Full Citizen (34)

All the access doors in the lower research facility began closing.

First, the outer gate.

Then the fire doors in the maintenance levels adjoining the lower drainage sector locked one after another.

Dorman Rex was completely out of his chair. The face that had been muttering about coffee and going home only moments ago was gone, and he was flipping through the security-camera feeds with trembling hands. Edda and Silvio were working on their respective tasks as well.

And Kalan was issuing orders in front of the central monitor, his teeth clenched.

“Close every passage in the lower sectors. Lower bulkheads 3, 4, and 5.”

“Bulkhead 3 descending. Bulkhead 4 operating normally. Number 5 is moving slowly. It’s an old mechanism….”

“Then force it down!”

On the screen, a thick metal bulkhead slowly descended over the passage. The only direct route connecting the lower sectors to the facility’s main building was being blocked.

Edda brought up the outer-camera feed on the central screen...