Elias didn't wait. He bolted past the startled security droids. He had to descend forty floors.
It was Sarah. She had "Ascended" three years ago. The official word was that archived souls couldn't communicate with the physical world, yet here she was, her voice sounding like static and starlight.
Elias slammed his fist onto the 'Manual Eject' lever. The world turned white. The sensation of his body being pulled apart suddenly snapped back together like a rubber band. The Aftermath HTMS-05801:37:34 Min
The stairwells were a blur of concrete and shadow. Every time he glanced at his wrist-comm, the numbers mocked him. ... He reached the mid-level security gates.
... He scrambled through a ventilation shaft, the metal tearing at his jumpsuit. Elias didn't wait
The terminal in the basement was ancient, covered in dust. He plugged his wrist-comm into the manual port.
... He reached the basement. It was filled with the roar of massive liquid-nitrogen fans. It was Sarah
When Elias opened his eyes, the timer on his wrist was gone. The terminal screen was dark, save for one line of glowing green text: ERROR: HTMS-05801 - PACKET LOST.