Floor 19: Emergency Vault, light out...
Everyone had backup light lamps powered by mechanical energy, which they lit on their desks while playing cards.
"Here I'm out!" she said, tossing her card.
Tim was surprised to see her win again. Zoey went next and won as well. Now it was Tim, Ryan and Mike. It was Mike's last chance. He drew a card, confident that Tim would call and win next, but as he revealed his hand... Ryan won instead.
That marked Mike's fourth loss in a row.
"Well... fifth time's the charm, right?" he muttered, as the others gave him pitiful looks. They began shuffling the cards for the next match.
Beep... Beep... Beep... (looping)
"What's going on?" Zoey asked.
Sergeant Johnson moved toward the door with his team as the others rushed over to see the commotion. Beeping meant someone was signaling from outside. Normally, this was a trigger for rescuers to request the vault doors be opened, but they could only be unlocked from the inside unless the operatives used a bypass card.
Sergeant Spike turned to Johnson.
"Should we open the vault?"
Another soldier interjected,
"But it could be the imposter. We can't verify."
"Well, it might be the operatives calling it out. With or without the bypass, at least we can look through the glass to see who's there. Hurry, get me a book and some sketches."
Spike retrieved a notebook and black sketch pad from one of the desks and handed them to Johnson.
A female scientist stepped forward nervously.
"Are you sure about this?"
Johnson gave a firm nod before approaching the codepad. He entered a sequence to activate the Close-Door mechanism, a system that allowed them a slight view through the other side, though with very limited visibility.
The sergeant leaned closer to the door. Beyond it, water shimmered faintly, and an employee in a soldier's outfit stood there, plasma gun in hand. The figure noticed the close-door mechanism activate, betrayed by a faint glitch in the light. Calmly, he pulled out a tablet and displayed something he had written beforehand, evidence that he had been in this exact situation before.
"Altman Ranger, Lead RAA of the Medicus Sector."
He showed his ID as it activated, then added,
"The place inside is going to blow up due to an abnormality."
"What did he say?" one of the scientists asked curiously. The sergeant told everyone to calm down and ordered another soldier to check the pressure inside immediately. The power levels couldn't be measured easily, they had to check by cracking open a ceiling panel embedded inside.
"This place is submerged in breathing water. It's safe to breathe here, but you need to get out ASAP."
When the trooper checked the meter was over 90 percent, the structure was about to collapse. He rushed to the main room as the place began to shake, waves of water flooding inside. A strange sensation of imbalance overcame them. The sergeant said,
"Everyone, it's time to leave this place, now!"
The others quickly gathered, taking as much food as they could carry. Some scientists hesitated, fearing suffocation, or worse, infection. But Altman gave a final warning:
"Get out, or you'll be crushed alive!"
So he opened the door. Trust was thin, but the sheer tension of the situation made the warning impossible to ignore. Standing firm, Altman signaled them to stay on high alert. Water surged in, forcing some people back. Tim held her hand as she held Zoey's hand tightly, while others clung to the walls.
The sound of cracking metal echoed around the vault.
"What's happening?" the lead scientist shouted.
"The place is going to collapse, get out now!" Spike yelled so everyone could hear.
The vault began filling with water, leaving them no choice but to swim. Out of reflex, they took a deep breath and plunged in. Altman, soaked but steady in his mask and gear, reached the Sergeant as chaos spread. Spike guided the last person out as the structure trembled violently.
As they struggled to hold their breath, Altman called out,
"You can breathe in here. This isn't ordinary water, sound passes through it like air."
Cautiously, the others tried, and though it was difficult at first, they realized they could breathe. Many struggled, but soon all managed to adapt. Once Sargent adjusted to the strange air, he spoke with Altman about the situation.
As the two conversed, the others began to explore, confused and curious about their surroundings.
"What about back-up?"
"The most confidential squad has been assigned. But the situation is still Code-Red. Protocol Nightmare has been issued."
"And how do we get out of here?"
"That... is actually not possible, unless"
Meanwhile, back with Annie and Martin on Floor 13, they reached the emergency exit. But on the other side of the vault door, the corner revealed a strange, permeable jelly-like wall. The view outside was blurry, yet they could make out several figures waiting. Their silhouettes were motionless but menacing, ready to fight, ready to kill.
Then Martin realized who they were.
Syveron. Once a military corporation, it had become a trillion-dollar industrial giant. With its rapid growth, it was commissioned to train the most advanced soldiers possible. Their influence created one of the strongest combat units a nation could ever turn into assets. Officially, Syveron's highest domain was represented by Energon. But in truth, its most profitable and secretive asset was Aegis, which accounted for nearly 68% of the company's total income.
Martin and Annie were staring at the second-best squad the world had to offer—the infamous Raptor Squad. They were Syveron's elite enforcers, ruthless soldiers handpicked for their obedience and skill, rewarded with top-tier luxuries and privileges for their loyalty.
The Raptor soldiers stood in formation, clad in dark combat suits, carrying heavily modified weapons. That faint green glow from their visors cast an eerie hue.
"Guys, we've got survivors near the gate."
"Sarge! Orders?"
"Send one of ours for safety. Over."
