Haruki Tanaka was a Japanese man in his mid-forties, with sharp, well-defined features—a strong jawline and dark eyes. He had neatly styled black hair, streaked with silver at the temples. Standing at five feet eleven inches, he had a stocky build – the result of a lifetime’s worth of experiences.
Diego Martínez was a Latin man in his early thirties, with the clean, mature features of someone who had outgrown the trappings of youth. Standing at five feet nine inches, he had a lean, athletic physique – a testament to the rigorous physical training he’d undergone, both in the military and later in private security. His short, dark hair was always neatly trimmed, and his deep brown eyes held a quiet intensity.
Jason Smith was a Caucasian man in his early twenties, standing about six feet two inches tall with a lean, athletic build. His slim frame was defined by just enough muscle to give him a wiry, agile appearance – long limbs and a gangly grace. His short-cropped blond hair and glasses framed a face highlighted by bright blue eyes, adding an extra sharpness to his already striking appearance.
This was the squad Alexei would lead into the bowels of the facility.
“Listen up,” Alexei grabbed the attention of all the security officers in the operations center. “Something’s happened, and the Chief has informed me that we might be under some kind of cyber attack right now.”
The room quieted, each officer giving Alexei their undivided attention.
“Obviously, we’ve lost power as a result of the attack. That means that we have two hundred employees currently trapped between 315 and 400 feet of reinforced concrete and steel, with no idea what’s going on. Without power, most of the facility is pitch black, and even in those areas with emergency backup power, the facility’s security system locked down almost everything before it shut down.”
A sort of understanding dawned on the faces of the surrounding officers.
“I need three of you to come with me so we can restore power to the facility.” Alexei continued. “Tanaka, Martínez, Smith.” With each name, the corresponding officer stood at attention. “You three are with me. Mendez, you’re in charge until the Chief says otherwise.”
A large burly officer snapped a quick salute, “Sir.”
Alexei took in the three men he was taking with him, “Grab your gear. Let’s go.”
"Looks like we’re in the thick of it, eh, FNG?” Martínez ribbed Smith, while Tanaka grabbed his sidearm and holstered it.
With his squad selected, Alexei faced a difficult decision. The access junctions would allow him to bypass most sublevels quickly, but they would force him to waste time navigating the connecting corridors. If he took his time, he could assess the state of the facility, but that would slow him down. On the other hand, if he focused on reaching Sector B as quickly as possible, he'd miss out on critical intel about potential damage caused by the cyber attack.
He chose to...