The door lock clicked from the outside.
Mara, Nina, and Theo froze at the same time. No one spoke. Theo's mouth opened, then he shut it fast, like he bit the word before it could escape.
The handle moved. A keycard beeped.
Mara's heart hit her ribs like it wanted out.
On the laptop, the Regret Ledger stayed open. Rows and rows. Names. Items. Owners. Dates. It looked like a school spreadsheet, but it felt like a graveyard list.
Theo held up his small camera and filmed the top of the page. His hands shook, but he kept the lens steady. Nina leaned close, eyes scanning fast. Mara's stomach turned as she read.
Some rows had normal-looking names. Some had only initials. Some had blanks, like a person had already been wiped and the file didn't even want to say who.
Mara saw one line that made her throat close.
Kira S. — "Existence Slot" — OWNER: COMPANY — REDEEMED (Completed)
Mara's skin went cold.
So Kira did not "transfer."
Kira was a line item.
Kira was a completed payment.
Nina's hand flew to her mouth. She didn't make a sound, but her shoulders shook like she almost did.
Theo pointed lower on the screen, eyes wide, and wrote on a sticky note with shaking fingers:
THEY BUY PEOPLE WITH "REGRET."
Mara nodded, fast and sick.
Then Nina found the one she was afraid to see.
She pointed at a row and her finger trembled.
Eli P. — "Sibling Bond" — OWNER: P. FAMILY — REDEEMABLE: DUE SOON
Nina's eyes filled with tears. Her whole face twisted in pain.
Mara grabbed Nina's wrist, firm and real, and shook her head once.
Don't speak.
Don't feed it.
Nina swallowed hard. She blinked fast. She nodded, but her hands were shaking like a broken thing.
Theo scrolled a little more, slow.
Another row appeared.
Nina P. — "Success Path" — OWNER: LEGACY PACKAGE — ACTIVE
It was all connected.
They didn't just sell perks.
They sold routes.
They sold futures.
They sold family ties like they were coupons.
The door handle rattled again. A stronger pull this time.
Theo filmed faster, trying to catch Mara's row again.
Mara's name was there, bright and clear, like the system wanted her to see it.
Mara R. — "Future Regret" — OWNER: PENDING — REDEEMABLE: 48 HOURS
Mara's breath caught.
Forty-eight hours.
That meant the system didn't just plan your life.
It scheduled your pain.
And someone would own it.
The ceiling speaker turned on again. Soft. Calm. Helpful.
"Safety routing in progress. Please remain calm."
Mara wanted to scream at the word "calm." Calm was the leash word. Calm was the lie they used while stealing your voice, your smell, your brother's face.
Nina wiped her cheeks with her sleeve, fast, angry. Theo didn't look away from the camera. He was trying to be brave, and it was costing him.
Mara stepped back from the laptop and searched the room with her eyes.
There had to be an exit.
A fire door. A manual release. A glass panel. Anything.
She saw a red box on the wall near the side door.
EMERGENCY EXIT — ALARM WILL SOUND
Mara's heart jumped.
She moved toward it.
Theo shook his head hard and pointed at the door they came through. The lock light was red. Security was right there. If an alarm went off, they would not get out. They would get caught.
Nina grabbed Mara's sleeve and wrote fast on a piece of paper:
NO ALARM. WE NEED QUIET.
Mara nodded, jaw tight.
She looked back at the laptop.
A small pop-up appeared by itself, like the system had been waiting for this moment.
EXIT OPTIONS AVAILABLE
Mara's stomach dropped.
Exit options.
Like leaving was another "feature."
The pop-up listed two buttons:
[UNLOCK SIDE DOOR][REQUEST ESCORT]
Mara didn't touch either.
Then the pop-up expanded, like it was leaning closer to whisper.
UNLOCK SIDE DOOR — PAYMENT REQUIREDChoose payment: BOND (major) or TIME (major)
Major.
Not "minor."
Major meant it would hurt in a way you could not pretend was small.
Nina saw it and shook her head so hard her hair moved. Her eyes begged Mara not to do it.
Theo wrote on a sticky note:
THEY WANT YOUR FRIENDSHIPS.BOND = PEOPLE.
Mara's hands went numb.
Bond.
If she paid bond, what would it take?
Nina forgetting Mara?
Jace forgetting Mara?
Her mom forgetting her again?
The door outside thumped once. A heavy sound, like a shoulder against metal.
Theo flinched. He almost made a sound. He bit his lip and kept filming.
Mara's phone buzzed in her pocket, deep and slow.
She pulled it out without thinking, and she hated herself for it.
A black screen filled her phone.
White text.
DEAL AVAILABLE: UNLOCK NOW
Under it, clean and cruel:
Payment: BOND (major)Target bond will be selected for "maximum stabilization."
Mara's blood ran cold.
Maximum stabilization meant the system would choose the bond that made her strongest.
And then it would cut it.
Mara looked at Nina. Nina was shaking, eyes wet, but still holding on.
Mara looked at Theo. Theo's face was pale, but he was still filming.
Mara thought of Jace outside. The way he grabbed her wrist. The way he chose "Postpone" and took the penalty.
Mara's chest hurt.
The screen on her phone added one more line, like a knife sliding in slowly:
OR: Pay TIME (major) — 2 years.Unlock duration: 90 seconds.
Two years.
For ninety seconds.
Mara felt dizzy.
The door lock clicked again. The handle moved. A beep. Another beep.
They were seconds away from being found.
Theo held up his camera and pointed to the ledger again, like saying: This proof matters. Don't lose it.
Nina grabbed Mara's hand, squeezing once, silent, like: Please don't pay with me.
Mara stared at the two options on her phone.
BOND (major) — unknown cut, likely permanent.
TIME (major) — two years gone, but maybe they live through tonight.
Mara's thumb hovered.
The door outside started to open.
Just a crack.
A line of light slid into the room.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.