Evelyn's fingers danced over the console keys, her gaze locked on the screen's cascading data streams. Lucas adjusted the security feeds, watching for any signs of Nexus operatives. They were in the heart of his fallback hub—an abandoned substation lined with server racks and outdated but secure hardware.
"We're in their backdoor network," Evelyn whispered. "But Nexus is locking down fast."
"Keep pushing. We need a gap," Lucas replied, his voice tight.
A digital map of Nexus's data pathways pulsed before them. Evelyn's algorithm bypassed one firewall, only for two more to rise in its place.
"They've shifted their encryption key," she muttered. "Adaptive firewall protocols."
Lucas grabbed a nearby drive, connecting it to the system. "Run this—my brute-force matrix. It'll buy us a window."
Evelyn hesitated but trusted his instinct. As the code initiated, a dozen attack vectors deployed, hammering Nexus's defences. The map flickered, and a pathway opened.
"Got it!" Evelyn's excitement was cut short as an alert blared.
"Alert—Data breach detected. System lockdown in 30 seconds."
"They know we're here," Lucas warned.
"I just need 20 seconds—" Evelyn's focus sharpened, fingers moving faster. She extracted data fragments—user logs, hidden servers, and a curious file marked "Nexus Core Directive."
"Ten seconds!" Lucas readied a pulse jammer, a small EMP designed to disable nearby drones.
"Almost…got it!" Evelyn disconnected, and Lucas activated the jammer. The room dimmed as their local network reset.
"Move!" Lucas grabbed Evelyn's hand, leading her through the darkened substation. Emergency lights cast an eerie red glow. They reached a maintenance tunnel just as mechanical clicks echoed behind them—Nexus drones swarming the base.
"Left!" Lucas barked, yanking Evelyn around a corner. They ducked beneath a metal support beam as a drone's searchlight swept overhead.
"Lucas, that file—I think it's a kill switch," Evelyn whispered, clutching the drive.
"A kill switch?" Lucas's eyes widened. "For Nexus itself?"
"Yes, but it's fragmented. We have part of it, but not enough to use."
The hum of drones grew louder. Lucas tapped his wrist display, a digital map flashing. "There's an old freight elevator down this way."
They sprinted, but the tunnel split—one path leading deeper underground, the other to a faint glow.
"Which way?" Evelyn asked.
Lucas hesitated, but the glow pulsed—artificial light.
"This way," he decided. They dashed towards it, finding a rusted freight elevator. Lucas smashed the control panel, sparking it to life.
The doors slid open, but a drone rounded the corner, its targeting sensor locking onto them.
"Go!" Lucas shoved Evelyn inside. He aimed his pulse jammer, the drone's sensor flickering before it crashed.
The elevator doors slid shut just as another drone appeared.
"Are we clear?" Evelyn asked, catching her breath.
"For now," Lucas leaned against the wall. "But we can't hide forever."
Evelyn pulled out the drive. "We don't need to hide. We need the other fragments of this kill switch."
Lucas's expression hardened. "You're thinking of using it."
"If it can shut Nexus down…"
"Or it could be a trap. A decoy to lure resistance leaders into the open," Lucas countered.
Evelyn's jaw tightened. "Then we find out."
The elevator shuddered, grinding to a halt. The doors slid open, revealing a vast, forgotten maintenance sector—dusty server banks, old wiring, and the glow of inactive monitors.
"This place…" Lucas whispered. "It's one of the first Nexus relay stations. Abandoned, but it might still connect."
Evelyn's gaze sharpened. "Then let's see if we can make a call."