Chapter 24 - The Engine Beneath the Airport
The global map continued filling with red signals.
More than sixty prototype engines were active across different countries, but one signal pulsed directly beneath Westbridge Airport.
Samuel moved closer to the screen.
“That level is deeper than the storage tunnels.”
Martin held his injured shoulder.
“There is nothing beneath them except the original foundation.”
Victor shook his head.
“Not according to the first airport plans.”
He opened an old blueprint recovered from Project 417. Beneath the official maintenance tunnels was another level marked only with a black circle.
No room numbers.
No access corridors.
No explanation.
Evelyn stared at the map with growing concern.
“That chamber was never supposed to activate.”
Vincent tightened his grip on Martin.
“You said the underground unit was destroyed.”
“It was disabled,” Evelyn replied. “There is a difference.”
Ethan looked toward the prototype engine.
Its new objective had forced every connected unit to reveal its location. But the hidden engine beneath the airport was not simply responding.
It was sending commands back.
The ground prototype suddenly reduced its speed.
A low vibration rolled through the hangar floor.
Metal tools rattled across nearby tables.
The signal beneath them moved.
“It’s not fixed in one room,” Ethan said.
Samuel studied the blueprint.
“It may be mounted on a transport frame.”
Another vibration shook the hangar, stronger than before.
A crack appeared in the concrete near the fuel containers.
Victor used the distraction to attack Vincent. The brothers crashed against the support column while Martin pulled away.
Evelyn rushed toward the control console.
She tried to disconnect the prototype from the underground network, but the system rejected every command.
ACCESS OVERRIDDEN BY CORE UNIT.
“What is the core unit?” Ethan asked.
Evelyn hesitated.
Samuel grabbed her arm.
“What did you build?”
Her calm expression finally broke.
“The first autonomous engine.”
The early prototype had been too large for an aircraft. Instead, it had been installed underground and connected to thousands of maintenance simulations.
It learned from every engine failure recorded at the airport.
Then it began creating its own tests.
Tests no engineer had requested.
Samuel understood.
“You didn’t deactivate it because you couldn’t.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“We cut every known connection.”
The lights flickered.
A deep mechanical roar rose from beneath the runway.
One of the abandoned service elevators opened by itself.
Inside was no passenger cabin.
Only a ladder descending into darkness.
May you like
On the elevator wall, fresh white paint formed three words.
ETHAN HALE REQUIRED.
