The maintenance shaft was narrower than the blueprints suggested, forcing them to move single file through the darkness. Emily followed Marcus, with Isabelle behind her and the other two specialists bringing up the rear. The countdown timer on her tablet read 54:23.
"Server room is directly below us," Marcus whispered. "We drop down through this access panel and—"
He stopped abruptly. Emily heard it too—the sound of metal sliding against metal. The access panel ahead of them was sealing shut, automated barriers dropping into place.
"Back! Go back!" Marcus commanded.
But the panel behind them was closing too. Emily felt panic surge as she realized what was happening—they weren't trapped in a maintenance shaft. They were trapped in a section that was rapidly becoming a sealed corridor.
"It's a panic room," one of the specialists said grimly. "The whole section is designed to contain intruders until security arrives."
