Chapter 58 - The Counter-Strike
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Jax's scrambler didn't just block the signal. It fed a localized, catastrophic feedback loop directly into the Aegis mainframe.
The crimson lights in the server room rapidly shifted to a violent, strobing yellow. The hum of the supercomputers escalated into a deafening, high-pitched whine.
"Warning. Catastrophic core overload detected," the automated voice announced. "Aegis deployment sequence corrupted."
"Stop!" the Architect screamed over the intercom, his calm facade completely shattered. "You are destroying the entire network! You'll kill us all!"
"That's the plan!" I yelled back, grabbing the detonator for the C4 from Elena's tactical belt.
"If you blow that rig, my men in Nevada will slaughter your family!" he threatened desperately.
"Your men in Nevada are standing outside a bunker wrapped in four tons of C-4," I lied, my voice dripping with venom. "If this rig goes dark, the dead-man's switch I planted triggers, and your entire strike team gets vaporized in the desert."
It was a total bluff, but the Architect didn't know that.
"Aborting! Abort the sequence!" he frantically commanded the computer.
"Sequence locked," the computer replied. "Overload in sixty seconds."
I ran over to Elena, pulling her to her feet. "Can you run?" I asked, throwing her arm over my shoulder.
"I can run," she grunted, spitting blood onto the metal floor.
We stumbled out of the server room, the heavy steel doors sliding open as the rig's internal security systems completely crashed. Sparks rained down from the ceiling as the overloaded servers began to physically melt down, plunging the corridors into chaotic darkness.
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"We need to get to the surface!" I yelled, dragging Elena toward the emergency stairwell.
Behind us, the server core exploded, sending a shockwave of heat and twisted metal tearing through the hallway.
