The floor shook beneath their feet as another charge went off somewhere above. Bits of plaster rained from the ceiling, coating the monitors in dust. The lights flickered, threatening to drown the room in darkness.
Selene's hands flew over the console, her eyes hard and unblinking. "They're cutting through the western stairwell. Two squads. If they break that door, we're finished."
Maya's heart thumped like a drum. She kept the headset pressed tight against her ear, trying not to let her fear bleed into her voice. "Kieran, keep moving. I'll… I'll be right here." She muted the mic before her trembling could betray her.
A metallic clang rang out from the far wall—the sound of boots striking reinforced steel. The Enforcers had reached the final barrier.
Selene reached under the desk, yanked free a weathered case, and snapped it open. Inside lay a compact rifle, sleek and black, its surface scratched but deadly. She checked the magazine with a calm efficiency that chilled Maya.
"You've done this before," Maya whispered.
"Too many times." Selene didn't look at her. She set the rifle on the table, then pulled out a sidearm and slid it across to Maya. "You ever fire one?"
Maya's throat tightened. She stared at the weapon like it was a snake. "No."
"Safety off, point, squeeze. Don't think too much. If they get through, aim for the visors. Otherwise, their armor will eat the rounds." Selene's tone was flat, practical, but her eyes flicked toward Maya with something softer—acknowledgment of the weight she was placing on her shoulders.
Maya swallowed hard and picked up the pistol. It felt heavy, wrong in her hands, but she forced her grip steady. She couldn't afford to falter now—not with Kieran depending on her voice, not with Selene standing beside her like a shield.
The wall shuddered again. A seam split down the center of the steel door.
Selene cursed under her breath and began typing furiously into the console. Red warnings flashed across the screens. "I can slow them down. Force the lockdown protocols into overdrive. It won't hold forever, but it might buy us sixty seconds."
Maya unmuted the mic, forcing steadiness into her tone. "Kieran, keep left. Don't slow down. The air will get heavier, but that's the right path."
His voice came back, ragged, desperate. "Still with you… just don't stop talking."
The words stabbed through her chest, giving her just enough courage to keep her own terror buried.
The steel door screeched. A thin line of light cut through the crack, widening with every blow.
Selene snapped the console shut and pulled the rifle tight against her shoulder. "They're coming."
The first Enforcer forced its way through, its black visor gleaming red in the half-light. It raised a weapon—too large, too cold. Selene fired. The crack echoed like thunder, and sparks erupted as her shot slammed into the visor. The Enforcer staggered but didn't fall.
Maya froze. Then she remembered Selene's words: Don't think. Just squeeze. She raised the pistol, her hands shaking, and pulled the trigger. The recoil jolted her arm, the sound ringing in her ears. The bullet pinged off the Enforcer's armor, useless.
"Visor, Maya!" Selene barked.
The Enforcer fired back, its round punching into the console, sending shards of plastic and sparks spraying across the room. The radio hissed with static—Kieran's voice almost lost in the noise.
Maya aimed again, higher, and squeezed. The shot cracked into the glowing visor. This time, the Enforcer fell, crashing to the floor like a toppled statue.
More boots thundered against the corridor. Another squad was seconds behind.
Selene grabbed Maya's wrist, pulling her toward the rear exit. "We can't hold this. If we stay, he's gone. We move now."
Maya's breath came fast, but she tightened her grip on the pistol. The console hissed and smoked behind them, the screens flickering with symbols that no one had typed. Strange glyphs pulsed in the glow, almost like eyes watching them leave.
She hesitated for a fraction of a second. The subnet wanted them to stay. She could feel it.
Then Selene yanked her hard, and the two of them vanished into the darkness just as the second squad stormed the room.