it hurts—
everything hurts—
if I go there—
I won't…
come back…"
I leaned forward
and pulled him into my arms.
Tightly.
He gasped—
like the contact rewrote the pain.
Lucian's tablet readings stabilized suddenly.
The Phase Zero children breathed out.
Sev wiped his eyes.
Len leaned his head against my side.
Rowan exhaled a shaking breath.
Chandler clasped the back of his neck and looked away—
jealousy and relief warring in his eyes.
Horace lowered his head respectfully,
letting the moment unfold.
And Elliot…
Elliot cried into my shoulder, shaking.
"…Elle…
Elle…
you're real…
you're real…"
I stroked his back gently.
"I'm here.
I'm not letting you go."
His arms wrapped around me—
not possessive anymore.
Not instinct-driven.
Just desperate.
Just human.
Lucian pressed a hand to his mouth, eyes glassy.
"It's working."
But then—
the floor shook.
The lights flickered.
And the door to B8
lit up with a violent, pulsing red.
Lucian's face turned white.
"Oh no—
the system is accelerating."
Rowan stumbled backward.
"What does that mean?!"
Lucian whispered:
"It means Elliot's stabilizing
triggered the next stage."
Horace grabbed his weapon.
Chandler cursed.
Sev and Len shrank behind us.
The children huddled.
I held Elliot tighter.
"What's in there, Lucian?"
Lucian stared at the glowing door.
Then at Elliot.
Then back at the door.
And whispered:
"A subject stronger than him."
The Door That Should Never Open
The door to B8 pulsed with a deep, mechanical thrum—
a heartbeat that didn't belong to anyone living.
Lucian stared at the glowing red panels, pale as chalk.
"This isn't…
this isn't a standard activation."
Rowan clung to my sleeve.
"Lucian…
tell us what's in there."
Lucian shook his head.
"I don't know.
The Deep Lab's final files were sealed."
Chandler stepped forward, knuckles cracking.
"That means it's bad."
Horace shifted closer to me, voice tight.
"Elleanore, stay behind us."
But Elliot's grip on me tightened again.
"…no…
Elle… stay… with me…"
He wasn't panicking now—
but he wasn't calm either.
His instinct flickered beneath the surface like a trembling flame.
I stroked his back gently.
"I'm here, Elliot.
Just breathe."
He buried his face against my shoulder—
and for a brief moment,
he felt like my brother again.
Lucian scanned the readings.
"Elleanore, your proximity is keeping him stable, but only barely."
Rowan knelt beside us.
"Elle…
if that door opens…
what happens?"
Lucian's jaw clenched.
"…Containment protocol ends."
Chandler frowned.
"In English."
Lucian swallowed.
"Everything kept inside B8
will be released."
A hush fell over the room.
Even the Phase Zero children went still.
Sev whimpered and pressed himself to my leg, burying his face.
Len whispered:
"…no open…
no open…"
Elo crawled closer and tugged my coat.
"…Elle…
door bad…"
Rowan's eyes filled with fear.
"Elle…
these kids—
they're terrified.
This isn't like the other floors.
This is—
this is different—"
Horace stood in front of us, shoulders rising with tension.
"Then we don't let it open."
But Lucian met his gaze sharply.
"You can't stop it.
B8 is a one-way system.
Once it detects Elliot's reactivation,
it enters awakening phase."
Chandler swore.
"So Elliot waking up
woke up something ELSE?"
"Yes."
Rowan's voice cracked.
"C-Can we shut it down?!"
Lucian shook his head.
"The only one who can override the directive
is Elliot."
All eyes turned to my brother.
Elliot, shaking in my arms.
Elliot, barely conscious.
Elliot, who had been tortured and conditioned for years.
Chandler muttered:
"Well he's clearly not pressing buttons right now."
Horace shot him a glare.
"Watch your tone."
Elliot stirred against me.
"…no…
Elle…"
I cupped his cheeks gently.
"Elliot.
Can you hear me?"
He blinked slowly.
His eyes focused on me.
"…Elle…
it's too soon…"
"Too soon for what?"
Lucian leaned in.
"Elliot, if you can override the door—"
Elliot shook his head violently.
"N-No.
The thing inside…
it wakes when I wake…"
His voice trembled.
"…It's my fault."
Rowan swallowed.
"W-What thing?"
Elliot closed his eyes.
"…Subject 07 wasn't the only one."
Chandler stiffened.
"What do you mean?"
Elliot's voice dropped to a whisper.
"…They built another."
The room froze.
Rowan stared at me, horrified.
"Another Elliot…?"
Elliot shook his head weakly.
"No…
not me…
something worse…"
Sev whimpered louder.
Len clung to my arm.
Lucian's hands trembled around the tablet.
"They made a Subject 08…?"
Elliot shook his head again.
"…No.
Not eight."
His eyes lifted to the B8 door.
There was terror there.
The kind I'd never seen in him.
"…Ten."
Rowan gasped.
"T-Ten?
But the registry—
the registry said the Phase Zero kids were Zero through Ten—"
Lucian's eyes widened.
"Oh god."
Chandler frowned.
"Lucian.
Explain.
NOW."
Lucian swallowed.
"Phase Zero children were Zero through Nine."
Horace's jaw clenched.
"And Ten?"
Lucian looked at Elliot.
"Ten was never a child."
Rowan trembled.
"Th-Then what…
what is Subject Ten…?"
Elliot trembled.
"…The final prototype."
The door pulsed again.
LOUDER.
FASTER.
Chandler stepped forward.
"Elliot.
If you know what that thing is—
you need to tell us—
now."
Elliot shook his head, shaking.
"…I can't…"
"Why not?" Chandler demanded.
Elliot whispered:
"…Because they built it
to replace me."
Rowan's breath caught.
"No—
NO—
YOU were the final experiment—
YOU were the one they wanted—"
Lucian's voice dropped.
"Elliot wasn't the final subject.
He was the final human one."
The air changed.
Cold.
Wrong.
Electric.
Horace positioned himself between the door and me, stance sharp and protective.
Chandler cracked his neck and planted his feet.
Rowan tightened his grip on my sleeve.
The Phase Zero children hid behind Len's body, who crouched low in front of them.
Sev clung to me, shaking violently.
Lucian stared at the door, horrified.
And Elliot—
Elliot grabbed my shoulders with shaking hands.
"Elle—
you have to run—
you have to leave—
THAT THING…
IT KNOWS YOU—"
My breath stopped.
"What do you mean?"
Elliot's voice cracked.
"It was built from me.
But it wasn't shaped for me."
Rowan whispered:
"Who was it shaped for…?"
Elliot's hands trembled.
"It was shaped
for you."
The room fell silent.
Chandler's mouth fell open.
Horace went rigid.
Lucian nearly dropped the tablet.
Rowan whispered, trembling:
"They built a creature
for Elle?"
Elliot nodded.
"…As a replacement anchor.
As a failsafe.
As a shadow."
The B8 door clicked.
One lock.
Then another.
Then another.
Sev screamed.
Len grabbed my arm.
Elo hid his face.
Rowan clung to me.
Chandler pulled out a weapon.
Horace braced himself.
Lucian's tablet flashed red.
And Elliot whispered the last truth:
"They called it
The Anchor That Never Breaks."
The final lock clicked.
The door began to slide open.
And Elliot lunged forward—
"ELLE—
DON'T LOOK—"