Chapter 3

I shouted until my throat tore raw, but the only thing that answered me was dead silence.

The clock on the wall ticked on.

Eight minutes left until the expected explosion.

Heat began to rise through the floor beneath my feet. The energy from below was already pushing through the insulation.

I stared at the cuffs around my wrists and pulled with everything I had.

Skin split. Blood ran down into my sleeves.

I couldn't feel the pain anymore, just a hollow, sinking dread.

Were 30 thousand people really about to die because of one selfish woman?

Suddenly, a deafening blast tore up from deep underground.

The steel door of the cell warped, the walls cracking open with jagged splits. A wave of scorching air surged down the corridor.

The impact threw me off the chair, dragging it down with me as I hit the ground.

Boom!

Then came the chain of explosions, one after another.

Screams echoed through the structure. People crying, shouting, the sound of debris crashing down.

The east sector of the shelter was gone.

Not long after, the cell door was forced open.

Several guards, covered in dust and soot, rushed in and hauled me to my feet without a word.

"Move. Commander Norris wants to see you."

By the time they dragged me into the central plaza, it had already turned into a wreck.

The air reeked of burning and blood.

On the giant screen, Miranda was somehow still in the safe zone, recording a message.

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke to the camera.

"Don't be scared, everyone. We've already secured the poisoner, Zach. The core is damaged, but Captain Garrett will protect everyone."

I stared at her face, sick with anger, wishing I could tear that act apart.

Shelter commander, Russell Norris, stood in the middle of the plaza, his face pale, his body trembling slightly.

Beside him, Leon was speaking in a low voice, reporting.

"Commander Norris, this is all Zach's doing! He broke into the core sector and poisoned it, triggering the explosion."

Leon pointed straight at me, his voice sharp with intent.

Russell turned, his deep-set eyes locking onto mine. "Zach, what do you have to say?"

I hadn't even opened my mouth before Leon drove a kick into my stomach. "Talk. Where did you hide the rest of the poison? You got accomplices?"

Pain folded me over. I gasped for air.

"Commander Norris… The explosion…was caused by Cole's mistake… Miranda stopped me from fixing it…"

"Stop lying!" Miranda rushed forward from nowhere, pointing at me as she shouted. "You're insane! You're about to die, and you're still trying to drag me down with you? Commander Norris, don't listen to him. He's a killer!"

Russell ignored her. His gaze shifted past us, landing on a pile of rubble nearby.

A strip of red fabric stuck out from beneath it.

His personal guard captain ran over, picking it up, his voice breaking.

"Commander Norris… This belongs to Ms. Cheryl… She was touring the core sector… We can't find her."

Russell's body swayed.

Cheryl Norris was his only granddaughter.

"Don't stop looking! Find her!"

His roar cut across the entire plaza.

Seeing that, Leon immediately drew his pistol and aimed it at my head.

"Commander Norris, this animal got Ms. Cheryl killed. I'll take him out right now and make him pay with his life!"

His finger trembled on the trigger.

I knew why. He was afraid of the truth coming out.

The crowd around us started shouting along.

"Kill the murderer!"

"Kill him! Make him pay for the family members we lost!"

I looked at their furious faces, and all I felt was cold, empty despair. They had no idea the real killer was standing right in front of them, taking credit.

Just as Leon was about to pull the trigger, Russell spoke.

"Wait."

He stepped toward me, slow and deliberate, his eyes colder than ice.

"Zach, I'll ask you one more time. Why did the core explode?"