The metallic echo of the Black Protocol's door slam resonated in Kane's ears. The alarm had ceased, leaving an oppressive silence broken only by the hum of the servers.
The lab, once a sanctuary of science, had become a prison. Kane sat in front of his monitor, his mind focused on the only way out he had: to expose the truth before LyraGen could bury it.
The task was not easy. The intercepted message had made it clear that LyraGen was watching him. Every network, every device, was a potential traitor. With Lina's help, he accessed a terminal in the deepest part of his lab, one used for the security systems' maintenance tests. A back door that, hopefully, would not be so closely monitored.
On the screen, a map of digital veins opened before him, a network of a biological empire that extended far beyond the walls of his lab. Kane moved through the interface with frenetic speed, his fingers flying over the keyboard, leaping from node to node, dodging the traps of surveillance. Lina, from her station, shouted warnings to him.
"Camera turning, Kane, 2C-821. Five seconds. Now!"
On the screen, Kane saw the cameras in his sector swivel, their red-eyed lenses blinking like a predator. The security system vocalized, its voice robotic and cold: "Anomaly detected in sector 2C-821. Threat level: low. Monitoring…" The sensation of a countdown became palpable, an invisible clock ticking down to his imminent discovery.
It was then that Kane found what he was looking for, a private network encoded under the name 'Project Chronos'. He used a bypass protocol he had been taught by a former university colleague, Daniel, a brilliant hacker who now worked at another lab. Kane had no contact with him, but his knowledge guided him through the digital labyrinth.
The network opened. What he saw chilled him to the bone. It wasn't just his lab. There were others. Multiple nodes, labeled as 'Silo 1,' 'Silo 2,' 'Silo 12,' and more. All with the same research in progress. It was an institutional denial, a scale of conspiracy that went beyond what he had imagined. His world shrank.
"My God," Lina whispered, looking over his shoulder. "We're not the only ones, are we?"
"No," Kane replied, his voice raw with emotion. "We are pieces on their board. But they are also pieces in a much bigger game."
In the databases of each Silo, Kane found a myriad of classified documents and hidden records. He read about the reanimation of subjects, the spread of the virus, the coldness of the bureaucrats in handling the chaos. In every report, there was one constant: denial, the manipulation of data to make the problem seem like an anomaly, an isolated incident.
With Lina's help, Kane began to copy all the data. His hands moved with desperate haste as he felt the silent suspense before the storm. The lab lights flickered at times, sensor doors activated for no reason. It was as if the network itself knew they were there.
Upon finding a file labeled 'Phase Omega – Exit,' Kane felt a chill. The file contained the blueprints of all LyraGen facilities, including the service door Lina had found. The blueprints also showed emergency exit routes, but with a peculiarity: they all led to a biological waste sector. LyraGen not only wanted to contain the virus, but also the people. Kane turned to Lina.
"We have to escape, Lina. If the world doesn't know, we are lost."
"What if it's already too late?" Lina asked, her eyes filled with desperation.
"Then we'll make sure LyraGen falls with us," Kane replied, his voice full of a steely resolve.
The screen flickered, and the data copying process was completed. Kane had the evidence he needed. But now, the threat wasn't just outside, in the corridors, but also within. The cameras were swiveling, the sensors were activating, and the countdown to their escape had begun.
After a few minutes.
Kane was transferring the information from the terminal to another device for backup. The last byte of information was copied. Kane sat in silence, the closed laptop on his lap. The information was as dense and heavy as the lab's air.
He had the proof, but he knew it was a double-edged sword. The LyraGen network had seen him. It had noticed his intrusion. It was only a matter of time. The feeling of a countdown was oppressive, like an invisible clock ticking the seconds toward their inevitable end.
The intercom on his desk flickered with a cold, blue light. Kane stared at it. It wasn't a call. It was a notification. Hidden, but there. A shiver ran down his spine. The same color, the same tone as the message he had intercepted in his mail.
His work computer screen flickered. A face appeared on the screen, that of Dr. Rivas. She was alone in her office, the monitor's light shining on her impassive face, her hands clasped on the desk as if about to join in silent prayer, or waiting for someone who had already left. There was no anger. Just an unsettling calm.
"Dr. Kane," her voice said, as clear and metallic as a robot's. "We have noted anomalous activity at your station. An attempt to access the private network and, worse, an unauthorized data transfer."
