Chapter 243
The corridor leading to the holding cells hums with the low, oppressive electric buzz that seems to saturate every hallway in this facility. Everything smells like sterile metal and recirculated air—too clean, too quiet.
I keep glancing sideways at Wake, who’s visibly tense, jaw tight, every movement coiled with silent purpose. Cora walks ahead of us, her stride even, but her fingers twitch at her sides. We’re all on edge, and the weight of what we’ve agreed to hangs over us like the pressure of the deep.
Then the door opens.
Inside, the Nereid crew jumps to their feet. Tyler, Rory, Caleb, Andreas and Tai’s crews—a half-dozen familiar faces I didn’t realize I’d missed until I see the relief spread across them like warmth after a storm. They’re all here. Alive. Shaken, but whole.
“Phoebe!” Tyler blurts, his voice cracking with disbelief. “You’re okay—oh my god, what happened? Where have you been?”
I barely get a word out before Shoal steps forward, all charm and diplomacy, his expression somber in a performative way I recognize instantly. He’s practiced this. “My sincerest apologies for the circumstances under which we first met,” he says, sweeping a graceful hand in front of him. “I hope you’ll allow me to make amends in time. It’s my hope that we’ll all be working together now for the betterment of both our peoples.”
Lily stands beside him, arms crossed, saying nothing. She doesn’t need to. Her presence alone fills the room with tension. Shoal gives her a polite nod, then they both turn and exit, the door sliding shut behind them.
The moment they’re gone, the room explodes with voices.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Where are we?”
“Who was that guy—he looked just like Wake?”
“Are we prisoners?”
“Have we been traded?”
“Is this… Enigma?”
Cora raises her hand, commanding quiet like she’s leading a council back in the Twilight. “Everyone, please. I know you have questions. I promise we’ll get to as many as we can, but right now, the most important thing is that you’re all safe. Yes, you’re in Enigma custody, but no, you’re not prisoners anymore. We’ve reached a… temporary arrangement.”
The room simmers down just enough for her to speak without being shouted over, and she explains—carefully, calmly—that we’ve decided to stay here for now. That there’s more going on beneath the surface than anyone realized, and we need time to understand it. That we’ll be watching, learning, collecting information.
And it’s that last part that sends a fresh wave of questions surging forward.
“How are we supposed to trust them?”
“Are we even safe?”
“Why would you work with the people who kidnapped us?”
“Where’s Tai? Andreas?”
I cut in before the noise can spiral out of control. “Enough,” I say, holding up a hand. “Let’s get to our rooms. Everything else can wait until after we’ve gotten some rest.”
Two Enigma guards wait silently at the doorway, eyes forward, weapons holstered but within easy reach. I approach one of them. “We’re ready to see our quarters now.”
They nod and lead us out, ushering the Nereid crew behind us in twos. The air feels heavier the further we go, like the facility is watching us breathe. When we finally reach the residential wing, I take in the layout with a glance: everything is efficient, symmetrical, and almost oppressively utilitarian. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead. The walls are an impersonal gray, and the floors are some industrial-grade material that muffles our footsteps but somehow amplifies our unease.
Each door is numbered. No names. Just labels.
The guard shows us how to use our temporary ID badges to open the rooms. “Each unit has its own bathroom,” they explain, voice robotic. “The cafeteria is two halls down. Your shifts will be posted daily. Any attempts to access restricted areas will be logged and addressed accordingly.”
With that, they leave us, the sliding door sealing with a hiss.
Someone—Caleb, I think—starts to ask a question, but I hold up a finger and shake my head.
I lead them into the room Wake and I were assigned. It’s small, clinical, and barely enough space for two people, but it’ll do. Once everyone’s packed into the narrow space, I step into the bathroom and turn on the shower, then the sink, letting the rush of water create enough white noise to mask what comes next.
Then I speak, low and quick. “Okay. We’ve got to be careful. Assume we’re being listened to at all times. Assume every wall has ears. Don’t speak freely unless you’re somewhere you’re sure is safe—and even then, don’t let your guard down.”
Cora steps up beside me, arms crossed, her face unreadable. “We’re here under the pretense of cooperation. But our real goal is simple: observe, listen, and remember everything. When it’s safe, we’ll share it. Not before.”
“And not with just anyone,” I add, scanning the crowd of familiar faces, all watching me now with cautious hope. “I know it’s hard, but this is serious. Enigma is more dangerous than you realize. Lily St. Cloud… Shoal… they’re up to something. Big. We need to figure out what.”
Someone near the back of the group—Jules, maybe—asks, “What about Tai and Andreas? Are they okay?”
Cora’s gaze sharpens. “They’re fine. They’re outside. Safe. I’ll make contact when the time’s right. But listen to me—all of you—if we want a chance at getting out of here with the knowledge we need, we have to play this smart. No lone wolf acts. No unnecessary risks. Do you want to help? Keep your head down. Work with the Enigma teams like you belong here. And listen.”
“Can we trust Shoal?” Caleb asks.
Wake, who’s been silent until now, scoffs under his breath. “Not even a little.”
Cora shoots him a look but doesn’t argue. “He’s dangerous. And he’s playing a long game. But the more we play along, the more we’ll see what he’s really planning.”
“Why us?” Tyler murmurs. “Why are we even still alive?”
“Because,” I say quietly. “They want us to believe we’re valuable. Which means we are. Let’s use that while we can.”
No one speaks after that. The shower hisses on, a dull roar that fills the silence.
Finally, I shut the water off, dry my hands on my pants, and open the bathroom door. The others follow one by one, heads low, eyes wary.
This isn’t the mission any of us signed up for.
But it’s the one we’ve got now.
And we’re going to see it through.
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