under his control
Liam ripped off the panel and rewired it manually, sparks flying.
“You’ve done this before,” Elara said.
“Too many times,” he muttered. “Victoria loved her puzzles. I learned to break them.”
When the hatch hissed open, a gust of sterile, recycled air hit their faces. It smelled of metal, chemicals, and faint traces of blood.
Liam descended first, the beam from his flashlight slicing through the darkness. The deeper they went, the more the walls changed from rough stone to polished steel.
And then he saw it.
Rows of glass chambers, glowing faint blue. Inside each one floated a small, motionless figure of children, suspended in liquid. Their faces were peaceful, too peaceful. Labels scrolled a