CHAPTER 10: CODE BLACK
710 Words
POV: CAPTAIN ELIAS VANCE
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The alarm klaxon began to wail, a rhythmic, deafening scream that painted the halls of Sector 7 in strobe-lights of emergency red. The containment wing was no longer a sanctuary; it was a hunting ground.
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"Colonel Marks is in the line of fire! Move!" I roared, grabbing a backup tactical vest from the wall.
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[ Jace: Cap, the digital infection is spreading! The Doctor isn't just watching us—he’s rewriting the base’s security protocols! Automated turrets are locking onto friendly signatures! ]
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We sprinted through the corridor, the ceiling tiles rattling from the sheer force of the supernatural pressure. Suddenly, the turret at the end of the hall swiveled, its red laser-sight burning a hole into my chest.
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"Down!" I yelled.
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RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!
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Bullets shredded the wall inches above our heads. Bravo didn't hesitate. He leaned out from cover and tossed a disruption disc.
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ZAP.
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The turret sputtered and died, sparks showering the floor. "The base is turning against us, Cap!" Bravo shouted, reloading his shotgun with heavy-duty salt shells.
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We reached the Colonel’s office, but the heavy steel doors were sealed shut. Through the reinforced observation glass, we could see Colonel Marks. He was frozen, his eyes rolled back, while the pale, surgical-gloved hand emerged further from his monitor, its long fingers stroking his throat.
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“The patient is ready for sedation...” the Director’s voice hissed through the office intercom.
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"Not on my watch!" I slammed a breaching charge onto the door.
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BOOM.
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The steel doors buckled, and we burst into the room. The air was thick with static electricity, making my hair stand on end. I raised my rifle, but the Director wasn't there physically. He was a silhouette of flickering pixels and black smoke, standing over the Colonel.
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“Elias... you’re late for the consultation,” the Director sneered. He raised a finger, and suddenly, every screen in the office exploded.
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Glass shards flew like shrapnel. I shielded my eyes, feeling the sting of a dozen small cuts.
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"Jace, kill the power! Shut down the entire grid!" I commanded through the chaos.
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[ Jace: If I do that, the spiritual dampeners will fail! The Breach will widen! ]
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"Do it! We fight him in the dark!"
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K-CHAK.
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The base fell into absolute darkness. For a split second, there was silence. Then, I clicked my tactical light on. The beam cut through the gloom, finding the Director. Without the digital network to hide in, he looked small—a pathetic ghost of a man clinging to his stolen power.
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"Bravo, the UV-Grenade! Now!"
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Bravo pulled the pin and rolled the canister across the carpet.
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PHOOM.
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A blinding wave of ultraviolet light flooded the office. The Director shrieked—a visceral, soul-tearing sound that made the windows vibrate. His pixelated form began to dissolve, turning into grey ash that smelled of burnt medicine.
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"Colonel, wake up!" I grabbed Marks, shaking him.
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The Colonel gasped, his eyes clearing. He looked at the empty monitor, then at me. "Vance... it... it felt so cold. Like I was being erased."
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"The threat is neutralized. For now," I said, though I knew better.
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I looked at the floor. The UV-light was still fading, but in the corner of the room, near the shadows of the desk, I saw it. My shadow. It wasn't attached to my feet. It was sitting in the Colonel’s chair, watching us.
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It didn't attack. It simply raised a finger to its lips, a silent command for me to stay quiet.
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[ Jace: Cap... I'm getting a signal. It's coming from outside the base. ]
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"What is it?"
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[ Jace: It’s a coordinate. Near the coast. The old Subic ruins. The message says... 'The First Patient is waiting.' ]
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I felt a chill that no tactical gear could block. The San Juan de Dios was just the beginning. The Director was leading us back to where it all started. Back to the Subic Breach. Back to Sarah.
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"Gear up," I said, looking at Bravo and Jace. "We're going home."
- Writer
