Ava’s fingers flew across the keyboard, her eyes darting between three monitors as lines of code scrolled past. The air in her cramped apartment crackled with an electric tension that had nothing to do with the approaching storm outside. She was close—so close—to cracking the encryption on Helios Corp’s classified research files.
A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that made her flinch. Rain lashed against the windows as if trying to break in. Ava barely noticed, too focused on the task at hand. Just a few more minutes and she’d have access to…
The screens went black. Every light in the apartment blinked out simultaneously.
“No, no, no!” Ava slammed her fists on the desk. “Not now!”
She fumbled for her phone, using its dim glow to navigate to the window. Outside, the entire city had gone dark. The familiar neon-lit skyline was a void, with only the faint outlines of skyscrapers visible against flashes of lightning.
Ava’s mind raced. A blackout this widespread meant the power grid had been compromised. But how? And more importantly—by whom?
She needed answers, and she knew just where to start looking.
Across town, Detective Marcus Chen stood in the lobby of Helios Corp’s imposing headquarters, surveying the chaos. Employees milled about in confusion while security guards tried to maintain order. The building’s backup generators had failed to kick in, leaving everyone in darkness save for the occasional sweep of flashlight beams.
Marcus’s partner, Jenna, approached with a harried expression. “No luck getting through to dispatch. Comms are down citywide.”
“Fantastic,” Marcus muttered. He’d been following a lead on suspected corporate espionage when the power cut out. Now it was looking less like coincidence and more like sabotage.
A commotion near the entrance caught his attention. Two security guards were arguing with a man who was trying to push past them.
“Sir, the building is on lockdown. You need to leave—”
“You don’t understand,” the man insisted, his voice tinged with desperation. “I have to get to the server room. It’s urgent!”
Marcus strode over, flashing his badge. “What seems to be the problem here?”
The man turned to him, eyes wide. “Detective, thank God. I’m Dr. Elias Reeves, head of R&D for Helios. I need to get to the 42nd floor immediately. Our entire network is vulnerable right now.”
Marcus studied him carefully. “And why is that, Dr. Reeves?”
Elias hesitated, glancing around nervously. “I… I can’t discuss it here. But please, you have to trust me. If I don’t secure those servers now, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
Something in the scientist’s tone set off alarm bells in Marcus’s mind. He nodded to the guards. “Let him through. I’ll escort him myself.”
As they headed for the stairwell—elevators being out of the question—Marcus’s instincts told him this night was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
Ava slipped through the darkened streets, keeping to the shadows. The few people she encountered seemed dazed, wandering aimlessly or huddled in doorways. Without the constant hum of electricity and glow of screens, the city felt alien and dangerous.
She rounded a corner and nearly collided with a figure hurrying in the opposite direction.
“Watch it!” a gruff voice snapped.
Ava stumbled back, heart racing. The beam of a flashlight swept over her face, momentarily blinding her.
“Ava? Is that you?”
She blinked, recognition dawning as her vision cleared. “Uncle Ray?”
Raymond Delgado lowered the flashlight, his weathered face creased with concern. “What are you doing out here, kid? It’s not safe.”
Ava’s mind whirled, searching for a plausible excuse. Her uncle didn’t know about her hacking activities, and she intended to keep it that way. “I was, uh, at a friend’s place when the power went out. Got spooked and decided to head home.”
Ray’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “Uh-huh. And you thought wandering around in the pitch dark was the smart move?”
“I know these streets like the back of my hand,” Ava said defensively. “What about you? Why aren’t you hunkered down at home?”
A flicker of something—guilt? fear?—passed over Ray’s face. “Got called into work. Maintenance emergency.”
Now it was Ava’s turn to be suspicious. Her uncle had been a janitor at Helios Corp for over a decade, but what kind of janitorial emergency required venturing out during a blackout?
Before she could press further, a distant explosion rocked the night. They both turned toward the sound, seeing a plume of smoke rising against the storm-wracked sky.
“That came from downtown,” Ray muttered. “Near Helios.”
Ava’s blood ran cold. Had her attempted hack triggered some kind of failsafe? Or was something far worse happening?
Ray grabbed her arm. “Come on, I’m getting you home where it’s safe.”
Ava pulled away. “No, I… I need to check on my friend. Make sure she’s okay.”
“Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous out here.”
“I’ll be fine, Uncle Ray. You go do what you need to do.” Ava forced a reassuring smile. “I promise I’ll head straight home after.”
Ray looked torn, clearly wanting to argue further. But another explosion in the distance seemed to make up his mind. “Alright, but you call me the second you get there, understood?”
Ava nodded, already backing away. “I will. Be careful, okay?”
