STONE-COLD:REMASTERED

7 Seconds Away

The eerie silence that had settled over the room after the lockdown was shattered by the blaring of alarms. The shrill, piercing sound jolted Marshall from his anxious thoughts. He leaped to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins. Something was terribly wrong.

The red lights continued to pulse, casting the room in an ominous glow. Marshall's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. The emergency lockdown, the alarms, the faint sense of something lurking just beyond the walls—it all felt like a nightmare. And then, cutting through the chaos, he heard it.

Gunshots.

They echoed down the corridor, sharp and unmistakable. Marshall froze, his blood running cold. The sound was distant but unmistakable, the dull thud of bullets slamming into walls, the sharp crack of firearms echoing through the otherwise silent halls. The academy, a place that had seemed so secure, so untouchable, was under attack.

His thoughts spiraled out of control, fear gripping him tightly. Who could be attacking the academy? Was it connected to the conversation he had overheard earlier? The thought of "Project Genesis" and the mysterious Faunons sent a shiver down his spine.

Before he could process what was happening, the intercom crackled to life. The voice that came through was panicked, the words hurried and laced with fear.

"Alert, alert," the voice said, barely audible over the wail of the alarms. "Unknown mercenaries have entered the building. I repeat, unknown mercenaries—"

The voice was abruptly cut off by the sound of gunshots, a rapid burst that echoed ominously through the intercom. Then, silence.

Marshall stood there, his mind reeling. Mercenaries? The word echoed in his head, bringing with it a fresh wave of terror. The academy was under attack, and whoever had just spoken over the intercom had likely been shot. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. This wasn't just an emergency; it was a full-blown assault.

He had to get out. But how? The door was sealed shut, the lockdown system having turned his room into a cage. Marshall's breath quickened as he frantically searched for a way to defend himself, something—anything—that could help him survive whatever was happening outside his door.

His eyes landed on a metal pipe lying in the corner of the room, part of a disassembled piece of furniture that had been left behind by the previous occupant. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He grabbed it, the cold metal reassuring in his trembling hands. His thoughts were a whirlwind of fear and determination. If someone—or something—broke through that door, he wouldn't go down without a fight.

But he couldn't just wait. The gunshots were growing louder, closer, and he knew that time was running out. He had to find a way to get out of the room and away from the danger. And then, an idea struck him—a risky, desperate idea, but it was the only one he had.

Marshall rushed to the door's control panel, a small device embedded in the wall next to the door. The lockdown system had engaged all the security protocols, but Marshall had always been good with technology. He'd spent countless hours tinkering with gadgets and hacking systems back home, and if there was ever a time to put those skills to the test, it was now.

He pried off the panel's cover with the end of the pipe, exposing the tangle of wires and circuits beneath. His hands shook as he worked, but he forced himself to focus, to push past the fear. He didn't have the proper tools for this, just his bare hands and a desperate need to escape, but he knew enough about electronic systems to make an attempt.

The academy's security systems were some of the most advanced in the world, but they still relied on basic principles of electronics. Marshall's fingers worked quickly, stripping wires and connecting them in a way that would bypass the lockdown. He had to override the emergency protocol, trick the system into thinking the lockdown was over, even if only for a few seconds.