The black glass dome loomed like a shattered star fallen to the desert floor—its fractured surface gleaming dully under the fading sun. As Ava, Noah, and Luca stepped inside, a rush of cold air greeted them like a ghost's breath, carrying whispers of secrets long buried.

The interior was a labyrinth of gleaming steel and fractured glass corridors, bathed in the eerie blue glow of dormant monitors and flickering emergency lights. The faint hum of ancient machinery thrummed beneath their feet—a heartbeat in the silence.

Ava's footsteps echoed as she led the way, every step stirring dust motes that danced like fireflies in the slanting light. Walls bore faded warnings in languages long forgotten—symbols that spoke of experimentation and control.

Noah's eyes scanned every shadow, every flicker. "This place feels alive... but dead."

Luca tapped the side of his neck where a neural implant gleamed faintly beneath his skin. "It's a tomb for memories—some of them still lingering."

The corridor opened into a vast chamber, where rows of glass pods lined the walls like frozen sentinels. Inside some, faint outlines of human forms shimmered—empty vessels drained of life.

Ava's breath caught. "These were the test subjects."

She moved closer to one pod, her fingertips brushing the frost-covered glass. Inside, a faded nameplate read: Subject #47: Elias.

A flicker behind her made her whirl around. Shadows shifted—just beyond the corner.

Noah raised his weapon, heart pounding. "We're not alone."

A low mechanical whir rose in the darkness, then a soft, chilling voice echoed through the chamber:"Unauthorized access detected. Protocol activation commencing."

Luca's eyes widened. "Security systems are rebooting."

Red emergency lights bathed the room as steel shutters began to grind down, sealing exits.

"Trapped," Ava whispered.

From the shadows, a figure stepped forward—a man in a tattered lab coat, eyes cold and calculating. His face was obscured by the dim light, but his presence radiated menace.

"Welcome back, Ava," he said, voice smooth but deadly. "You shouldn't have come."

Ava swallowed the rising panic, planting her feet firmly. "I'm here for the truth."

The man smiled thinly. "The truth is buried beneath layers of lies… and so are you."

Suddenly, alarms blared and the dome trembled.

The past had found them—and it was ready to fight.

To be continued...