Chapter 25 - The Purge Sequence
Sirens roared through every level beneath the station.
A computerized voice echoed across the underground complex.
"Containment failure detected. Purge sequence begins in fifteen minutes."
Marcus looked toward Michael.
"Purge?"
Michael's expression turned grim.
"The laboratory can destroy itself."
Laura instinctively pulled Ethan closer.
"With everyone inside?"
Michael nodded.
"It was designed to eliminate evidence."
Emily immediately ran toward the main console.
"There has to be a cancellation code."
"There is."
Michael hurried beside her.
"But Adrian changes it every twenty-four hours."
Daniel approached Adrian.
"You planned to kill everyone."
Adrian didn't even deny it.
"The research matters."
"The children?"
"They are the research."
Jacob stepped forward.
"We're people."
Adrian looked at him without emotion.
"You were."
Buddy suddenly barked loudly.
He wasn't looking at Adrian.
He was staring toward one of the upper maintenance balconies.
Daniel followed his gaze.
Several armed guards had quietly surrounded the chamber while everyone focused on the countdown.
Marcus cursed under his breath.
"They're setting up firing positions."
The lead guard spoke through a loudspeaker.
"Step away from the machine."
Nobody moved.
The countdown reached fourteen minutes.
Emily continued searching the console.
"I found encrypted files."
Michael leaned closer.
"They require two authorizations."
Daniel asked,
"Yours and Adrian's?"
Michael nodded.
Adrian smiled faintly.
"I have no intention of helping."
Daniel looked at Ethan.
The boy suddenly pointed toward another screen.
"That one."
Michael turned.
"What?"
"The machine says there's another administrator."
Emily quickly opened the hidden menu Ethan indicated.
A second authorization profile appeared.
STATUS: ACTIVE.
Michael stared in disbelief.
"I thought it was deleted."
Daniel read the name aloud.
"Sarah Parker."
Laura gasped.
"My sister?"
Michael slowly nodded.
"She worked here before disappearing."
Laura whispered,
"We buried her."
Michael looked at the screen.
"No."
According to the system...
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Sarah Parker was still alive.
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