Chapter 57 - The Protocol Intercept
“Not on my watch,” I said, stepping forward to press the barrel against his collarbone. “Ethan, get on the console. Initiate the master quarantine sequence from David’s chip.”
Ethan didn't hesitate. He dashed past General Vance toward the main administrative terminal, slamming David’s microchip into the primary port and flying his fingers across the keyboard with lightning speed.
“Master terminal accessed!” Ethan shouted, sweat dripping down his forehead. “I’m injecting the quarantine script now... but Vance’s firewall is fighting back. It’s routing an automated counter-purge through the local server banks!”
General Vance smiled thinly, raising his hands slightly. “You’re too late, Captain. The quarantine script requires direct biometric authorization from the primary architect to bypass the core firewall. And I’m the only one whose genetic signature is registered to that terminal.”
“Then you’re going to authorize it,” I said, shifting my grip on my pistol.
Before Vance could lunge or trigger a hidden panic switch, the heavy steel doors at the entrance of the central server chamber suddenly burst open. Three heavily armed private security operatives rushed into the room, their carbines raised and screaming commands in German.
“Drop your weapons! Down on the ground!” the lead operative bellowed, swinging his rifle toward Ethan at the terminal.
May you like
Sarah reacted with blinding speed, pivot-spinning behind a concrete console and firing two precise suppressive rounds that clipped the lead guard’s shoulder armor, sending him crashing hard onto the metal grating.
The second guard swung his weapon toward Sarah, but I fired instantly, disabling his weapon arm and dropping him to his knees.
