Our journey led us to a seemingly unremarkable building, its facade blending in with the surrounding ruins. But Maude’s instincts told her otherwise. She led the way, her movements sure and confident, until we found a hidden entrance tucked away in a forgotten corner.

The door creaked open, revealing a dark stairway leading down into the depths below the city. We descended cautiously, our footsteps echoing in the narrow corridor. The air grew colder, the silence more oppressive, as we ventured further underground.

We emerged into a wide, bright lit hallway. The smooth, metallic walls were lined with flickering lights. The air here was different—cleaner, almost sterile.

Ahead of us loomed a massive security door. It was unlike any door I had seen before, reinforced with thick layers of metal and adorned with complex locking mechanisms. A keypad and a biometric scanner were set into the wall beside it.

Interesting. Maude muttered, stepping forward to inspect the keypad. She quickly began hacking into the system, but even she, a self-proclaimed code cracker seemed to be having trouble passing through.

But after a tense few minutes, the keypad beeped, and the locks began to disengage. The door slowly slid open, revealing an antechamber with a sophisticated air filtration system. The room was bathed in a soft, blue light, and a series of nozzles protruded from the ceiling, ready to spray a decontaminating mist.

Looks like they were serious about keeping this place secure, I commented, stepping into the antechamber.

Maude followed, nodding in agreement. No surprise there. Whatever they're hiding, they didn't want it getting out—or anyone uninvited getting in.

As we entered, the door behind us sealed shut, and the filtration system activated. A fine mist filled the room, and the air took on a sharp, antiseptic smell. The process took only a few moments, but it felt like an eternity as we stood there, waiting for the system to complete its cycle.

Finally, the mist dissipated, and the door ahead of us slid open, granting us access to the facility proper. We stepped through, our eyes adjusting to the brighter light.