Page 44 of Marked By the Bounty Hunter

“The lab’s core systems,” she continued, “I helped design them, before I understood what the Consortium planned to do with my work.” Her eyes fixed on the schematics. “They modified everything, twisted it into something terrible, but the basic architecture is still mine.”

“Which means you know how to shut it down,” I said.

“No.” She turned to face us fully. “It means I know why we can’t just cut power or trigger a remote shutdown. The failsafe systems I built in... they’ve corrupted those too.”

Another tremor hit, stronger than before. I reached for the console, grateful for Tyrix’s steadying hand at my waist. The mutations were accelerating - I could feel the changes burning through my cells with each passing minute.

“Explain,” Tyrix growled.

“The original system was designed with multiple redundancies - safeguards to protect research data.” Dr. Gondon elaborated. “But they modified those protocols. Now, anyunauthorized shutdown triggers automatic data transmission to their other facilities.”

The implications hit hard. “They’d know we were coming. Other stations would be warned.”

“Worse.” She pulled up new schematics. “They’d have time to move the children they’re still processing. To hide evidence. Every successful mutation, every failed experiment - it would all be preserved, ready to start again somewhere else.”

Warning lights flashed as more systems came online.

“The initialization sequence is at sixty percent,” she said. “Once it reaches full power, everything they’ve learned here - all their research data, their successes, their failures - will be transmitted to their other facilities. We can’t let that happen.”

I studied the schematics, my maintenance training catching something. “These power routings... they’re using the old emergency protocols to bypass standard security.” I traced a path through the system diagram. “See how they’ve spliced into the original infrastructure? That’s why normal shutdown sequences won’t work.”

Dr. Gondon’s skin lightened with interest. “Yes, exactly. They built their modifications into-”

“The station’s bones.” I finished. “Like a parasite feeding off the host systems.” Another wave of dizziness hit, but I made myself focus. “But that means...”

I pulled up a different set of schematics - older ones I remembered from my training days. “The original emergency overrides are still there, underneath everything they added. We might not be able to shut it down remotely, but we could use them to slow the data transmission. Buy more time.”

“How?” Tyrix asked.

My fingers moved across the controls, muscle memory fighting the tremors. “Like this.”

Power flickered through specific sections as I triggered a cascade of minor system failures - nothing critical, but enough to force the lab’s systems to constantly recalibrate.

“That’s brilliant.” Dr. Gondon studied the power readings. “But it won’t hold for long. They’ll adapt.”

“Which is why we need to move fast.” I gestured to the schematics. “What’s the real plan?”

“The shutdown sequence has to be triggered from inside the lab itself. Multiple control points, specific timing.” She took a deep breath. “I built in a cascading failure protocol - a way to destroy everything if my research was ever misused. But it has to be done manually.”

“Why you?” Tyrix demanded. “Tell us the sequence-”

Heavy boots echoed through the maintenance shafts - security teams approaching from multiple directions. But something was wrong in their movements.

“They’re being controlled,” I realized. “Like Grot.”

I moved to another console, fighting waves of dizziness. “The environmental seals in section 42... if I cross the intake valves with the recycling protocols...”

Steam burst from overhead vents, filling the approaching corridors. Through the security feeds, we watched the teams stumble, their precise formations breaking apart.

“That’ll slow them down,” I managed. “But not for long.”

“Long enough.” Dr. Gondon was already gathering her equipment. “I need to reach the lab. The shutdown sequence requires intimate knowledge of both the original systems and what they’ve become. I designed it all - I’ll know which changes to trigger, which to leave alone.”

Another tremor rocked the station. My legs buckled, but Tyrix caught me before I could fall. The taste of blood filled my mouth - cellular breakdown accelerating just as Dr. Gondon had warned.

“There has to be another way,” I managed.

“There isn’t.” She pressed a data crystal into my hands. “Everything’s here - evidence of what they’ve done, how to help the survivors. Get it to the right people.”

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