"IT Security Team member Choi Min-ho. I was just informed that he was found unconscious in the restroom."
His voice was steady, which only made it more menacing. My shoulders trembled—not from fear, but from the searing rage boiling beneath my skin.
"Mr. Han, I knew you were talented with words, but I didn't expect such a convincing performance. Though I must say, your disguise is rather amateur."
The guards began to close the distance. Seo-yeon gripped the hem of my shirt, her knuckles white. There was no retreat. Behind us lay the 17th-floor reinforced glass windows; before us, a pack of hounds.
"Let Seo-yeon go," I demanded. "This is a deal between you and me, isn't it?"
A-12 took two more steps. I could see the cold calculation flickering behind his eyes. "A deal? You crossed that line the moment you paralyzed Daeyoung Medical’s servers with those 'intelligent errors.' Did you really think we wouldn't notice the time bombs you planted?"
The guards lunged forward in unison. A-12 raised his hand—a gesture of a seasoned hunter corralling his prey. "Choi Min-ho’s keycard won't save you. We revoked his access... thirty seconds ago."
Right then, the watch on my wrist began to vibrate. It was the start of the 'Chain Reaction' I had synchronized with B-07 at the PC bang.
"The only thing you don't know," I said, holding up my wrist, "is that you've already lost."
As the digits on the watch hit 00:00:00, the lights on the 17th floor began to flicker violently.
Beep—Beep—Beep—
Mechanical screams filled the corridor as the overhead sprinklers roared to life, drenching everything in a cold deluge. The 'Poison' I had planted had jumped from the security servers to the entire building management system.
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
"I didn't just plant a server error. Every sensor in this building now reads my lie as the truth."
[Security Radio: Fire alarm triggered in all zones! Magnetic door locks released! Emergency stop for all elevators!]
Rumble—
The heavy fire doors throughout the floor swung open automatically. The system had flipped into 'Life-Saving Mode.' Distracted, the guards reflexively looked up at the ceiling.
Even A-12 faltered for a fraction of a second. That was all the time I needed.
"The cargo elevator... there!"
Seo-yeon pointed toward the opposite end of the hall. Her journalistic instinct had caught it—an old iron door tucked away next to the emergency exit sign.
"Go!"
I grabbed her hand and pulled. The guards reacted, but the wall of water from the sprinklers obstructed their view.
"Get them!" A-12’s roar echoed through the chaos as two guards dove through the water. But we were already at the cargo elevator.
I slammed Choi Min-ho’s keycard into the terminal. Beep-beep-beep. Red light. Access Denied.
"I told you," A-12’s voice carried a note of triumphant smugness. "We’ve already accounted for your little tricks."
The guards were five meters away.
I reached for the terminal again. "That’s why I prepared a Plan B." I flipped the keycard and re-inserted it. Simultaneously, I slid in the 'Master Backdoor Chip' B-07 had given me—a device designed not for IT security, but for emergency system admin access.
Beep-beep. Green light. Clack—
The heavy iron doors groaned open. The guards reached out, but Yun-jae and Seo-yeon had already leaped inside. The doors slammed shut, severing the guards' reach.
"Basement 3!" I hammered the button. While the fire alarm system was malfunctioning, the cargo elevator was running on an independent backup power source—a route designed for server room access in emergencies. In the cramped, dark cabin, the only sound was our frantic breathing.
Seo-yeon wiped wet hair from her face, her voice trembling. "Are we... are we going to make it?"
I didn't answer. I looked up at the ventilation duct and pulled my phone from my pocket. The red D-99 was still pulsing. Beneath it, a new message from B-07:
[Basement 2, Mechanical Room. Manhole passage secured. Be there in 5 minutes.]
"It's not over yet. They’ll blockade every exit in the underground parking lot. We need to—"
Suddenly, the elevator jolted to a violent stop.
Basement 1. Two floors above our destination. We both stared at the floor indicator. It was flickering at B1, not B2.
Clunk—
The doors began to slide open.
The hallway was empty, but I could feel it. Somewhere in that darkness, someone was waiting. A-12 was more meticulous than we had imagined. Stopping at B1 instead of B3 was no accident. It was a command that had overridden even the Master Backdoor.
"We have to move. Now." I grabbed Seo-yeon’s arm.
The doors opened fully. From the shadows, the faint sound of footsteps approached.
Question for the readers: Who is waiting for them on B1? Is it more of A-12's goons, or could it be the "3870-01" client themselves, coming to see the "Ace" who dared to betray them?
Coming up in EP.33: The loading dock trap. A mysterious vehicle intervenes, and the clock hits D-98.
If you’re enjoying the thrill of the escape, please Rate, Follow, and Comment! Every "Like" is a second added to Yun-jae's life!