01:57 Remaining.
A klaxon wailed through NexaCore's bowels, turning the corridors into a living heartbeat of flashing red lights and mechanical shrieks. Emergency lights pulsed like a dying star, while heat from the failing systems shimmered off metal walls. A computerized voice blared overhead on a loop: "Containment failure in Sector Nine. Immediate evacuation advised."
Ayla ducked beneath a burst of steam from a cracked pipe, clutching the strange shard tightly in her palm. It pulsed once—just faintly—like it was responding to the chaos. Behind her, Silas turned, scanning the corridor for threats. "We have two minutes. We move now or die here."
"Wait!" Karen hissed, crouched over the flickering console near the wall. "There's still data here. The backups… I can extract more."
"We don't have time!" Silas barked, glancing at the countdown flashing across the screen. "You want to stay and download files while the whole place comes down on us?"
Zayn put a hand on Karen's shoulder. "Silas is right. We've already got enough—"
"No, you don't understand," Karen said, voice sharp. "The imposter—she must've uploaded something when she copied my behavior. A beacon, maybe malware. I need to be sure it's cleared."
A sudden groan echoed through the floor. A tremor shook the corridor, sending dust raining from above. The console sparked, and the screen flickered again. Karen swore and yanked a tool from her belt.
A faint groan came from the side. The real Karen stirred—eyes fluttering open, blinking against the light. Her voice was a whisper. "Where…?"
Zayn knelt beside her instantly. "Karen? The real one?"
She squinted at him, confusion giving way to recognition—and horror. "The one with you… she wasn't me."
Ayla froze. "We know. She's gone. But whatever she did…"
"I can help," Karen whispered. "Just get me up."
Zayn helped her to her feet, supporting most of her weight. She leaned heavily on him but motioned toward the console. "She hid something. I'd bet my life on it."
Sable, further down the corridor, moved to a locked side panel. As he placed his hand on a biometric scanner, the system hissed in response.
"Identity recognized. Welcome back, Captain Callan Stroud."
Everyone stopped. Silence hung for a second too long.
Ayla turned. "Stroud?"
Sable's face was stone. "I'll explain later."
Silas took a step forward. "You better. Because right now, that's the second time someone's system recognized you as someone else."
"No time," Zayn snapped. "We move or we die."
Another explosion rocked the level. Karen keyed something in and the wall console blinked green. "We're clear of the beacon. I wiped it. Let's go!"
They charged forward. Panels fell from the ceiling. Pipes hissed and burst. A section of floor gave out behind them with a loud crunch. Zayn slipped but caught himself against a wall.
They reached a sealed door. Red lights spun above it, locked tight.
Ayla's shard pulsed again—brighter this time. She stepped forward instinctively.
The shard warmed in her hand, casting soft violet light. Without fully understanding why, Ayla raised it toward the panel.
The door clicked.
It hissed open with a long, metallic exhale.
But the moment it opened, her mind reeled—
---
FLASH
A glimpse—no, a memory.
Lucas standing in front of a glowing terminal, younger, exhausted.
"—If you're seeing this, it means I failed to stop her. Athena's gone beyond me now. But you… you might still be able to reach her. Ayla, listen to me—"
FLASH
She stumbled back. Silas caught her.
"You okay?"
"I saw him. My father. Like… a memory. It was real."
Karen looked at the shard in her hand. "That thing's more than tech. It's a key."
More shaking. The ceiling above them began to fracture.
"Let's go!" Silas shouted.
They sprinted down the corridor, zigzagging through falling debris. Sparks rained from ruptured panels. Karen dragged the wounded real Karen with Zayn's help. Sable stayed at the back, watching for anyone following.
00:34 Remaining
The final door loomed ahead. They reached it—panting, covered in soot and sweat.
Ayla reached for the panel—
And froze.
A tall figure stood in the shadows beyond the door.
A rifle clicked.
Red eyes glinted from behind a polished helmet.
Wellington's elite.
The figure raised the weapon. Lights flickered. The air grew still.
Silas drew his gun, but not fast enough.