As soon as Ray was out of sight, she turned and sprinted toward the Helios building. Whatever was happening there, she was certain it was connected to the blackout—and to the files she’d been trying to access.
She had to know the truth, no matter the cost.
Marcus and Dr. Reeves emerged onto the 42nd floor, both men panting from the long climb. The stairwell door closed behind them with an ominous thud, plunging them into near-total darkness.
“This way,” Elias wheezed, leading them down a corridor.
Marcus swept his flashlight beam ahead, revealing rows of sleek server banks. The usual hum of cooling fans was conspicuously absent.
“So, Doctor,” Marcus said as they walked, “care to fill me in on what’s got you so worked up?”
Elias hesitated before answering. “Helios has been developing a new type of quantum encryption. Unbreakable, or so we thought. But recently, we detected some… anomalies in the system. Someone was probing our defenses, looking for weaknesses.”
“You think they found one?”
“I’m almost certain of it. And with the power out, our firewalls are down. If they manage to access the main server…” Elias trailed off, shaking his head.
They reached a heavy security door at the end of the hall. Elias produced an keycard and swiped it, but nothing happened.
“Damn it,” he muttered, trying again. “The electronic locks are offline too.”
Marcus studied the door. “No manual override?”
“Not for this one. It’s too sensitive. We’d need to—”
A muffled boom cut him off, the floor trembling beneath their feet.
Marcus grabbed Elias’s arm. “What the hell was that?”
The scientist’s face had gone pale. “Oh God. They’re here.”
“Who’s here? Talk to me, Doctor!”
But before Elias could answer, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor. Marcus whirled, drawing his weapon and aiming the flashlight.
Three figures in dark clothing and masks rounded the corner, assault rifles raised.
“GCPD! Drop your weapons!” Marcus shouted.
The intruders opened fire.
Marcus dove for cover behind a server bank, dragging Elias with him. Bullets pinged off metal and shattered glass. The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air.
“Stay down!” Marcus yelled to Elias over the din. He popped up to return fire, but the attackers had taken cover as well.
In the strobing muzzle flashes, Marcus caught glimpses of high-tech gear that put these guys well above the pay grade of common criminals. Whoever they were, they’d come prepared.
He needed backup, but with comms down, he was on his own. All he could do was hold them off and pray help arrived soon.
As Marcus traded shots with the intruders, he didn’t notice Elias quietly slipping away in the chaos.
Ava crouched in the shadows across the street from Helios Corp, studying the building. Emergency floodlights bathed the entrance in harsh light, revealing a cluster of confused employees being herded away by security. She spotted a few police cars as well, their lightbars cutting through the darkness.
This was bad. Whatever was happening inside was clearly more than just a simple power outage.
Ava weighed her options. The main entrance was out of the question. But if she could find another way in…
Her gaze landed on a nearby alley. Perfect.
Keeping low, she darted across the street and into the narrow passage between buildings. As she’d hoped, a service entrance stood at the far end. The electronic lock would normally have posed a challenge, but with the power out, a bit of old-fashioned lockpicking did the trick.
Ava slipped inside, finding herself in a dimly lit maintenance corridor. The emergency lights cast everything in an eerie red glow. She moved cautiously, straining her ears for any sign of danger.
A distant popping sound made her freeze. Was that… gunfire?
Heart pounding, Ava debated turning back. This was way out of her depth. But the thought of finally uncovering Helios’s secrets drove her forward.
She’d come too far to back down now.
Raymond Delgado hurried through the underground tunnels beneath Helios Corp, his flashlight beam bouncing off damp concrete walls. He’d used these service passages countless times over the years, but never under circumstances like this.
The “maintenance emergency” he’d been called in for was nothing of the sort. Ray’s real purpose here was far more dangerous—and far more important.
He reached a nondescript door and tapped out a complex rhythm. After a moment, it creaked open to reveal a makeshift command center. Banks of computers and communications equipment lined the walls, all humming with power despite the blackout above.
A stern-faced woman in a crisp suit approached. “You’re late, Delgado.”
“Sorry, Director Chen. Got held up topside.” Ray hesitated. “Ma’am, I ran into my niece on the way here. She was out on the streets alone.”
The woman’s expression softened slightly. “Is she safe?”
“I think so. Sent her home.” Ray paused. “She doesn’t know anything about… this. About what I really do.”
Director Chen nodded. “Let’s hope it stays that way. Now, status report?”
Ray’s face grew grim. “It’s bad. We’ve got multiple hostile teams inside the building. They’ve already breached several secure areas.”
“And the package?”
“Still in play, as far as we know. But if they get their hands on it…”
“Then we’ve failed,” Chen finished. “And the world as we know it ends.”
