Page 267 of Scars of Fate

The wall dented.

Russ and Ghost joined us.

The fourth strike split the metal.

The fifth opened a gap.

We tore the damaged panel away.

Hydraulic lines ran behind the cabinet.

Hawk pointed toward a red lever.

“Emergency release.”

I reached through.

“Wait,” Wynn said.

Everyone stopped.

She stood near the first unit, staring at its control panel.

“What?”

“The temperature is rising faster.”

The display had reached thirty-one degrees.

The countdown still showed more than fifteen minutes.

Hawk moved beside her.

“They aren’t linked.”

“What does that mean?” Adam asked.

“The timer isn’t counting down to activation temperature.”

“Then what is it counting down to?”

Hawk looked toward the ceiling.

Large ventilation ducts crossed the hangar. Industrial fans sat above each server unit.

The system wasn’t designed to release whatever waited inside those compartments at ground level.

It was designed to carry the agent into the air.

“The dispersal system,” he said.

Wynn followed his gaze.

“They’re going to pump it through the vents.”

Hawk nodded.

“The countdown activates the fans.”