Chapter 68: The Lockdown

The lights went out, not one by one but all at once.

Darkness swallowed the corridor.

Markus froze up as Ash’s hand immediately rose and a small diamond he took from his mask formed between his fingers, glowing faintly in the darkness.

Reina stepped backward as she stared into the darkness ahead, "Something’s there."

Markus raised his crystalline hand, "Where?"

Reina didn’t answer. She was staring straight ahead.

Ash breathed slowly creating another diamond, then another.

Three small crystals glowing inside of his mask and one in his hand, casting just enough light to reveal the corridor.

Empty, nothing moved.

Markus looked at Darius, "You said they found us."

Darius remained completely still, "Yes."

"Who?" Markus asked.

Darius looked toward the darkness, "Not who." A pause, "What."

Markus’s expression hardened, "What do you mean, what?"

Darius didn’t respond.

A sound came from somewhere ahead, a soft metallic click.

Everyone froze and another click echoed then another, something was moving.

Not quickly but rather slowly and carefully. Like it knew they were listening.

Ash raised his hand as he threw the diamond shard he had in his hand.

The diamond flung forward. It illuminated the corridor.

Nothing was there.

Markus frowned, "There’s nothing there."

Darius looked at him, "That’s what you should be afraid of."

Markus turned toward him, "What?"

Darius pointed toward the ceiling and Markus looked up.

The security camera above them was moving slowly.

Its lens turned toward Markus then toward Ash then to Reina.

The camera stopped and a red light appeared. It was recording.

Markus stared at it, "They’re watching us."

Darius shook his head, "No."

The camera suddenly turned away.

Darius whispered, "They’re watching it."

The lights suddenly came back for half a second then they went out again.

A loud metallic slam echoed through the Foundation.

Markus flinched and another door slammed then another.

The sound travelled through the lower facility, one door after another.

Locking, sealing and trapping.

Ash looked around, "What the hell is happening?"

A speaker crackled above them as static filled the corridor.

Then a robotic voice spoke, "Emergency lockdown initiated."

Markus looked up, "Emergency lockdown?"

The voice continued, "Lower Foundation sector sealed."

Another metallic slam echoed in the distance, "Unauthorized biological presence detected."

Reina’s eyes widened, "Biological presence?"

Markus looked at Darius, "You said you knew what was down here."

Darius stared at the ceiling, "I know enough."

The speaker crackled again, "Containment protocols active."

Markus stepped closer to Darius, "Who the fuck triggered the lockdown?"

Darius didn’t answer.

Markus grabbed his shoulder, "Who did it?"

Darius finally looked at him, "You’re asking the wrong question."

Markus narrowed his eyes, "Then what’s the right one?"

Darius whispered, "Why did it wake up?"

Silence erupted between them.

Ash looked down the corridor, "Wait."

Markus turned slightly.

Ash’s expression had changed.

"What?" Markus questioned.

Ash pointed toward the floor, one of his diamonds had fallen lower. The light revealed something.

A trail, not of blood but something else. Long marks across the floor.

As if something heavy had been dragged through the corridor.

The marks disappeared around the corner.

Markus stared, "How long has that been there?"

Darius answered quietly, "Since yesterday."

Markus looked at him, "You knew?"

"I didn’t know it would wake up tonight." Darius answered.

Another sound echoed this time from behind them. It was a soft scrape.

Markus turned to it but there was nothing.

Reina slowly looked toward the darkness, "It’s behind us."

Ash immediately turned deploying some diamond out of his mask to light it up but the corridor was empty.

Markus looked at Reina, "You sure?"

Reina didn’t blink, "Yes."

The lights flickered once, twice then three times but after that the corridor went completely dark again.

A voice whispered from somewhere behind them,"Markus..."

Markus froze.

Ash’s diamonds immediately flared and Reina stepped closer to Markus.

Darius closed his eyes momentarily.

Markus whispered,"Did you hear that?"

Darius opened his eyes, "Yes."

The voice came again, "Markus..." It sounded almost human.

Markus turned toward the darkness, "Who’s there?"

No reply came immediately then the voice answered, "Don’t..." A pause, "...open..."

The lights returned once more but the corridor was empty.

Markus stared, "Open what?"

Darius’s face had gone pale. He looked toward the end of the corridor, "There."

Markus followed his gaze and a door stood at the very end.

It had been hidden because of the lights. Or at least Marcus hadn’t noticed it.

It was a thick metal door with no windows unlike the others, no handle. Only a black electronic panel beside it.

Above the door were faded letters.

RESTRICTED BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Markus slowly walked toward it. Darius grabbed his arm, "Don’t."

Markus stopped, "What is this?"

Darius didn’t answer him.

Ash walked closer as if he was drawn to it, "What is behind that door?"

Darius stared at it, "Something the Foundation buried."

Reina looked at him, "Buried?"

Darius nodded, "Not destroyed."

Markus looked at the door, "Why?"

Darius’s voice became quieter, "Because they couldn’t."

Markus stared at the words.

Then the emergency speaker crackled again, "Containment integrity: seventy-nine percent."

Ash looked upward, "Containment?"

The voice continued, "Containment integrity: sixty-eight percent."

Reina’s expression changed, "It’s dropping."

Markus looked at Darius, "What happens when it reaches zero?"

Darius didn’t answer.

Markus grabbed him again.. shacking him, "What happens?"

Darius looked directly at him, "It gets out."

The number changed, "61%."

Ash stepped backward, "Then we need to leave."

Markus nodded, "Agreed."

He turned around but the corridor behind them was gone.