She turned to address the room. “Listen up, people! We are officially at Defcon 1. All operatives, prepare for immediate deployment. Whatever it takes, we cannot let Helios’s quantum tech fall into enemy hands.”
As the underground facility erupted into frantic activity, Ray checked his weapon and steeled himself for what was to come.
He’d spent years living a double life—mild-mannered janitor by day, covert operative by night. Now it was time to put all that training to the test.
And pray it would be enough.
Marcus ducked as another burst of gunfire chewed up the server bank he was using for cover. He was down to his last magazine, and the situation was looking increasingly dire.
“Detective Chen!” A voice called out from the attackers’ position. “We have no quarrel with you. Hand over Dr. Reeves and we’ll let you walk away!”
Marcus’s blood ran cold as he realized Elias was no longer beside him. When had the scientist slipped away?
“Not gonna happen!” Marcus shouted back, trying to buy time. “Why don’t you drop your weapons and we can discuss this like civilized people?”
A harsh laugh was the only response, followed by the ominous sound of footsteps drawing closer.
Suddenly, the lights flickered to life. Backup power had finally kicked in.
In the same instant, a new voice rang out. “GCPD! Everyone freeze!”
Marcus risked a glance around the corner to see his partner, Jenna, leading a tactical team into the server room. The attackers, caught off guard, were quickly subdued.
As Jenna helped Marcus to his feet, he scanned the room for any sign of Dr. Reeves. But the scientist was nowhere to be found.
“You okay?” Jenna asked, concern etched on her face.
Marcus nodded grimly. “Yeah, but we’ve got a bigger problem. Reeves is gone, and I think he might be working with these guys.”
Jenna’s eyes widened. “Shit. What do we do now?”
Before Marcus could answer, an alarm began blaring throughout the building. Red emergency lights strobed, bathing everything in a hellish glow.
A computerized voice echoed from hidden speakers: “Warning. Containment breach detected in Sublevel 3. Initiating lockdown protocols.”
Marcus and Jenna exchanged worried looks. Whatever was happening, it was clear this night was far from over.
Ava crept through the maze-like corridors of Helios Corp, her every nerve on high alert. The restored emergency lighting made navigation easier, but also increased her chances of being spotted.
She’d overheard snatches of radio chatter from security personnel, piecing together that some kind of attack was underway. Part of her screamed to turn back, to get as far away from here as possible. But a larger part—the part that had driven her to become a hacker in the first place—urged her onward.
The truth was here, somewhere in this building. She just had to find it.
Ava rounded a corner and nearly collided with a man in a lab coat who came stumbling out of a nearby room. His eyes were wild, his breathing ragged.
“Whoa, easy there,” Ava said, steadying him. “Are you okay?”
The man looked at her, confusion giving way to suspicion. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”
Ava thought fast. “I’m… an intern. Got separated from my group when the power went out. I’ve been trying to find my way out ever since.”
The man—his ID badge identified him as Dr. Elias Reeves—seemed to relax slightly. “An intern? Well, you picked one hell of a night for orientation.”
“No kidding. What’s going on? I heard gunshots earlier.”
Elias’s face darkened. “Nothing good. Listen, you need to get out of here. Now. Find security, tell them to evacuate the building.”
“What about you?”
“I have to finish what I started.” He glanced nervously over his shoulder. “They can’t be allowed to get their hands on it.”
Ava’s curiosity overrode her caution. “Get their hands on what?”
Elias hesitated, clearly weighing whether to trust her. Finally, he sighed. “Quantum encryption tech. The most advanced in the world. In the wrong hands, it could—”
The scientist’s words were cut short as a bullet tore through his chest.
Ava screamed as Elias crumpled to the floor. She looked up to see a masked figure at the end of the hall, gun raised.
Time seemed to slow. Ava’s gaze fell on the keycard clipped to Elias’s coat. Without thinking, she grabbed it and ran.
Bullets whizzed past as she sprinted down the corridor, heart pounding in her ears. She had no idea where she was going, only that she had to get away.
An elevator dinged ahead. The doors slid open to reveal her uncle Ray, looking nothing like the affable janitor she knew. He wore tactical gear and carried an assault rifle.
“Ava?!” Ray’s eyes went wide with shock. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Before she could answer, more gunfire erupted behind her. Ray grabbed Ava and pulled her into the elevator, laying down covering fire as the doors closed.
As they descended, Ray turned to her, his expression a mix of fear and anger. “I told you to go home! Do you have any idea how much danger you’re in?”
Ava’s mind reeled, unable to process everything that was happening. “Uncle Ray, what… who are you?”
