𝓢𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽

Chapter 2: Computers

Third POV:

We decided to split up again to hack computers faster. Scarlet and Jarred, Kylee and Kate.

Jarred's POV:

As Scarlet and I moved down the corridor, the eerie silence was only broken by the occasional distant growl of the beast. The air was thick with tension, and every shadow seemed to hide a lurking danger. I glanced at Scarlet, who was trying her best to stay calm. I knew I had to keep my composure for both our sakes.

We reached a small room and, to our relief, found a computer terminal. "I'll handle the hacking," I said, taking the flash drive and inserting it into the computer. As I began typing, my mind was racing. We had to be quick. Every second counted.

The screen displayed the progress of the hack, each passing percentage feeling like an eternity. I could hear Scarlet's anxious breaths behind me as she stood guard by the door. Suddenly, a low growl echoed down the hallway, much closer than before.

"Stay focused," I muttered to myself. The hack completed, and the screen displayed "7 more computers to go." I let out a sigh of relief but knew we couldn't rest yet.

"We need to move," I said, grabbing Scarlet's hand and pulling her down the corridor. We ran, trying to remain as silent as possible, our footsteps barely making a sound on the cold, hard floor.

We turned a corner and almost ran into Kate and Kylee. "Did you get the computer?" Kate asked urgently.

"Yeah, but the beast is close," I replied, my voice betraying my fear.

"We managed to hack one too," Kylee said. "That makes six more."

We decided to stick together, the growls becoming too frequent and too close for comfort. Using the blueprints Scarlet found, we navigated towards the next computer terminal. As we approached another room, I heard the familiar hum of machinery and saw the faint glow of a monitor.

Inside, we found another computer. "I'll keep watch this time," Scarlet said. I quickly got to work on the terminal with Kate and Kylee by my side. The tension in the room was palpable. We had to move fast.

Just as the screen displayed "5 more computers to go," the door burst open. My heart dropped as I saw the beast—a hulking shadow with glowing eyes—standing in the doorway.

"Quick, into the vent!" Scarlet shouted. We scrambled into the narrow vent, the beast's roars echoing behind us. The metal creaked under our weight as we crawled through the vent system, trying to put as much distance between us and the beast as possible.

"We need a new plan," Scarlet said once we reached a safe spot. "We can't keep running like this."

"We have to hack the remaining computers and find the escape route," I replied, my mind racing with possibilities. "But we need to be smarter about it."

Kylee's POV:

The growl was so close it felt like it was right behind us. My heart pounded in my chest as Kate and I made our way through the facility. Every shadow seemed to move, every noise seemed amplified. I tried to keep my fear at bay, but it was getting harder with each passing moment.

We reached a door that looked different from the others—it had a keypad and a small screen next to it. "This looks important," Kate said, approaching the door. "Maybe one of the computers is in here."

I tried the handle, but it was locked. "We need a code to get in," I said, my voice shaking slightly.

Kate thought for a moment. "Maybe the computer we hacked has the code. Let's head back and check."

As we made our way back, the growl echoed again, this time louder and closer. We hurried down the corridors, finally reaching the room where Scarlet and Jarred were waiting.

"We got the code for a locked door," Scarlet said. "Let's go together and see what's behind it."

We headed towards the door, the ominous growl following us, growing louder with each step. We reached the door and entered the code, the keypad beeping as it unlocked. The door creaked open, revealing a room filled with old documents and equipment.

Among the clutter, we found a set of blueprints for the facility. "These blueprints show an escape route," Scarlet said, her voice filled with determination. "We're getting closer."

We moved cautiously, using the blueprints to guide us. As we approached another room, the familiar hum of machinery indicated another computer terminal. But this time, there was no flash drive in sight.

Jarred's POV:

"We're going to have to solve a puzzle to hack this one," I said, examining the computer. The screen displayed a complex maze, with various symbols scattered throughout.

"Looks like we need to find a way to navigate through the maze and match the symbols in the correct order," Kate observed, peering over my shoulder.

"Great," Kylee muttered. "A puzzle. Just what we need right now."

I took a deep breath and focused on the screen. "Let's work together. We can figure this out."

We started analyzing the maze, trying different paths and combinations. The symbols were tricky, and every wrong move seemed to trigger a loud beep, making our hearts race.

"Try this path," Scarlet suggested, tracing a route with her finger. "It seems to align with the sequence we've figured out so far."

I carefully followed her instructions, navigating through the maze. The symbols began to align, and finally, with one last move, the maze was completed. The computer chimed, and the screen displayed "4 more computers to go."

"Great job, team," I said, relief washing over me. But the growl echoed once more, reminding us that we were far from safe.

"We have to keep moving," I said urgently. "Let's find the next computer."

Kylee's POV:

We continued through the facility, the tension growing with each step. The blueprints indicated another computer nearby. We reached the room and quickly got to work on the terminal. The beast's growls were almost constant now, echoing through the corridors.

"We're running out of time," Kate said, her voice filled with urgency.

"We have to stay focused," I replied. "We can do this."

The hack completed, and the screen displayed "3 more computers to go." We sighed in relief, but we knew the danger was far from over. With the beast hot on our trail and only a few computers left to hack, we had to be smarter and faster if we wanted to escape this nightmare.

We moved towards the next terminal, our resolve stronger than ever. We knew the path ahead would be filled with dangers, but we were determined to find our way out and uncover the secrets of this dark, twisted place.