Every creature in the chamber screamed.
The sound echoed through the underground facility like a tidal wave of pain.
Emily covered her ears instantly.
The cries weren't merely sounds.
They were emotions.
Fear.
Desperation.
Agony.
Thousands of voices merged together inside her mind.
The Core pulsed violently.
Golden light exploded throughout the chamber.
The floor trembled.
The walls cracked.
Dust rained from the ceiling.
WARNING: NINETY SECONDS TO DETONATION.
The alarm echoed relentlessly.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Everyone stared at the Core.
Because something was changing.
Something was happening.
The giant sphere of energy brightened.
Then dimmed.
Then brightened again.
Almost like it was struggling to make a decision.
Emily felt her heart racing.
The connection between her and the Core had never felt stronger.
She could feel its fear.
Its confusion.
Its desperation.
It was dying.
And it didn't want to die alone.
Suddenly—
