"Ssshhhii—STOP!"
E.E. canceled the move instantly, stumbling forward.
He coughed, shaking out his trembling hands.
'Okay. No vortex. No instantaneous travels. This is hell…'
He straightened up as an officer passed by.
"Everything alright, 77-B?"
E.E forced a laugh. "Heh… new altitude. The air's thick."
The officer grunted approvingly. "It'll pass."
E.E kept walking.
This place is a death trap…
---
Over the next two hours, E.E played his part perfectly.
He blended in.
He studied patrol patterns.
He gathered intel:
The Commander never left the top floor but that was old news. In actuality, even on the top floor, the commander never left his chambers.
Meals were brought to him.
No one met him face-to-face except two most trusted captains.
Entry into the final room required two levels of biometric clearance and a rare authorization card that only those two possessed.
E.E muttered to himself as he leaned against a wall, pretending to take a break:
