The flames spread like veins through the corridor's cracked walls, trailing behind Julius as he sprinted toward the launch bay. Behind him, the corpse of the Hunter still twitched in death spasms, and Captain Brinley leaned weakly against his shoulder, her face pale but conscious now.
"You're faster than you used to be," she whispered through dry lips.
"New suit," Julius replied, grimacing as the heat intensified around them. "Long story."
"I figured," she muttered, coughing.
Echelon's voice sounded in his ear, calm amid the chaos. "Life support systems have failed in sections nine through sixteen. Remaining oxygen levels insufficient for human survival in six minutes."
"We're almost there," Julius said.
"No, we are not," Echelon replied. "Rerouting—path through engineering will reduce time by forty percent."
"That path is sealed," Julius said. "Bulkhead was jammed during the assault."
"Not anymore. I've overridden the failsafe."
Julius adjusted course, shifting to the right. As they passed into a new hallway, the floor trembled beneath them. Flames licked through vents above, and alarms screeched in descending tones—dying, glitching.
Brinley stirred again. "The others… the team…"
"Gone," Julius said, voice low.
She didn't ask again.
As they turned into the engineering wing, Julius spotted the sealed door Echelon had promised—partially open now, scorched but passable.
Then he felt it.
A rumble. A pulse. Like something alive deep within the ship's gut.
"What is that?" he asked.
"Unknown," Echelon answered. "The signal core is drawing residual energy. Something beneath us is… responding."
Brinley shifted, opening her eyes fully. "Julius… we never scanned the lower decks. This ship was Archaium-made, remember? We took the contract knowing it was a risk."
He nodded grimly. "You think this was a trap?"
"I think the suit wasn't the only thing sleeping."
They moved through the hatch just as the floor behind them cracked open. From the jagged fissure rose a metallic tendril, thin and searching, dragging sparks along the metal floor.
"Move!" Julius shouted.
They ran. Whatever had awakened was still below them. Waiting.