The first breath of surface air didn't feel real.
After hours—
days—
of stale filtered oxygen and the metallic stench of the underground,
the faint breeze in the B3 hallway felt almost wrong.
Too open.
Too normal.
I held Elliot tightly as Horace lowered him gently onto a bench near the emergency terminal.
Lucian crouched beside us, scanning him with trembling hands.
"He's unconscious, but stable. His vitals are weak, but not dropping."
Rowan hovered near my shoulder, eyes red and wet.
"He's really… okay?"
Lucian nodded slowly.
"Yes.
He's alive."
Rowan's breath left him in a shaky burst of relief.
Chandler dragged a hand through his hair.
"Never thought I'd be this happy to see a boring hallway."
Sev and Len approached me quietly, each one pressing a small hand onto my thigh as if checking that I was real.
Elo guided the younger children closer.
They stayed in a tight cluster around my legs again, instinctively forming a protective ring around Elliot as if they were all part of the same body.
I stroked Sev's hair, then Len's.
"I'm here."
They relaxed instantly, shoulders lowering.
Rowan sat beside me slowly, his body trembling from exhaustion and adrenaline.
He whispered:
"Elle…
when you were down there with him…
I thought…"
He didn't finish.
He didn't have to.
I placed a hand on his arm.
"We're okay."
Rowan's lips wobbled, and he quickly looked away, embarrassed.
But he didn't move away from me.
Not this time.
THE BOYS' POSITIONS SHIFT
Horace stood like a silent sentinel behind us, posture rigid, eyes scanning every corridor as if expecting threats that didn't exist up here.
His hand occasionally brushed the back of my shoulder—
a grounding touch, steady and warm.
Chandler paced the hallway, muttering curses under his breath.
"Damn nightmare…
damn collapsing floors…
damn monster built for her…"
He didn't look at me when he said it—
but the edge in his voice was sharp.
Protective.
Possessive.
Afraid.
Lucian double-checked Elliot's vitals again.
"He needs rest.
A few hours.
Maybe more."
Sev crawled into my lap, curling against my abdomen like a small animal seeking warmth.
Len took Elliot's hand, holding it firmly.
The younger children sat around us in a circle, watching everything, waiting for my direction.
Elo tugged softly on my sleeve.
"…Elle…
safe now?"
I nodded gently.
"Yes, Elo. We're safe."
Rowan let out a sound halfway between a sob and a laugh.
Chandler paused mid-pace, looking over.
Horace's expression softened.
Lucian exhaled.
It was the first moment since the Below—
that none of us were running.
BUT NOT EVERYONE RELAXED
Lucian's tablet flashed.
A new warning.
A soft, faint beep.
One I almost didn't hear over the quiet hum of the hallway lights.
Lucian's face drained of color as he read it.
Chandler narrowed his eyes.
"What now?"
Lucian pressed the tablet closer to his chest.
"…It's nothing."
Rowan frowned.
"Lucian—
you're shaking."
"It's nothing," he repeated, too quickly.
Horace stepped closer, voice low.
"What does it say?"
Lucian hesitated.
Which meant it was bad.
Very bad.
Before he could answer, a soft sound escaped Elliot's throat.
"…Elle…"
I leaned over him immediately.
"I'm here."
His breathing steadied.
The Phase Zero children relaxed again.
Lucian swallowed hard.
Then he whispered—the truth slipping free:
"The collapse didn't destroy the Below system entirely.
B8 is gone.
B7 is gone.
B6 is partly intact.
But B9 and B10…"
Rowan stiffened.
"What about them?"
Lucian looked up, voice barely audible.
"…B10 was untouched."
The world seemed to freeze.
Chandler blinked.
"Are you kidding me?
ALL that collapsed except the worst floor?"
Lucian's voice cracked.
"It wasn't touched because…
it was protected."
Horace's eyes narrowed.
"Protected by what?"
Lucian slowly lifted the tablet.
One red notification blinked on the screen:
DIRECTIVE B10: SLEEPING – LOCKED; CONDITION: "ANCHOR PRESERVED"
Rowan's voice went small.
"Anchor…?
Meaning—"
Lucian met my eyes.
"You."
A shudder ran through me.
Then another.
Sev clutched me tighter.
Len whimpered.
Elo reached for my sleeve.
The children murmured anxiously:
"Elle…
Elle scared…
don't go…
don't leave…"
Chandler stopped pacing entirely.
His expression darkened.
Horace stepped closer instinctively, his posture protective.
Rowan gripped the bench, knuckles white.
