Glitch in the God Complex (AmpCore #1)

64 - Who Would Be Calling at this Time of Night?

Kirk almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of the high-pitched klaxon that exploded in his ear drums.

In an instant he was engulfed by a visceral, heart-stabbing sense of horror. In that instant a whole series of terrible things flashed before his eyes. He saw codewraiths coming to cut him to pieces, saw corporate agents kicking down the door to drag him away, wires being jammed into his skull, his mind emptied.

He leapt away from the technician and slid behind the closest table, training his jolter on the door.

"Son of a bitch!" Nevay snarled, spinning the technician's chair around to face her. She jammed her rifle against his chest. "You stupid fucker. Think your security's gonna save you?!"

"It wasn't me!" the man blurted shrilly, eyes wide as he raised his hands. "I swear, I didn't-"

She didn't let him finish. The rifle discharged with a low clap, muffled by the alarms, and the technician's chest exploded. The round ripped through his body and the chair behind, before gouging a crater in the floor beneath the security station.

"Nevay – god!" Kirk exclaimed, staring in shock at the crater in the man's torso.

"Bastard triggered the alarm. Made his own grave." Shoving the corpse and chair unceremoniously aside, Nevay leaned in to examine the screens. "Shit. Looks like he triggered a full security lockdown. Safe to say the secret's out." Turning around, she hefted her rifle and nodded to Delgado. "We better get moving."

The detective turned, shotgun in one hand, reaching out with the other to grab the manual door release. Exhaling a sharp breath, she slid it open about six inches and peeked out. In that moment, Kirk heard the clamour of voices and heavy footfalls in the passage beyond.

"Crap."

Delgado slid the door shut again and turned to lean her back against it. She looked at them, and a nervous smile twitched on her lips. "We might be trapped."

"What'd you see?"

"Security are on the move, and fast. And not just corp guards."

Kirk licked dry lips. "Codewraiths?"

She nodded, and moved away from the door, tucking herself into cover behind a console where took aim with her shotgun. Anything that came through that entrance was going to get a double-barrelled greeting.

He glanced at Nevay. Her face twisted with frustrated rage and she raised her rifle, not even bothering to take cover. Kirk guessed it wouldn't make much difference if they were cornered in here.

So this was it. To be honest, he was surprised they'd made it this far. The whole thing had been insane from the outset, hadn't it? A cop, a gangster and a wannabe musician taking on the might of Hadrian's corporations. It was a miracle he hadn't been cut to pieces in a back alley weeks ago.

Kirk felt weirdly at peace with it all. At least he could die knowing he'd tried. That he didn't just lie down at let it all happen. He fought back, however slightly. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled gripped his weapon a little tighter, and braced himself for it all to end.

The end didn't come though.

For several minutes the alarm continued the scream at them, and his muscles wound tighter and tighter with each passing second.

But no-one came. The door stayed shut.

Then the lights sputtered, sparks bursting from fittings like the whole building was having some kind of seizure. A low, reverberating thump echoed from somewhere deep in the facility, with enough force to shake the floor beneath his feet. He exchanged a look with Nevay, who shook her head in bewilderment.