Chapter 35: The Archive Room

The metallic groan of the buckling door reverberated through the control room as the infected clawed relentlessly at its surface. Ruby's sharp gaze scanned the surrounding consoles, her fingers deftly typing commands into the nearest terminal.

"We don't have much time," she said, her voice cutting through the rising panic.

Mia stood at the center device, transfixed by the timer on the screen. The seconds ticked down with merciless precision.

"Is there another way out?" Caleb asked, his rifle at the ready.

"Yes," Ruby replied without looking up. "But it's not going to be easy."

"Easy hasn't exactly been our thing," Zoe muttered, her knife still slick with ichor from their last fight.

Finn shifted nervously, glancing at the door. "Define 'not easy.'"

Ruby tapped a final command, and a map of the facility appeared on a nearby monitor. "There's an archive room down the next corridor. If this place has answers, they'll be there."