Page 340 of Scars of Fate

“January twenty-seventh. Same year.”

Hawk entered the date.

For one endless second, nothing happened.

Then the ventilation controls opened.

ACCESS GRANTED.

“Shut it down!” Adam shouted.

Hawk sent the command.

COMMAND REJECTED.

PHYSICAL OVERRIDE REQUIRED.

Boone cursed through the radio.

“We’re tired of physical overrides!”

Thirty-eight seconds.

Hawk searched the plans.

“There’s an emergency pressure-release valve inside the tunnel. Fifty feet behind you.”

“What does it do?” I asked.

“It reverses the ventilation flow into an underground quarantine chamber.”

Ghost ran.

His footsteps hammered through the radio.

“Describe it.”

“Red wheel above the main pipe.”

“I see it.”

“Turn it counterclockwise.”

Ghost grunted.

“It won’t move.”

Twenty-seven seconds.

Russ reached him.

Metal groaned as both men pulled.

“Again!” Ghost shouted.

Twenty.

Nineteen.