Elian.
I didn't even make it to the elevator.
The slate pinged just past the stairwell.
Return. Room 4. Verification required.
They made me come back. Didn't say why. Didn't have to.
I made it. No one else was called. Just me.
Room 4 was the same. Too white. Too clean.
Veyra was already inside. Standing again. She never sat. So was the Bound from before. The one who took my print. He wasn't looking at me. He wasn't looking at her, either.
There was someone new.
Gifted. One of hers, probably.
Black uniform. Tattooed arms. Scar under his lip. Calm, but it didn't feel casual.
I knew him.
Sector B, during the breach. He passed me in the corridor, leading those Bounds out.
Didn't stop. Didn't look. Just walked past like I wasn't even there.
He glanced up now. Saw me. Blinked once. Then nodded at her.
"That's him" He said.
Veyra didn't look at him. She looked at me.
"Where?" she asked.
"North corridor" The man said. "During the breach. He waved. Tried to get our attention."
"Not reported?" Veyra turned her gaze on him now.
"Sorry. Didn't think he survived" he said, voice low.
She turned back to me. "You told me you were in Sector F"
I nodded. "I was"
"You lied." Not a question. Not angry. Just final.
"No." I said. " I started in Sector B. Got re-routed. Overflow bins. Then moved to the shared chute in Sector F."
She stared at me. Long. And smiled. Almost. Like she already knew the truth. "And you were routed through Sector B's restricted suites?"
I knew what she was doing. "No. Just the chute crosspoints. East corridor. I never went deep."
The other Gifted snorted.
It didn't matter if I lied. She knew. Probably always did.
But I didn't come here to be clean.
"Run his print again" She told the bound.
He paused. Too long.
He tapped the slate. Opened the scanner. Held it out.
I felt the slate buzz under my palm.
Green.
"Prints are there." the Bound said. "Forgotten confirmed."
"Chute access logs. Retrieve them." She said, flat.
The Gifted nodded and checked his slate "Log's there. Entry confirmed. But no drones. Surveillance went dark."
Veyra didn't react. "Run the print, again" she spoke after a pause.
The bound adjusted something in the interface. This time, his hand trembled. Just a bit. But I saw it. A glint of sweat.
He wasn't looking at me. Wasn't looking at her. Just the slate.
"You…" Veyra said. "You are helping him, aren't you?"
The Bound froze. A bound helping me? Why?
He had no reason to.
He answered, still tapping the display. "Apologies. I follow commands. I've no reason to help a Forgotten"
He didn't lie.
That was the truth. For most of them. For years.
No reason to help someone like me.
Veyra stepped forward, just once. Towards me.
She didn't need proof. She didn't need answers,
I wasn't Gifted. But I wasn't innocent either.
And she knew it.
One more step and it would be over. I already got caught. I could feel it.
The door hissed.
Someone walked in.
In uniform. His shirt half-buttoned, like he came straight from somewhere. Tired. Alert. Watching everything.
Veyra straightened, so did everyone.
"Commander" she said.