Chapter 11 · A Heartbeat in the Black Box

The memory police hit the train doors before Seren could pull Nora inside.

Metal screamed. A gloved hand punched through the gap, fingers snapping shut around Nora’s wrist.

“Go!” Nora shouted.

Seren grabbed Nora’s coat and pulled. Ian shoved his shoulder into the door from the other side, blood soaking through the bandage under his shirt.

The train gave a hard jerk.

Nora slammed against the wall. The police officer lost his grip, but not before his glove tore a strip from her sleeve. Three white letters flashed on the glove’s knuckles.

VALE.

Her name.

“Cute,” Seren muttered. “They brought customized gloves.”

“Less talking,” Ian said through his teeth. “More surviving.”

The train doors snapped shut. Something hit the other side with a boom that shook dust from the ceiling.

Seren spun toward him. “You don’t get to give orders.”

Ian’s face had gone gray. He pressed one hand against his ribs and tried to stand straight anyway.

“I know.”

That stopped her for half a second.

Then the lights went out.

The dead passengers started breathing.

Not all at once. One after another. A wet inhale from the mayor’s seat.