Not physically but the security doors had sealed.

Massive metal barriers covered every exit.

Markus stared, "We’re trapped."

Darius nodded, "Yes."

Ash created more diamonds, "Then we break through."

Darius looked at him,"Don’t."

Ash frowned, "Why?"

"Because the Foundation built those doors to keep something out." Darius implied.

Markus looked at the barriers, then toward the restricted door.

His expression changed, "No."

Darius looked at him as Markus slowly turned, "The doors aren’t keeping us in."

Darius said nothing.

Markus continued, "They’re keeping it in."

The emergency speaker crackled, "Containment integrity: forty-nine percent."

A deep vibration travelled through the floor and everyone felt it.

Ash’s diamonds shook in the air.

Reina looked down, "Something moved."

Markus raised his hand.

The crystalline energy around his fingers intensified.

Another vibration came, this time it was stronger.

The lights flickered.

Then something struck the other side of the restricted door.

Everyone jumped.

Another impact came and the metal door bent slightly.

Ash stared, "What the hell is that?"

Darius whispered, "Subject 014."

Markus looked at him, "Subject what?"

Darius swallowed hard before continuing, "Subject 014."

Markus stepped closer, "You said Felix was the only survivor."

Darius nodded, "He was."

Markus frowned, "Then what is 014?"

Darius looked toward the door, "An adapted like you."

Another impact came.

The door shook.

Markus’s eyes widened, "You kept one here?"

Darius shook his head, "They kept it."

Another impact came as the metal bent further.

Ash raised both hands. Diamonds forming in his mask, "How strong is it?"

Darius looked at him, "I don’t know."

Ash frowned, "You don’t know?"

Darius’s voice dropped, "Because nobody has ever seen it outside containment."

Silence.

Markus stared at the door, "What happened to the people who tried?"

Darius looked away, "They stopped trying because they couldn’t."

The emergency speaker crackled, "Containment integrity: thirty percent."

Markus looked at the number, "Thirty."

The lights flickered, "Twenty-nine....Twenty-eight."

Then the speaker went silent and the Foundation became completely quiet.

No alarms, no voices, no footsteps. Nothing.

Markus whispered, "Why did it stop?"

Darius looked at him, "Because it’s listening."

Marcus felt something cold move through him.

Then a knock came from behind the door.

Three slow knocks."Knock. Knock. Knock."

Everyone stared and another set of three knocks was heard.

Reina whispered, "It’s not trying to break the door."

Markus looked at her, "What?"

She stared at the door,"It’s knocking."

Silence came forth for a moment then a voice came through the metal.

A human voice. It was quiet and weak, "Help me."

Ash’s expression changed.

Markus stepped forward.

Darius immediately grabbed him, "No."

Markus looked at him, "You heard that."

"Yes." Darius said.

"Someone’s trapped in there."

Darius shook his head, "No."

The voice came again, "Please..."

Markus stared at the door.

Darius whispered, "That’s not a person anymore."

The voice suddenly stopped.

The silence returned.

Then the speaker above them activated and a completely different voice came through.

Someone was speaking from another part of the Foundation.

"Markus Cain."

Markus looked up, "Who are you?"

The voice continued, "You shouldn’t have accessed that database."

Markus’s eyes narrowed, "You’ve been watching us."

A pause, "Yes."

Ash looked around, "Where are you?"

The voice ignored him.

"Markus Cain. Step away from the door."

Markus didn’t move, "Tell me what’s behind it."

Silence. Then, "You’re not ready."

Markus clenched his fist, "I’ve heard that enough."

He stepped toward the door.

Darius grabbed him again, "Markus."

Markus looked at him, "You knew about this."

Darius didn’t deny it, "I knew there was something here."

"You knew about Subject 014?...you knew he was in a pitiful state."

"Yes." Darius replied.

"You knew about the lockdown?"

"No." Darius continued.

Markus stared at him and Darius continued, "But I knew the Foundation was afraid of this place."

Another vibration shook the floor.

The restricted door slowly began to open not because someone unlocked it but because something on the other side was pushing it.

The gap widened.

Darkness appeared behind the door.

Reina stepped beside Markus as Darius moved backward.

Markus stared into the opening then he heard breathing.

Slow and heavy breathing.

Something stepped closer. A silhouette appeared.

A tall motionless silhouette. Its face remained hidden in the darkness.

Markus raised his crystalline hand.

The silhouette stopped, then it spoke, "Markus Cain."

Markus froze. The thing knew his name.

It took another step.

The emergency lights suddenly turned red. For one second, Markus saw its eyes.

They were glowing, then the lights went out. The door slammed shut.

Markus stood frozen.

Ash whispered, "Where did it go?"

Darius looked behind them, his face had changed, "It didn’t."

Marmus slowly turned.

Darius pointed toward the darkness behind them, "It came through."

A sound echoed from somewhere in the corridor.

One slow step followed by another. Markus raised his hand.

Darius backed away as the sound stopped.

Nothing moved for a moment.

Markus whispered, "Show yourself."

Silence followed. Then a voice answered from directly behind him, "I already did."

Markus turned but there was nothing. The emergency lights flickered back on and the corridor was empty now but the words on the restricted door had changed.

They no longer read, RESTRICTED BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Now they read, PROJECT SHIBA

Markus stared at it with confusion while Darius was looking at him and for the first time, Darius looked genuinely afraid.

"Markus..."

Marcus didn’t look away from the door, "What?"

Darius whispered, "That door was never supposed to open."

The lights went out again and somewhere deep beneath the Foundation...something began walking toward them.