YEAR – 2024DEAD ZONE FACILITY – UPPER LEVELS | ESCAPE ROUTE ALPHA[3:32 PM]
The emergency corridor buzzed with red sirens. Metallic clangs echoed behind them — the drones were closing in.
TIVANA – (panting)We need to find a way out. Fast!
SPECTRE – (checking ammo)I've got four rounds left. Make 'em count.
RADRIN – (to Elior)Can you still control the system from here?
ELIOR – (eyes glowing faintly)Not all of it. Some functions are sealed. But I can delay the Pursuers.
She raised her hand. A pulse shimmered down the corridor behind them. The lights flickered and a heavy gate slammed shut with a thunderous boom.
SPECTRE –Damn. I'm starting to like her.
TIVANA – (to Radrin)This place... it's more than a lab, isn't it?
RADRIN – (grimly)It's a vault. Not to protect what's inside... but to make sure it never gets out.
They turned a sharp corner and emerged into a towering chamber — floor to ceiling panels glowing dim blue. The center console blinked:
EMERGENCY EVAC ROUTE: ORBITAL PAD 3B – 1.2 KM
SPECTRE – (gritting teeth)We're running out of time.
A panel slid open to their right — a hidden passage. Elior stepped forward.
ELIOR –This way. But you must choose.
TIVANA – (confused)Choose what?
ELIOR –You leave now... or uncover the core truth. The other path leads deeper.
A pause. The humming of drones was louder now, vibrating through the metal walls.
RADRIN – (slowly)We came here for answers, didn't we?
SPECTRE – (eyeing the passage)And we'll be dead if we go deeper.
TIVANA – (firm)Then we split. Spectre, you get Elior to the pad. Me and Radrin will go down.
SPECTRE –No way. Not leaving you two.
RADRIN –You have to. If we don't make it back... someone needs to keep her safe.
Elior stepped beside Spectre, placing a hand gently on his arm.
ELIOR –I will guide you. Trust is not weakness.
SPECTRE – (sighs)Fine. You've got ten minutes. Then I'm coming back with hell.
They split.
Tivana and Radrin plunged into the dark tunnel.
Above, Spectre and Elior disappeared into the evacuation shaft.
SUBLEVEL Z – CORE RESERVE CHAMBER[3:41 PM]
Thick fog lined the stone corridor. It looked older than the rest of the facility — untouched, ancient.
TIVANA – (whispering)What is this place?
RADRIN –It's beneath the AI lab. This predates Project Aurora...
The walls began glowing faintly as they walked, symbols lighting up one by one — not circuitry, but script.
Alien script.
TIVANA –Radrin… what language is that?
RADRIN – (swallowing hard)It's not a language. It's a neural encoding matrix. Same as what I saw… in the dreams.
They reached a stone pedestal, and on it — a single orb pulsing with blue light. Suspended above it, an object floated silently.
A memory shard.
RADRIN – (reverent)This is it. This is what triggered the Aurora collapse.
Suddenly — footsteps.
They turned.
A figure stepped from the dark. Cloaked. Tall. Familiar face.
TIVANA –No… it can't be.
RADRIN –General Mavik? But… you died in the coup.
GENERAL MAVIK – (smiling)Did I?