ログインCalista’s POVI didn't sleep particularly well that night.Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the red emergency lights inside District Twelve. I remembered the mechanical hum beneath the warehouse, the vibration travelling through the concrete, and the narrow strip of light that had appeared along the edge of the sealed door.The system had activated without anyone touching it.And three days ago, someone had secured permission to inspect the facility beneath it.By morning, I had reached one conclusion.I needed to know whether the facility was still active.Not what it contained. Not yet. First, I needed to understand what was keeping it operational.I called Nyvelle before leaving my bedroom."Any progress?""Some," she answered. "I managed to confirm that the separate access request was approved, but I'm still unable to identify the individual who submitted it.""Was a date given for the inspection?""Not on the copy I obtained. There is a reference to a proposed inspection
Calista’s POVThe first thing I noticed was that the Emergency Infrastructure Authority had not made a mistake.I had spent the better part of an hour comparing its application with the original acquisition documents for District Twelve. Every page had been reviewed, every reference checked, and every discrepancy marked.The application was too carefully prepared to be dismissed as a routine government inquiry.The Authority wasn’t simply requesting access to the property. It was building a case to take control of it.And the protected sublevel was at the centre of that case.My phone vibrated.Nyvelle.I answered immediately. “Tell me you found something.”“I found a few things,” she replied. “Getting the information is proving more difficult than expected.”I leaned back in my chair. “What happened?”“The application references several technical assessments that weren’t included in the submission. I’ve located their reference numbers, but the actual reports are restricted
Calista’s POVThe message was still unanswered when I arrived home.Who is this?I had sent it more than an hour ago. The sender had read it or at least the delivery statussuggested they had but there had been no reply.I placed my phone on the desk and removed my coat.District Twelve had given me more questions than answers. I had expectedcomplications when I acquired the property, especially after the EmergencyInfrastructure Authority submitted its bid. I hadn't expected a hidden facility torecognize my name, or an unknown person to send me a photograph of a door I hadsupposedly opened before.And now someone was asking whether it had recognized me.I sat down and opened the photograph again.The image was clear enough to show the door, the scanner, and a portion of the wallbeyond it. Whoever had taken it had been standing on the other side. That meant theyhad either entered the facility or had access to a place from which the interior could beobserved.Neither possibility
Calista’s POVThe sound came from behind the door.A heavy metallic click, followed by a low vibration that travelled through the concretebeneath my feet.For one suspended moment, nobody moved.Then Evren stepped in front of me.“Stay back.”I stared at his back. “You do realize that standing in front of me doesn’t make youbulletproof?”“Calista.”“One word. No explanation. You must be very proud of your communication skills.”He ignored me, his attention fixed on the sealed door.The narrow strip of light along its edge remained visible. Beyond it, machinery hummedwith a steady, almost deliberate rhythm. The emergency lights overhead cast thewarehouse in a dull red glow, turning the rusted walls into something out of anightmare.The contractor stood near the entrance, clutching his equipment case.“I thought you said the system was disconnected,” Evren said.“It is.” The man swallowed. “The main supply is disconnected. I checked it myself.”“Then what’s powering the lights?”“I
Calista’s POVFor several seconds, I stood staring at the message.Ask Commander Sable what happened the last time you opened this door.My fingers tightened around my phone.I had never opened that door. At least, I had no memory of doing so. And if the sender wasmistaken, why had they chosen my name?“Ma’am?” the contractor called. “Is everything all right?”I locked my phone and slipped it into my pocket.“Secure the area. Nobody touches that door until I say otherwise.”He nodded, though his expression suggested he had questions.So did I.I stepped away from the wall and called Evren.He answered almost immediately.“Calista?”I frowned at the urgency in his voice. “You sound as though you were expecting my call.”“Did you go to District Twelve?”I glanced at the door.“Yes.”A sharp breath came through the phone.“Are you still there?”“I’m standing in front of a door that apparently has a history with me. Someone just sent me aphotograph of it from the other side.”Silence.T
Calista’s POV I stared at the photograph on my screen, my fingers trembling slightly against the desk. Calista Drevane. My name was written beneath Evren Sable’s signature. I enlarged the image again, hoping I had somehow misread it, but the letters remained unchanged. “What the hell is this?” I whispered. I had read The Last Dawn enough times to remember the important details of Evren’s life. Yet nowhere in the novel was there any mention of his connection to District Twelve, much less a connection between him and Calista. Had the original Calista known something I didn't? My phone rang, startling me out of my thoughts. It was Nyvelle. “Tell me you have good news,” I answered, rubbing my forehead. “I have something interesting,” she replied. “The maintenance records for District Twelve don't add up.” I straightened in my chair. “Explain.” “The underground utility systems were supposedly decommissioned when the facility was abandoned. However, paymen







