Elian. 

Reassignment happens when someone disappears.

They don't say it. Not out loud. But I know.

Someone got hurt or Someone didn't show up. Maybe someone got transferred and never came back. So they are re-assigning me to fill up the gap. That's how it works. I didn't ask any questions. It was easier that way.

They moved me for cleaning duty in sector B. Deeper inside the facility than I'd ever been. I'd never even met a Forgotten who worked this far inside. 

The corridors here are…different? Wide. Quiet. No ceiling leaks. No wires sticking out of the wall. No rust stain. No dried blood on the floors. Everything shined. The lights didn't flicker even the drones moved like they were programmed to be silent.

It wasn't like Sector E. Not even close.

Sector E, where I worked for the past 6 years, groaned for every step. And dorms? Barely livable. Sector B is cleaner. Safer. Maybe? I don't know. The dorm doesn't smell like mold. The mattress doesn't sag. 

It feels like a promotion.

But I know better.

I kept my eyes low, hands on my cart, its wheels squeaking like they always do. The place might be new, but the work's the same. Sanitize. Mop. Dust. Repeat. That's fine. That's how I liked it. 

Routine is safe. Routine is quiet. 

Halfway down the hall, I passed an reinforced door. A red light blinked above it. Big letters printed on the floor. 

RESTRICTED — AUTHORIZED ENTRY ONLY

I didn't look too long. Didn't pause. Just kept walking. I wasn't curious. Curiosity is a luxury that I don't have. 

Later, while passing one of the lab rooms. I heard it. A voice, sharp and grainy through a speaker. 

"…Breach confirmed. West quadrant. Outer perimeter. Grid point Seven - Delta. Hollowed emergence detected approximately four minutes ago. Class undetermined. No immediate civilian contact" 

Another voice commanded. This one is clearer. A woman. 

"Send five. Class B. For forgotten evacuation. Once clear, deploy Veyra to the breach zone. Confirmed Hollow - Class A or above. Requesting live retrieval." 

I froze.

Not on purpose. My feet just stopped moving.

I have heard about the Hollow breaches before, of course. They played on the break room screen like war recaps. Post-incident reports. Never live.

And it's always somewhere far from where we were.

This? This was real-time.

And… live retrieval?

Why would they want to keep a Hollowed alive?

Before I can move again. An automatic door slid open. I turned just enough to see boots, then coats. A woman stepped accompanied by two armed guards. 

She wore black. So, not a scientist. Not security. I noticed a patterned tattoo in her arms. I knew what that meant.

Gifted.

Her steps were slow and calm. I ducked my head immediately. Eyes to the floor. 

I didn't dare to look at her face. I didn't want her to notice me. 

I felt her gaze over me. A heartbeat. Maybe less. Then she was gone. The guards behind her. No words exchanged. No pause. Still, my fingers wouldn't stop trembling.

More words from the intercom. 

"Transmutation complete. Tier-Three en route to breach site. Confirmed lift-off. Tier-One en route to sector evacuation"

Tier-Three. One. I don't know what they are. 

All I know is they only sent one Gifted to fight the Hollow.

That… that was new.

In Sector E, they always moved in teams. Gifted never walked alone. Not toward danger.

Yet she did.

And no one stopped her. Well, not my problem. I guess. 

My shift was over. And if I stayed too long, someone might notice. I turned the corner, took a stairwell down to a maintenance floor. Then the lights flickered.

Only once.

Sector B's lights don't flicker. 

A second later. The alarm screamed. 

Loud. Mechanical voice from the speaker. 

"Warning. Breach detected. Sector B. Lockdown protocol initiated. All non-essential personnel evacuate immediately through gate 5"

Sector B?

That was here.