Amber emergency beacons pulsed along the walls of sub-level three as distant artillery explosions vibrated through the overhead girders.
Water dripped from the ceiling into shallow puddles across the floor, splashing underfoot as three figures sprinted down the narrow maintenance corridor.
"Vasa, track that administrative keycard signal!" the young leader ordered through his tactical earpiece.
"Give me her exact room coordinates!"
"The signal is active inside Primary Junction Room Four-B," the scholar answered, his keyboard clattering rapidly over the communications channel.
"That terminal controls the harmonic bypass switch for our entire life-grid shield!"
"If someone uploads an emergency purge command, our barrier will drop for forty-five seconds," Diana warned with chilling urgency.
"Forty-five seconds is enough time for government howitzers to level the entire gymnasium shelter!"
