“You’re a fool!”

“We have the main override codes from the corporate office!”

“You have nothing!” Nathan shouted back, his voice echoing in the small room.

He stepped in front of the terminal, shielding the screen with his body.

The progress bar hit forty percent.

The flashlight beam cut through the crack in the door, shining directly onto Emma’s face.

Emma didn’t flinch; she just stared back at the light, her tiny hand gripping her sister’s coat.

“I see the girls, Julian!” Vanessa called out, her tone cold and dry.

“They look cold.”

“It would be a shame if the ventilation system accidentally flooded that room with carbon monoxide.”

“The backup generator has a very old exhaust line, you know.”

Nathan’s head snapped up, his eyes darting to the ceiling vents.

The faint smell of diesel fumes was already beginning to drift down into the room.

“She’s not bluffing,” I said, pulling my scarf up over my nose.

“She’s already running the auxiliary bypass.”

Nathan tapped the terminal screen, trying to override the ventilation controls.

*Access Denied: External Manual Override Engaged.*