Chapter 22 · Undercity Broker - Chapter 22: Three Years

The old warden was dying under Lin Mo's hand, and the bastard still had enough strength to keep the key clenched in his fist.

Lin pried at the man's fingers. Nothing. The warden's nails had gone black. Blood kept leaking from the corner of his mouth, thick and ugly.

Behind them, the tunnel groaned.

Not a little crack. Not loose dust. The whole ceiling gave a deep, rotten sound like something huge was rolling over in its sleep.

"Give it to me," Lin said.

The warden laughed once. It came out wet. "You heard it call you."

"Yeah. Heard plenty. You can explain it after you hand me the key."

"Little Mo."

Lin's grip tightened.

The recording behind the relic door had used that name. Nobody called him that now. Not since he was small enough to fit between his mother's knees while she tied his shoes.

He hadn't heard it in years.

The warden saw his face and smiled through the blood.

"There it is," he whispered. "That's why it wants you."

"You're about five seconds from becoming part of the floor. Don't get cute.