Chapter 15 · Marked for the Core

Nora's hands were shaking when she jammed her mom's master key into the dead terminal.

The platform was silent. Too silent. No hum from the rails, no flicker in the overhead panels. The whole line had been shut down for three years, ever since the collapse that supposedly killed her mother. But Nora knew better. Her mom had left breadcrumbs. Messages hidden in junction boxes. Coordinates scratched into maintenance hatches.

And this key.

"Is it working?" Elara's voice cut through the dark behind her.

"Give me a second." Nora twisted the key hard, felt the tumblers catch. The screen lit up green, then flashed red. ACCESS DENIED.

"What the hell?" She yanked the key out, checked the serial number stamped on the side. It matched. Her mom's handwriting on the tag. But the system was rejecting it.

Kane stepped up beside her, gun still in his hand. His face was pale, jaw tight. He hadn't stopped looking at Elara like she might lunge at him any second.

"How long?" he said.

"I don't know. The key's not responding."

"We don't have time for this."

"You think I don't know that?" Nora snapped.