Chapter 5 - The Lockdown
The four security officers stood firm in the doorway, their dark tactical gear contrasting sharply with the bright, sterile emergency lighting of the dining hall. The lead officer, a burly master-at-arms with a scarred jaw, rested his hand firmly on the grip of his sidearm.
“Captain Vance, Sir,” the master-at-arms spoke, his voice clipped and formal despite the chaos outside. “Base Command has initiated full lockdown protocols. Level One containment. All officers and personnel are ordered to report immediately to designated fallout shelters. Nobody leaves the upper levels.”
Marcus Vance straightened his posture, instantly slipping back into the untouchable aura of a senior commanding officer. He stepped forward, putting himself between the armed guards and Sarah.
“Stand down, Chief,” Marcus commanded, his voice carrying the absolute weight of command. “This dining hall is currently an active zone for a classified Level-Omega directive. We are not evacuating to the standard shelters.”
The master-at-arms hesitated, his eyes darting briefly toward Sarah before returning to the captain.
“Sir, my orders come directly from Admiral Hayes,” the chief replied, gripping his weapon tighter. “And the orders explicitly stated that Lieutenant Commander Phibbs is to be detained immediately for security violations.”
Sarah’s eyes flared with sudden fury. She took a sharp step forward, her combat boots clicking aggressively against the linoleum.
“Detained?” Sarah spat out the word like poison. “While an unidentified airborne signature using my exact encrypted clearance code is currently breaching the base’s perimeter? If you lock me in a standard shelter right now, every single soul on this base won't survive the next ten minutes.”
Lucas watched the confrontation unfold, a cold realization settling deep in his chest. He looked at Marcus, then back to Sarah, finally seeing the terrifying bigger picture.
“She’s right, Chief,” Lucas intervened, stepping up beside Sarah and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her. “The anomaly isn't a weapon test. It's a localized spatial collapse. I saw it happen in the North Atlantic. If you lock us down, you’re sealing our tombs.”
The chief lowered his chin, his finger resting anxiously near his trigger guard.
“I have my orders, Major,” the chief warned. “Step away from her, or I will use force.”
Marcus slowly reached inside his white dress uniform, his hand moving with agonizing slowness toward his inner pocket, keeping his eyes locked on the armed guards.
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“You might want to check your terminal first, Chief,” Marcus said calmly. “Before you commit treason.”
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