The Diagnosis

They didn't speak for the rest of the day. The dynamic had shifted.

That night, Silas bypassed the internal network and accessed the mainframe from his tablet. He needed the extraction protocols. He couldn't let Lyra end up like the man in 409.

"We leave tomorrow," Silas said quietly.

Lyra looked up from her book. "What?"

"The Undercroft," Silas said. "The waste chute flushes into the valley at 0400. It’s unguarded."

"You’re risking liquidation," she said.

"I am already liquidated," Silas said. He touched his temple. "The Cure failed years ago. I’ve just been managing the symptoms. But I can't do it anymore."

He looked at her. "I can't hurt you, Lyra."

Lyra stood up. She walked over and took his hand. Her touch was electric. "Then we run."

Silas turned back to the tablet. A file caught his eye. It was flagged HIGH PRIORITY.

His blood ran cold. He opened it.

*Objective: Determine stability of Dr. Vane’s conditioning. Subject Lyra is a catalyst. If Vane exhibits emotional resonance, terminate both. If Vane performs Final Correction on Subject Lyra, promotion approved.*

It wasn't a test for her. It was a trap for him.

"Silas?" Lyra asked. "What is it?"

The door to Apartment 404 hissed. The locks cycled to LOCKDOWN. Red lights flashed.

"They know," Silas whispered.