The sky outside had shifted.
What little light leaked through the cracked window blinds cast long...uneasy shadows across the lab floor. Zayaan barely noticed. His eyes were on the slow scroll of code... running across the screen.
Arwa sat still, unnervingly still, her chin resting on her knuckles, watching.
"There's a pattern here," he muttered. "It's not just logs — it's layered routing. Every file they wanted buried is hidden under decoy data… like a digital nesting doll."
She didn't say anything at first. Just kept staring, like if she focused hard enough, the code would untangle on its own.
"They built the system like a maze," she finally said. "Not to keep us out. To keep me in."
Zayaan shot her a look. Not of doubt — not anymore. Just... trying to keep up.
"They were tracking your brain patterns," he said. "There are biometric flags tied to each system layer. You weren't just a subject — you were the key."
Arwa gave a soft, bitter laugh. "And the lock."
A silence stretched between them...broken only by the whirring of the processors. Then a new folder opened — unprompted. Automatically decrypted.
SUBJECT 5B: AUDIO LOG 04
She didn't hesitate this time.
The recording crackled for a beat, then settled.
A young voice. Familiar.
Male.
"If you're hearing this, it means the failsafe failed. Or maybe… maybe it means it worked. Depends who you are, I guess. Arwa, if it's you… then I was right. You're still in there. You always were."
Arwa's breath caught. Her throat tightened.
Zayaan turned slowly toward her.
"Is that—?"
"It's him," she whispered.
The voice continued, steady now, a little rushed like he hadn't had much time.
"They were going to wipe me after your final phase. Said it was protocol. Said emotional attachments were destabilizing the sync. But you were never unstable, Arwa. You were awake. And they were scared of what that meant."
"So I did something reckless. I left markers in the system. Bread crumbs...I don't know how long they'll last. But if you're finding this… you made it."
There was a pause in the audio. A breath. Almost like he was choking something back.
"I wish I could see you again. Even if you don't remember me. Even if you hate me for what I didn't stop. Just—"
The clip cut off.
No warning. No distortion. Just... gone.
Zayaan stared at the screen, then back at her.
Arwa hadn't moved. But her hands had balled into fists again.
Not from fear.
"He's out there," she said quietly. "Or he was. He tried to save me. I need to know what happened to him."
Zayaan stood slowly. "Then we find the rest of the trail."
The lab felt colder now. Not lifeless — just sharper, like the air knew it wasn't safe anymore.
As they moved toward the next firewall, the system glitched.
Once.
Then twice.
Then a message appeared, blinking red.
INTRUSION DETECTED. COUNTERMEASURES DEPLOYED.
Zayaan's eyes widened. "Someone's watching."
Arwa didn't flinch.
"Then let them."
She tapped into the system again.
But this time, she wasn't looking for answers.
She was leaving a message.
"Let's make sure they know I'm not theirs anymore."