Chapter 22 · Corridor B, Right Now

"Compliance Testing, this is a surprise collection notice. Badge holder D. Grant, report to Corridor B for immediate panel draw."

The voice on the intercom wasn't Reyes. Younger. Bored. Reading off a script like it was a lunch order.

Levi went white, then red, in about a second and a half.

"That's my nephew." He was already at the door, both palms flat on steel that hadn't moved since the second lock clicked. "That's a seventeen-year-old kid wearing a lanyard he stole off my desk, and you're pulling him for a surprise panel right now?"

"Copy that, Corridor B," the voice said, like it hadn't heard a word. "Collection team is en route."

I grabbed the intercom box off the wall bracket, shook it, hit the talk button so hard my thumb ached. "Hey. Hey — this door's dead. You've got the wrong room and the wrong kid."

Static. Then nothing. Not even the click of someone letting go of the button. Just gone.

Levi turned on me like I'd done it. Like I'd built the lock myself. "Open it."