Lucian forced himself to continue.
"Before we destroyed B8, Subject Ten marked Elleanore.
It recognized her.
It bound to her imprint.
And because of that…"
He swallowed.
"B10 remained dormant."
I blinked slowly.
"…meaning?"
Lucian whispered:
"Meaning the system thinks the anchor survived.
Meaning the experiment isn't dead.
Meaning…"
His voice trembled.
"…they might try again."
A silence fell so heavy it felt suffocating.
Rowan's eyes filled with panic.
Chandler clenched his fists.
Horace's entire expression hardened.
Elliot stirred, lips moving faintly.
"…Elle…
no…
don't…
go…"
I held his hand.
"I'm not going anywhere."
His fingers tightened.
"…promise…"
"I promise."
THE DECISION
Lucian took a deep breath and finally said what he'd been holding back:
"We need to get out of the Academy.
Right now.
Before Caliban realizes you're alive."
Rowan's voice shook.
"Leave… the Academy?"
Chandler scoffed.
"We're not staying here another second."
Horace nodded.
"This building is no longer safe."
Sev crawled up into my arms.
Len clung to my waist.
Elo nodded seriously, like a tiny soldier.
Lucian lowered his head.
"Elleanore…
you're the target now."
I exhaled.
Not fear.
Resolve.
"Then we leave."
Every boy, every child, every survivor looked at me at once.
And for the first time—
I didn't feel small.
Or weak.
Or hiding in Elliot's shadow.
I felt like someone who could lead.
Someone who could protect.
Someone who could choose.
I looked down at Elliot, sleeping in my lap.
At Rowan's trembling form beside me.
At Chandler's tense stance.
At Horace's calm but fierce eyes.
At Lucian's quiet fear.
At the children huddled around me.
And I spoke:
"We're going home."
Extraction
For a few quiet seconds, the hallway was still.
Not calm—
never calm—
but still enough for the panic in everyone's chest to settle into something heavy and real.
We were leaving.
Not the floor.
Not the Below.
The Academy.
Rowan wiped his eyes again, trying to hold himself together.
"It feels unreal," he whispered. "Like we're still dreaming."
Chandler snorted.
"If this is a dream, it's the ugliest dream I've ever had."
Horace ignored them both as he knelt beside Elliot, checking his breathing again.
"He's stable enough to move," Horace said. "But he won't walk."
"I'll carry him," I said without thinking.
Rowan blinked at me.
Chandler stared.
Horace frowned.
Lucian shook his head quickly.
"No—Elleanore, you're exhausted. Your arms will give out and if you fall—"
"I won't fall."
Elliot stirred as if he heard the argument, mumbling:
"…Elle… stay…"
I brushed his hair away from his face.
"I'm here," I whispered.
His breathing steadied instantly.
Sev pressed close to my hip.
Len pressed to my thigh.
Elo stood behind me, watching everyone carefully—
a tiny guardian.
Horace knelt and spoke softly:
"Elleanore.
Let me carry him. You stay close. He'll sense you."
I hesitated.
Chandler stepped beside Horace, arms crossed.
"He's right. Don't push yourself."
Rowan nodded too.
"Elleanore… please."
After a long moment, I nodded.
"Fine.
But I stay beside him."
Horace scooped Elliot into his arms gently, adjusting him carefully so Elliot could still feel my hand in his.
Elliot immediately relaxed against Horace—
but his fingers stayed locked around mine.
"…Elle…"
"I'm here."
THE ESCAPE ROUTE
Lucian motioned for us to gather around.
"There are two ways out," he said.
"Option one is the public lobby. Cameras, guards, possibly Caliban's people."
Chandler scoffed.
"We're not doing the suicide route."
Lucian nodded.
"Option two is the restricted dorm wing. There's a hidden emergency exit used for VIP evacuations."
Rowan blinked.
"VIP… as in… nobles?"
"Yes."
Horace's jaw tightened.
"It's less risky?"
Lucian hesitated.
"It's less visible. Not less risky."
Chandler glared.
"How risky?"
Lucian lowered his voice.
"That wing is monitored by the Alpha Dormwarden."
Rowan paled.
"You mean the guy who—
who almost expelled Elliot for beating up the seniors—?"
"Yes."
Chandler cracked his neck.
"So we knock him out."
Lucian shook his head frantically.
"No—no! You cannot attack him. He's a senior Alpha. He's—"
Before he could finish, the floor vibrated sharply.
Everyone flinched.
Rowan grabbed my arm.
Sev and Len clutched me harder.