Kane did not reply. He kept his gaze fixed. He felt trapped.
"I'd like to think that you are taking the necessary precautions for your research. But it makes no sense. Unless, of course, you are considering abandoning the research. And that would be a catastrophic error, Dr. Kane… For you."
Rivas's voice was not a threat; it was a statement of fact. Her tone was more unsettling than any scream. She didn't stop him, she just stared at him, her eyes filled with an incomprehensible coldness. It was at that moment that Kane understood the truth. They hadn't stopped him because they wanted him to leave. They wanted him to believe he could escape.
It was a test. A game. And if he stayed, he would be eliminated.
"If you'll excuse me, Dr. Kane," Rivas said, her voice sharp. "I have other matters to attend to. Don't worry, we have the right people to handle your project."
The screen went black, leaving Kane in total silence. The countdown had accelerated. LyraGen had let him go, but he knew it was a trap.
"Kane, I'm with you," a voice said from behind him. Lina was there; her gaze fixed on the monitor. "I can't stay anymore; if they did that to you, I won't last much longer. I can no longer be a part of LyraGen."
Lina's fear had transformed into determination. She had seen Rivas's brutality and the institutional denial, and she had made her choice. Lina decided to go with him. Not for a plan, but for a conviction. She stood by his side, her eyes gleaming with a steely resolve.
They began to plan their exit.
They opened the LyraGen blueprints and the security logs they had copied. The screen shone with lines of code, camera locations, and movement logs. The institutional denial was even clearer in the records, with the system systematically deleting any report of zombie activity.
They saw the cameras swiveling, like a sinister ballet, in corridors they knew were now full of the undead. They saw sensor doors opening and closing, with a predictable pattern. Lina used her skills to find the blind spots. She realized that the security system was designed to prevent escape, not to stop the zombies.
"Look," Lina said, pointing to a hidden log. "The security protocol not only seals the doors but also redirects the air to the containment labs. They are trying to contain the infection."
"No, they are trying to contain us," Kane said, his voice broken. "And they are using the zombies as bait."
The silent suspense in the lab was unbearable. The two looked at each other, knowing the next step would be the most difficult. The only way out was through the lion's den.
Interlude 4: Classified Audio – Silo 12
[AUDIO INITIATED - A low static hum is heard, followed by a connection tone. The voice is that of an operator, professional and tense.]
OPERATOR, TRANSMISSION UNIT: Transmission activated. Requesting access to the LyraGen private network, priority code Omega. Status report. Silo 12.
[A male voice, agitated and hoarse, responds through the channel.]
VOICE, SILO 12: Dr. Harrison here. God, finally. We've lost control. Containment protocol failure. I repeat, we have lost containment in the monitoring wing.
OPERATOR: Dr. Harrison, please maintain composure. Containment loss at what level?
VOICE, SILO 12: This isn't a drill. The cells have been breached. Multiple reanimations. We don't know how. Security is… it's collapsing. [The voice rises to a scream.] "Lock the doors! Shit, they're not stopping!"
[The audio is filled with background sounds: gunfire, the metallic sound of doors being forced open, and, underneath it all, a guttural moan and the dragging of feet that echo like a nightmare of Kane's.]
OPERATOR: Dr. Harrison, can you confirm the status of agent TS-996? Is there a failure in the suppression protocols?
VOICE, SILO 12: It's not working. The suppression systems... it's a damned lie! They've never worked. It's as if the agent was waiting for the moment. They are moving. They are spreading. The personnel… are fleeing. There is total chaos.
[Loud banging is heard against what appears to be a door, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Dr. Harrison's breathing becomes erratic and strained.]
VOICE, SILO 12: They are everywhere… in the corridors… there's no escape. This is the end. LyraGen… LyraGen knew. It's a… [A sharp scream is abruptly cut off.]
[Only an icy silence remains, broken by a static hum.]
OPERATOR: Dr. Harrison, respond. Dr. Harrison?
[The channel closes with a click sound, followed by a robotic voice message.]
AUTOMATED SYSTEM: Call disconnected. Reason: signal loss at source. Contact failed. Audio file labeled as 'suppressed information for security'.]
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Kane finds himself locked in the lab, and his only hope is to escape. However, this seems to be in the lab's plans.
Will Kane be able to get Lina out of the lab?
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Read my other novels
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 75)
#Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time (Chapter 79)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 22)
You can find them on my profile.]