Chapter 7: Divergent Paths, Converging Chaos

As the nurse stepped into Elias’s cell, syringe in hand, a sudden, sharp alarm blared through the facility. Red lights flashed in the corridor, and the rhythmic hum of the building shifted into a higher, more urgent pitch.

Outside, Sarah and Brody had reached the loading docks. The guard they had spotted earlier was now closer, his footsteps echoing on the concrete. Just as they were about to make their move, a series of explosions erupted from the opposite side of the facility.

“What the hell?” Brody exclaimed, his hand on his holster.

The guard spun around, his attention drawn to the explosions. Sarah and Brody seized the opportunity, slipping behind a stack of crates and moving towards the service entrance. The explosions had created the diversion they needed, but they also knew it meant the entire facility would be on high alert.

Inside his cell, Elias felt the floor vibrate beneath him. The nurse, startled by the alarm, hesitated for a moment. That was all Elias needed.

He moved with a speed that surprised even himself. His months of forced inactivity had allowed his Optimized Metabolic Efficiency to work at twice the efficiency, and his strength was returning faster than he realized. He grabbed the nurse’s wrist, twisting it sharply. The syringe clattered to the floor.

Before she could react, Elias pushed past her, his hand covering her mouth to muffle any sound. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he needed to escape. He gently pushed her into the cell, closing the door behind him. The keypad lock was still active, but the door wasn’t designed to keep someone in.

He took a deep breath, focusing his senses. The alarm was coming from the other side of the facility, but he could hear the distinct sound of footsteps approaching his section of the corridor. He had to move quickly.

He started running, his bare feet pounding on the cold, sterile floor. He followed the signs, his enhanced hearing guiding him through the maze of corridors. He knew he was being hunted, but for the first time in months, he felt a surge of adrenaline, a sense of purpose. He was escaping.

The chaos outside and the stirrings within Blackwood Creek Annex were about to converge, setting the stage for a desperate race against time.