Chandler muttered:
"Still collapsing… good. Maybe it'll bury Caliban with it."
Lucian swallowed.
"We need to move. Now."
THE WALK THROUGH THE QUIET HALLS
The surface floors were far too quiet.
We moved as a group—
Horace carrying Elliot,
I at his side,
Rowan at mine,
Chandler in the back with two kids in his arms,
Lucian leading.
The children padded behind us, silent but trembling.
Every sound felt too loud.
Footsteps.
Breathing.
Clothing shifting.
My heart pounded.
As we passed the library corridor, a door creaked open—
just a fraction.
Rowan nearly screamed.
Chandler swung around instantly.
But it was empty.
Only the wind from a broken vent.
Lucian whispered:
"The Academy's sensors are disrupted from the collapse. Most of the surveillance is down."
"Good," Chandler muttered. "Let's get out before they reboot."
Horace squeezed my shoulder lightly.
"We're close," he murmured.
I nodded, but my stomach twisted.
The closer we got to the exit,
the more real it became.
We were truly leaving.
Everything we knew.
Everything Elliot had trained for.
Everything I pretended not to care about.
Gone.
A sudden fear crept up my spine.
"Where do we even go?" I whispered.
Rowan looked at me sadly.
"With you," he said softly.
Chandler grunted.
"Same."
Horace nodded once.
"Wherever you choose."
Lucian looked panicked but determined.
"I'm not staying here either."
Sev pressed his small forehead to my hip.
Len clung to my sleeve.
Elo whispered:
"Elle… home?"
I forced a smile.
"Yes.
Home."
Even if we didn't know where that was yet.
A SOFT AWAKENING
As we turned down the last hallway of the restricted wing, Elliot stirred.
His fingers tightened around mine.
"…Elle…"
His voice was hoarse.
Barely a whisper.
But I leaned in.
"Elliot? I'm here."
His eyelids fluttered.
Blue eyes, unfocused but searching, found mine.
"Are we…
safe…?"
"Almost."
He swallowed weakly.
"You're…
not hurt?"
"No. I'm okay."
His lips trembled.
"Good…
good…"
Horace adjusted his grip.
"You should sleep."
Elliot's gaze slid toward Horace slowly—
confused, then relieved.
"…you… carried me…?"
"Yes."
"…thank you…"
Horace actually froze at that.
Chandler raised a brow.
"Oh? He speaks politely when unconscious. Good to know."
Rowan glared.
"He's barely awake. Don't tease him."
Elliot's gaze landed on Rowan next.
"…Row…"
Rowan nearly burst into tears.
"Y-Yes?! I'm here!"
"…you… safe…?"
"Y-Yes. Yes. Because of you."
Elliot exhaled, relieved.
Then he looked at me again—
a soft, broken smile touching his lips.
"…Elle…"
I squeezed his fingers.
"We're leaving, Elliot."
He blinked slowly.
Confused.
"…leaving…?"
"Yes."
"…the Academy…?"
"Yes."
He swallowed.
And whispered the words that stopped all of us:
"Elle…
do you want that…?"
I froze.
Chandler straightened.
Rowan held his breath.
Horace went perfectly still.
Lucian stared at me.
Elliot looked fragile.
Tired.
Barely conscious.
But his voice was clear:
"I'll go…
where you want…
not because they tell me…
not because they made me…
but because…
you asked."
My throat tightened.
"I want to go where you're safe," I said softly.
He smiled faintly.
"…then that's… home…"
And he fell asleep again.
THE FINAL DOOR
Lucian stopped at an unmarked panel in the wall.
"This is it," he whispered.
"The VIP exit."
Chandler frowned.
"Where's the button?"
"There is no button."
Lucian tapped his tablet.
"You open it like this—"
The wall clicked.
Shifted.
Unlocked.
A tall metal door slid upward.
Bright, cold air swept in.
Real air.
Outside.
Rowan gasped.
Horace tightened his hold on Elliot.
Chandler stepped forward, carefully setting the children down.
Sev tugged my sleeve.
"…Elle… outside?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
Lucian took a breath.
"Once we step through, the Academy will know."
Chandler cracked his knuckles.
"Let them. They can't catch us."
Horace glanced at me.
"Are you ready?"
I looked down at Elliot sleeping against his chest.
At Rowan trembling beside me.
At Chandler watching me carefully.
At Lucian waiting with fear in his eyes.
At Sev, Len, Elo, and the children clutching my hands and clothes.
I took a deep breath.
And stepped forward.
"Let's go."
The door opened fully—
And the Academy faded behind us.