Chapter 7 - The Digital Meltdown
The terrifying reality of the Poison Pill protocol sent a violent shockwave through the entire garage.
It was an illegal, catastrophic financial algorithm Everett had secretly buried deep within the company's servers.
If activated, it would systematically erase billions of dollars in client funds and permanently destroy our reputation.
"You insane, pathetic coward!" I yelled, stepping forward to smash the smartwatch on his wrist.
Everett laughed hysterically as a police officer roughly tackled him to the concrete floor.
"You are far too late, Evelyn!" Everett screamed proudly while fighting against the heavy steel handcuffs.
He boasted that the algorithm was entirely self-sustaining and could only be stopped from the master server room.
Grant frantically checked his tactical tablet, his face instantly draining of all color.
"The gala screens upstairs are already showing our global stock prices plummeting into the absolute red," Grant reported rapidly.
We were losing millions of dollars with every single agonizing second that ticked by.
"We have exactly five minutes before the core banking ledgers are completely wiped out," I calculated aloud.
I did not hesitate to run back toward the heavy emergency stairwell, leaving the police to deal with Everett.
Grant sprinted closely right behind me as we desperately climbed the stairs toward the main lobby.
We burst through the doors and raced across the chaotic ballroom floor, ignoring the panicked, screaming guests.
We needed to reach the secure executive elevator to access the isolated server room on the sixtieth floor.
I aggressively slammed my biometric thumbprint onto the elevator's glowing security scanner.
The golden doors slid open instantly, and we rushed inside, desperately punching the top floor button.
The elevator shot upward with incredible, stomach-dropping speed as the digital floor counter raced higher.
Suddenly, a massive jolt violently shook the entire elevator cabin, throwing me hard against the metal wall.
The golden doors sparked fiercely, and the emergency lights instantly flickered to a dim, blood-red color.
The elevator screeched to a terrifying, abrupt halt completely trapped between the fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth floors.
"He hacked the building's internal security mainframe to trap us!" Grant shouted, frantically prying at the heavy doors.
I quickly analyzed the impossible situation, knowing we only had three minutes left to save the entire empire.
I looked up and spotted the small, square emergency maintenance hatch secured tightly in the ceiling above us.
"Give me a boost right now, Grant," I commanded, completely ignoring the danger of the dark elevator shaft.
Grant locked his hands together, creating a sturdy step for me to launch myself upward.
I forcefully pushed the metal hatch open and pulled my body up into the freezing, oily darkness of the shaft.
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As I balanced on top of the precarious elevator car, I heard a chilling sound echoing from above.
Someone was currently welding the server room door completely shut from the inside.
