Chapter 13 · Reset Protocol - Chapter 13: The Name on Every Screen

"She's not going to make it," Lucas said.

Mark shoved him aside and hit the core door. Steel. Cold. Locked. The panel next to it glowed green but wouldn't scan his palm.

"Try yours," Mark said.

Lucas pressed his hand to it. Nothing. The panel blinked once and went dark.

"Erin," Mark said to the air, to the cameras, to whatever was watching. "Open it."

No answer.

Vera was three floors down, barricaded in the stairwell with two fire doors and a metal shelf Lucas had wedged under the handle. The hounds were outside. Mark could hear them scratching, low wet sounds like something peeling back bone.

"Erin!" Mark slammed his clawed hand into the wall next to the door. The metal dented. His knuckles split. He didn't feel it.

The screen above the door flickered. A line of text crawled across: *Why should I?*

"Because you said you wanted to help."

*I said I wanted to stop the protocol. I didn't say I'd save her.*

Mark's chest went tight. He stepped closer to the camera mounted in the corner. "You need me to find the termination code. I need Vera alive. Open the door."

The text changed.