Nexus and Shadows

CHAPTER 12 - Escape or Die

Panic surged through Zade as the alarms blared, the red lights flashing ominously around them. The air thickened with tension, and the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor beyond the locked door. They were running out of time.

“Serena, we need to find another way out,” he said, urgency lacing his voice. He turned back to the control panel, desperate to find a way to override the lockdown.

“I’m trying!” Serena exclaimed, her fingers flying over the keys, but the alarms drowned out the sound of her efforts. “It’s not responding—Nexus must have locked us out!”

Zade cursed under his breath, glancing around the room for any other means of escape. The only other exit was a small ventilation shaft high on the wall, but it was too high for them to reach. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, pushing him to think clearly. They couldn’t afford to panic.

“We have to distract them,” Zade said, his mind racing. “If we can cause enough noise, maybe we can slip out while they’re focused on the commotion.”

“Right,” Serena replied, her voice steadier now. “What do you have in mind?”

Zade scanned the room and spotted a large cabinet filled with equipment. He quickly approached it and began rummaging through the contents. “If we can create a diversion… maybe I can rig something to explode or set off the fire alarm.”

Serena joined him, helping him sift through the gear. “I’ll look for anything that can help. We need to act fast!”

As they worked together, Zade could hear the footsteps growing louder outside, the voices of the guards discussing their plan. He felt a cold chill run down his spine. They were running out of time.

“Here!” Serena exclaimed, pulling out a canister labeled “Chemical Reagent.” “This could be volatile if we mix it with something else.”

Zade’s eyes lit up with inspiration. “Perfect! We can combine it with the flammable material over there,” he pointed to a container marked with a warning symbol. “That should create enough of an explosion to draw their attention.”

Together, they quickly poured the chemical reagent into the flammable container, mixing the two substances while listening for any signs of the guards entering the control room.

“Okay, now what?” Serena asked, glancing nervously at the door.

“Set it near the door, then we’ll back away and get ready to move,” Zade instructed.

Once they set the container against the wall, Zade grabbed a lighter from the table. “On my count,” he said, taking a deep breath. “One… two… three!”

He flicked the lighter and dropped it into the container. Instantly, a bright flash erupted from the mixture, followed by a loud explosion that shook the room. Flames shot up, and the blast sent a shockwave through the air, making the walls rattle.

“Now!” Zade shouted, grabbing Serena’s hand as they dashed toward the vent.

The alarms grew louder as the guards outside shouted in confusion. Zade could hear them scrambling to deal with the explosion, their attention drawn away from the control room.

With adrenaline surging, Zade boosted Serena up to the ventilation shaft, and she gripped the edge with her arms, pulling herself inside. He quickly followed, scrambling into the narrow space just as the door to the control room burst open.

“Search the room!” a guard shouted. “They can’t have gone far!”

Zade and Serena crawled through the vents, moving as quietly as possible. The metallic walls echoed with their movements, and Zade could hear the distant sounds of chaos below.

“Which way?” Serena whispered, glancing around in the dim light of the vent.

“Follow me,” Zade replied, trying to remember the layout Aric had shown them. They crawled deeper into the labyrinthine ventilation system, the sounds of shouting guards fading into the background.

After several minutes, they reached a vent that overlooked a hallway. Zade peered through the grating, spotting two guards patrolling below. They had to wait for the right moment to drop down.

“Do you think they know we’re in the vents?” Serena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know,” Zade replied, his heart racing. “But we can’t stay here much longer. We need to get to the exit.”

They watched as the guards moved past, their backs turned. Zade turned to Serena, his eyes determined. “Now or never.”

He pushed open the vent cover just enough to squeeze through. Serena followed closely, and they dropped down silently, landing on the cold concrete floor. They quickly pressed against the wall, listening for any signs of the guards.

“Which way?” Serena asked, glancing around frantically.

“Follow me,” Zade said again, scanning for the nearest exit sign. They started down the hallway, moving as quietly as possible, each step echoing in the silence.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from behind them, and Zade spun around to see one of the guards barreling down the hallway toward them.

“Run!” he yelled, grabbing Serena’s hand and pulling her forward.

They sprinted down the corridor, the sound of boots pounding against the floor behind them. Zade’s heart raced as they rounded a corner, desperate to find a way out. They could hear the guards shouting orders behind them, their footsteps growing louder.

“There!” Serena shouted, pointing to an emergency exit sign glowing faintly ahead.

They dashed toward the exit, Zade pushing the door open and leading Serena outside into the cool night air. They stumbled into an alley, their lungs burning from the sprint.

“We made it!” Serena gasped, looking back at the facility with wide eyes. “But they’ll be searching for us!”

“We can’t stop now,” Zade replied, pulling her close as they caught their breath. “We need to find a safe place to regroup and figure out our next move.”

Serena nodded, determination shining in her eyes. “What do we do now?”

Zade looked around, his mind racing with possibilities. “We can’t go back to the warehouse. They’ll expect us there. We need to find Aric and let him know what we found out.”

“Then let’s go,” Serena said, her voice steady. “We’re not done yet.”

With their hearts pounding and the sound of the alarms fading in the distance, Zade and Serena stepped into the night, ready to confront whatever came next.