"Yo, who's up for babysitting?" a soldier joked.
"How about the newbie?" another smirked.
The chosen man stepped forward. He had broad shoulders but looked almost too young for his imposing physique. A Swedish soldier with a sharp wolf-cut hairstyle, he unlocked a case containing a customized assault rifle and a classified sidearm.
Martin instinctively tried to back away, but the soldier was already stepping forward.
"Noah, you got this?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Alright then, Sarge. We're sending our comrade in."
"Proceed. Engage."
Annie turned to Martin, her voice uneasy.
"We can't get through... can we?"
"We were so close... but this jelly—I can't pass through it,"
Martin muttered, kicking the door. Annie glanced past him.
"What are the soldiers doing?"
"Wait... one of them is coming straight toward us."
Noah entered, carrying two suitcases. They both brightened at the sight of someone capable of saving them.
"Hello, I'm Rez Martin—Medicus, Rank Three—and she is..."
He reached for a handshake, realized his hands were full, and froze, embarrassed. Annie picked up smoothly,
"Annie Stanford, Rank Three Medicus Scientist. So you're here to save us."
"Well, kind of. I'm here as a supplier. Given the situation, you both could be infected, so I can't risk letting you go."
"Wait, so you made that jelly thing?"
"No. It was caused by Nakamoto—the inmate imprisoned here broke out and triggered this havoc. Here, you must be hungry."
He handed them each a Benjamin cream roll.
"This is all I can give for now."
Starving, they tore into the rolls with relief as Noah, suddenly stoic, began sweeping the area with a scanner. He felt it before he saw it—too many of them.
"Martin, take this and hurry—there's a huge horde heading our way!"
He pressed an FN Five-seveN into Martin's hand and a combat knife into Annie's. She slid the knife into her belt as Martin gulped down the last of the roll, and she did the same. Then they sprinted the other way. A tide of black, molten figures poured out, some plunging into the void with shrieks as they sensed a new presence. Noah slapped C4 onto the wall as he ran and shouted,
"Don't stop! Don't look back!"
They raced for the door—only to find the front hallway choked with another screaming mass. The door wouldn't budge, so Noah kicked it in and plunged into the darkness beyond, yanked a flare, and hurled it. As the red light skittered down the hall, it revealed bodies strewn across the floor. Annie stumbled over a corpse and fell; Martin hauled her up while Noah held the line—detonating the C4 and firing into the rushing swarm. There were too many. They ran again. Noah took point, cut a corner, and found a breach in the wall—a cramped passage that might buy them space. He yelled, signaling the opening. They piled in. Noah armed another charge and slipped through; the blast choked the corridor with dust. When it cleared, the monsters crowded the gap but halted. Noah raised his weapon—then lowered it as the pursuit stalled.
"Guys... where are we?" Annie whispered, staring ahead as Martin steadied Noah.
"It should be Floor 13, we didn't hit the stairs and—Whoa!"
Before them stretched a long, gloomy valley, trees and a lake shimmering with an eerie glow. Noah exhaled.
"Well, that's something."
"Whao, this is new…" Annie says, looking at the place.
"Guys, there's a kid right there."
The calm breeze in the purple aurora sky as walking through the desertland, A blue checked clothed young kid sitting with his legs tucked in. As they move forward, the land rises as if the sight of the ship theory. The place is spherical with a lot of uneven places of stalls and forest and cities places as zones in this deserted land. There is an amusement park and hall of gallery and shrine far away scattered and a path connecting to it.
The boy is sitting with a dull face, Annie tries to talk to him as they both try to find a way. He was a Japanese boy, maybe around eighteen years old, dressed in a white-and-blue sailor-striped T-shirt, white shorts, and orange crocs.
"Hey, kid, it's a nice view out here right."
The boys still frown and are depressed.
"Yeah." Then Annie asks him.
"Well, did you come here alone?"
"Why is this the same thing everyone asks me?" The kid was pissed as he got up and said.
"Okay, Now I am not a kid anymore."
Noah says,
"What's going on kid, we are damn sure you're involved in this." Martin, confused with Noah, said…
"Wait what?! What do you mean by "involved?"
"Stop the act kid and let us out of this place." The kid said smiling.
"Damn straight, okay then but first lets have some fun together until we can."
"What?" Annie is filled with even more confusion as he continues.
"Here comes the Bugatti Chiron. And here is the key…" Hands it to Noah and says
"Oh where are my manners, I am Mochi here at your service." The roads get paved to the nearest Amusement park.
Feedback Ending.
Author's Closing Note
Thank you for reading this far! This marks the preview of the
Crimson Directive 001 - Obscured Threshold
ACT - Ⅰ [M] Manifestation
story's first draft—for now. Based on reader interest, feedback, and your suggestions, I'll consider sharing additional chapters or updating this manuscript with a full completed draft or a final, refined cut in the future.
I'm submitting this work to the contest to gain feedback and connect with a wider audience. Your thoughts, critiques, and words of encouragement mean a lot to me. Please feel free to share your suggestions—I read every comment and look forward to improving the story together with my readers.
Stay tuned for updates, and thank you again for your support!