Ray’s face softened. “I’m sorry, kid. I never wanted you to find out like this. But right now, we need to get you somewhere safe.”
The elevator shuddered to a stop. Ray checked the display, frowning. “Sublevel 3? That’s not right.”
As the doors slid open, alarms began blaring. That computerized voice echoed through the air: “Warning. Containment breach detected in Sublevel 3. Initiating lockdown protocols.”
Ray swore under his breath. “Out of the frying pan…”
They stepped into a stark white corridor that looked more like the set of a sci-fi movie than part of an office building. Doors lined either side, each bearing biohazard symbols and ominous warning labels.
One of those doors was ajar, wisps of pale mist seeping out.
“Oh no,” Ray breathed. He turned to Ava, his voice urgent. “Listen to me very carefully. Whatever happens, do not let anything in those rooms touch you. Understand?”
Ava nodded mutely, too overwhelmed to speak.
Ray raised his rifle, advancing cautiously down the hall. Ava followed close behind, her eyes darting nervously from door to door.
A wet, slithering sound reached their ears. Something was moving in the shadows ahead.
Ray’s finger tightened on the trigger. “Show yourself!”
A figure lurched into view. Ava’s breath caught in her throat.
It might have been human once. Now it was a twisted, writhing mass of flesh and shadow. Tendrils of inky darkness coiled around misshapen limbs. Where its face should have been, there was only a swirling vortex of nothingness.
The creature let out an unearthly shriek and lunged toward them.
Ray opened fire, the muzzle flashes illuminating the horrific scene in stuttering bursts. The bullets seemed to pass right through the entity, leaving wispy trails in the air.
“Run!” Ray shouted, shoving Ava back toward the elevator.
But the doors had sealed shut, the lockdown protocols in full effect. They were trapped.
More of the shadow creatures emerged from the other rooms, drawn by the commotion. Ray stood his ground, laying down suppressing fire to keep them at bay.
“The keycard!” Ava suddenly remembered, pulling Elias’s badge from her pocket. “Maybe it can override the lockdown?”
Ray nodded grimly. “Worth a shot. I’ll hold them off. You find a way out of here.”
Ava hesitated, not wanting to leave her uncle. But the alternative was unthinkable.
She sprinted down the hall, searching desperately for anything that looked like a control panel. The sounds of gunfire and inhuman shrieks echoed behind her.
Finally, she spotted a sleek console set into the wall. Ava swiped the keycard, praying it would work.
For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then the screen lit up with a security prompt.
ACCESS GRANTED. WELCOME, DR. REEVES.
Options appeared on the screen. Ava’s fingers flew across the keys, searching for anything that might help.
EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS > CONTAINMENT FAILURE > PURGE SUBLEVEL
A warning popped up: CAUTION. PURGE SEQUENCE WILL ELIMINATE ALL ORGANIC MATTER IN AFFECTED AREA. PROCEED? Y/N
Ava’s hand hovered over the keyboard. If she activated this, it would destroy the shadow creatures. But it would also kill her uncle.
She looked back down the hall. Ray was still fighting, but he was clearly outmatched. The creatures were closing in, their writhing forms merging into a tide of living darkness.
Tears streamed down Ava’s face as she made her choice.
She hit ‘Y’.
Klaxons blared. Hatches in the ceiling opened, releasing a torrent of pale blue mist. The temperature plummeted as the purge sequence began.
“Uncle Ray!” Ava screamed. “We have to go! Now!”
Ray turned and ran toward her, the shadow creatures hot on his heels. The blue mist swirled around their feet, rapidly rising.
They reached a heavy blast door at the end of the hall. Ava swiped the keycard again, and it began to slide open with agonizing slowness.
The mist was up to their waists now. Ava could feel the cold seeping into her bones.
Ray shoved her through the narrowing gap. “Go! I’ll be right behind you!”
Ava stumbled into another corridor as the blast door sealed shut. She spun around, expecting to see her uncle.
But Ray wasn’t there.
“No!” Ava pounded on the door, desperation overwhelming her. “Uncle Ray!”
Through the small window, she could see the mist had filled the hall completely. There was no sign of Ray or the creatures.
Ava sank to her knees, wracked with sobs. What had she done?
A hand on her shoulder made her jump. She looked up to see Detective Marcus Chen standing over her, his expression grim.
“We need to move,” he said softly. “This isn’t over yet.”
Ava nodded numbly, allowing Marcus to help her to her feet. As they hurried away from Sublevel 3, she clutched Elias’s keycard like a lifeline.
Whatever secrets it held, whatever horrors lurked in the depths of Helios Corp, Ava knew her life would never be the same.
The truth had a price. And she’d only just begun to pay it.
To be continued…