Service Lift — Elijah Greyhawk
The lift shuddered violently as it climbed, the overhead lights flickering in erratic pulses. Elijah braced himself against the wall, keeping Chet cradled against his chest. Chet’s breathing was shallow, uneven, each inhale a fragile, trembling effort. Torres knelt beside them, fingers pressed to Chet’s neck. “Pulse is thready. He’s barely holding on.”
Elijah swallowed hard. “We’re almost out.”
Chet’s eyelids fluttered, his voice barely a whisper. “Cold…”
Elijah pulled him closer. “I know. I know. Stay with me.”
The lift jerked again, metal groaning. Hayes steadied himself. “Leah, status?”
Static crackled, then Leah’s voice came through, thin but steady. “You’re approaching Level Two. Power’s unstable but holding.”
Rourke tightened his grip on Kline’s cuffs. “If this thing drops—”
“It won’t,” Leah said sharply. “Just hold on.”
Kline lifted his head, eyes fixed on Chet. “He won’t survive extraction.”
Hayes turned on him. “Shut up.”
Kline didn’t. “He needs the chamber. Without it—”
Hayes stepped forward, voice low and lethal. “I said Shut up.”
Kline fell silent. But the look in his eyes said he believed every word.
###
Command Room — Leah Gagnon
Leah watched the lift’s power feed flicker dangerously close to failure. She rerouted what she could, diverting auxiliary power from nonessential systems, but the grid was collapsing faster than she could compensate.
“Come on,” she whispered. “Just a little longer.”
She keyed her mic. "Carter, you’re about to hit the upper junction. When the doors open, go right. They blocked the west corridor."
“Copy,” Hayes said.
Leah’s fingers flew across the controls. “And Carter—”
“Yeah?”
“The lift won’t hold for a second trip.”
A beat of silence. Then Hayes: “We won’t need one.”
Leah exhaled shakily. “Get them out.”
###
Service Lift — Hayes’ Team
The lift jolted to a stop; the doors grinding open with a metallic screech. The corridor beyond was dim, lit only by emergency strips along the floor.
Hayes stepped out first, weapon raised. “Move!”
Elijah followed, carrying Chet. Torres stayed close, monitoring his breathing. Marianne and Evan flanked them, weapons raised. Rourke shoved Kline forward. The lift doors closed behind them. Then the lights inside the lift went out. A second later, the lift dropped.
The sound of it plummeting echoed up the shaft — a long, metallic scream.
Torres flinched. “Jesus.”
Hayes didn’t look back. “Keep moving.”
###
Upper Corridors — Elijah Greyhawk
Elijah pushed forward, Chet’s weight heavy in his arms. Chet’s skin was cold, his breath shallow, his pulse fluttering beneath Elijah’s fingers. “Stay with me,” Elijah whispered. “We’re almost out.”
Chet’s lips moved. “Hurts…”
“I know,” Elijah said, voice breaking. “I know.”
Torres checked his vitals again. “He’s crashing. We need to get him into clean air.”
Elijah nodded, pushing harder. Behind them, Kline stumbled as Rourke shoved him forward. “You’re making a mistake,” Kline hissed. “He needs stabilization—”
Hayes spun. “One more word and you will not walk out of here.”
Kline fell silent. But his eyes stayed locked on Chet.
###
Command Room — Leah Gagnon
Leah watched the facility map collapse in real time — sections blinking out one by one as the grid failed. “Carter,” she said, voice tight, “you’re approaching the final junction. We cannot use the main exit. You need to take the emergency access tunnel.”
Hayes’ voice came back. “Is it clear?”
Leah hesitated. “I don’t know. Sensors are failing.”
“Give us the route.”
Leah exhaled. “Left at the junction. Down the maintenance stairs. Tunnel door is at the bottom.”
“Copy.”
Leah leaned closer to the screen. “Carter… hurry.”\
Upper Corridors — Hayes’ Team
They reached the junction. The overhead lights flickered, then died completely. Only the emergency strips remained. Marianne pointed left. “This way!”
Hayes nodded. “Move!”
They descended the maintenance stairs two at a time. Elijah held Chet tight, feeling every tremor, every shallow breath. At the bottom of the stairs, the emergency tunnel door loomed — heavy, reinforced, half‑ajar. Hayes pushed it open. Cold night air rushed in.
Elijah’s breath caught. They were close. “Go!” Hayes shouted.
Elijah ran.
###
Emergency Tunnel — Elijah Greyhawk
The tunnel opened into the night — cold, dark, quiet. Elijah stepped out first, Chet in his arms, Torres right behind him. Chet’s breath hitched.
“Elijah…” he whispered.
Elijah leaned close. “I’m here.”
Chet’s eyes fluttered. Then closed.
“Elijah?” Torres said sharply. “He’s losing consciousness.”
Elijah’s heart lurched. “No. No. Stay with me.”
Hayes emerged from behind them. “We need to evacuate now!”
Leah’s voice crackled through the radio. “Medical team is en route. Hold position.”
Elijah sank to his knees, cradling Chet against him. “Stay with me,” he whispered.
“Please.”