Outside, the silence of the corridor returned, heavy and absolute.

“The lock on this door is electronic,” Lorenzo said, his voice barely a breath. “But there is a manual override keyhole hidden behind the plate.”

He slid his thumb along the brass rose of the doorknob, pressing a small release lever.

The decorative plate clicked and slid aside, revealing a dark, traditional keyhole.

He inserted the brass key labeled *FREEZER*.

It fit perfectly.

He turned it slowly, and the heavy iron deadbolt slid back with a loud, metallic clunk that felt like a gunshot in the quiet room.

He turned the brass handle, shielding Leo and me with his broad shoulder.

He pushed the door open an inch.

The hallway was dim, lit only by the low-voltage emergency lights along the baseboards.

There was no sign of Evan, only the empty, carpeted stretch of the corridor.

“The security feed for this sector must be looped,” Lorenzo muttered, looking up at the dark lens of the dome camera on the ceiling.

“Is it safe?” I asked, holding Leo tighter against my shoulder.