Chapter 21 · Undercity Broker - Chapter 21: The Door Knows His Name

The black mark was halfway up his shoulder when the footsteps started.

Lin Mo heard them coming from three directions. Heavy boots from the west tunnel, that was Lei's crew. Light, fast steps from the north, Bureau probably. The scavengers from the east, slower but more of them. He didn't need to look. He could feel the air pressure shift as bodies filled the corridors behind him.

The door stood in front of him, taller than he remembered. Concrete and steel, but the seam down the middle glowed faint blue where Dr. An's scanner had touched it. The light pulsed like a heartbeat. Lin's arm throbbed in sync, the curse mark crawling across his skin in thin black branches. He couldn't feel it. Couldn't feel anything since he sold the pain response twenty minutes ago.

Dr. An was still behind him, breathing hard. "We need to move. Now."

"Where?" Lin kept his eyes on the door. "You said it yourself. This is the only way forward."

"Forward into what? You don't know what's in there."

"Neither do you."

Dr. An didn't answer. Lin heard her shift her weight, probably checking her weapon. The footsteps were getting closer.