The gunshot echoed through the archive like a shockwave.
Luna flinched violently.
For one second, everything froze.
Then chaos returned all at once.
Shouting erupted outside the hidden room. Someone yelled for backup while hurried footsteps thundered through the halls.
Ethan reacted instantly. He grabbed Luna's wrist and pulled her behind one of the metal cabinets.
"Stay down."
His voice was low.
Dangerously calm.
That calmness scared her more than panic would have.
Another loud crash echoed outside.
Then silence.
Not normal silence.
The kind that comes right before something worse.
Luna's breathing became uneven as she crouched beside Ethan. The hidden room suddenly felt too small, the air too cold.
"Who's out there?" she whispered.
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
His attention stayed fixed on the doorway.
Listening.
Calculating.
Then quietly—
"…Someone trained."
The answer made her stomach tighten instantly.
Because random criminals didn't shut down archives, erase files, and carry guns.
This was planned.
Carefully.
Another memory flashed suddenly in Luna's mind.
A voice.
Cold and sharp.
"If they find the room, burn everything."
Her head started hurting again.
She pressed her fingers against her temple, trying to stop the flood of images before they overwhelmed her.
Ethan noticed immediately. "Luna."
"I'm okay."
"You're not."
That honesty almost broke her.
Before she could answer, footsteps stopped directly outside the hidden room.
Both of them went still.
Luna's heartbeat became painfully loud in her ears.
Someone was there.
Watching.
Then—
A soft knock echoed against the hidden doorway.
Three slow taps.
Not aggressive.
Not rushed.
Almost polite.
Luna felt chills crawl down her arms.
Ethan's expression darkened completely.
The voice that followed made Luna stop breathing.
"…I know you're inside."
Female.
Calm.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Luna's eyes widened slowly.
No.
Impossible.
The woman outside laughed softly.
"You always panic first," she said. "That hasn't changed."
Luna felt the world tilt beneath her feet.
Because she knew that voice.
Not from memories.
From herself.
Ethan stood slowly now, positioning himself protectively in front of Luna.
"Who are you?" he asked coldly.
A pause followed.
Then—
"You already know."
Silence.
Luna's hands started trembling uncontrollably.
The woman continued speaking through the door casually, almost like this was a normal conversation.
"But I guess hearing it directly is more fun."
A faint metallic sound echoed.
Like someone spinning a knife slowly between their fingers.
Then the voice came again.
"…Open the door, Luna."
Fear wrapped tightly around her chest.
Because part of her wanted to.
Not from trust.
From recognition.
Ethan noticed the shift in her immediately. "Don't."
Luna swallowed hard.
"…Why does she sound like me?"
The woman outside answered before Ethan could.
"Because I am you."
The room fell completely silent.
Even Ethan froze for half a second.
Luna stared at the doorway in horror.
"No…"
"You buried me," the voice continued calmly. "And honestly? That was rude."
Luna shook her head immediately. "No… no, that's impossible…"
"Is it?"
The woman sounded amused now.
"You created me for a reason."
Another violent flash slammed into Luna's mind.
Blood on her hands.
Someone screaming.
Her own voice whispering—
"She can survive this. I can't."
Luna gasped sharply.
Ethan caught her shoulders before she collapsed completely.
"Look at me," he said firmly.
But she could barely focus.
Because the memories were getting clearer now.
And every single one felt wrong.
Not fake.
Real.
The voice outside softened slightly.
"You remember now, don't you?"
Luna's lips parted shakily.
"…Who are you?"
A long pause followed.
Then finally—
"The version of you that survived."
Silence exploded inside Luna's head.
No.
No no no—
That couldn't be real.
But deep down—
Some terrifying part of her already understood.
The fearless version.
The cold version.
The one who made decisions she couldn't.
It wasn't just imagination.
It was something she created to survive what happened ten years ago.
Ethan's expression hardened. "Psychological fragmentation."
The woman laughed softly. "That's the scientific term, yes."
Luna looked at him slowly.
"You knew?"
"No," Ethan said immediately. "I suspected something was wrong, but not this."
The voice outside sighed dramatically. "You're disappointing, Ethan. I thought you would figure it out sooner."
His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Show yourself."
A quiet pause followed.
Then footsteps moved closer to the doorway.
Luna's breathing stopped.
Slowly—
A shadow appeared through the frosted glass beside the hidden entrance.
Same height.
Same shape.
Same posture.
Luna felt sick.
Because it looked exactly like her.
Then the woman spoke again.
"You want the truth, don't you?"
Silence.
"I protected the drive."
Another pause.
"I protected Luna."
Her voice lowered.
"…From Ethan."
Ethan's entire expression darkened instantly.
Luna looked between the door and Ethan, completely lost now.
"What does that mean?"
Neither answered immediately.
And somehow—
That silence was worse than anything else.
The woman outside gave a soft laugh again.
"He still hasn't told you."
"Told me what?" Luna whispered.
This time—
Ethan looked away first.
That tiny reaction shattered something inside her immediately.
The woman noticed too.
"Oh," she murmured softly. "So you really don't remember."
Luna's pulse pounded painfully.
Remember what?
Before she could ask again—
A loud explosion suddenly shook the archive.
The hidden room lights flickered violently.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
Then emergency alarms screamed through the building again.
Ethan grabbed Luna instantly. "We're leaving."
But the woman outside spoke one final time before disappearing.
And this time—
Her voice lost all amusement.
"Ask him what happened the night you disappeared."
Silence.
Then footsteps retreated into the darkness.
Gone.
Leaving Luna standing there—
Frozen.
Terrified.
And staring directly at Ethan.
Because now—
She wasn't sure which answer scared her more.
The truth about herself.
Or the truth about him.