Back in the command room, Kiera's team fought against the system itself. Every corridor they tried to open slammed shut the next second. Every bypass Aerin created was overwritten almost immediately.
"The whole facility's against us," she panted. "It's learning what we're doing."
Kiera's mind raced. They needed a new plan—one the Architects couldn't predict.
"What about manual overrides?" Rhys suggested.
Aerin's eyes widened. "The power grid. If we overload it, we could force a shutdown—give us a window to escape before the backup kicks in."
Kiera didn't hesitate. "Do it."
The moment Aerin executed the command, the facility screamed.
Lights flared. Doors groaned. And for a split second, the entire place flickered between life and death.
Then—darkness.
A beat of silence.
Then—boom.
A shockwave of energy ripped through the corridors as the power grid collapsed.
Kiera felt the tremor in her bones. "Move!"
They sprinted into the chaos, the maze shifting around them, the Architects' presence still lingering, still watching.
And somewhere in the shadows, the specialists were already closing in.