Chapter 14 - The Mountain Fortress
The helicopter dropped us off on a snow-covered ridge just as the sun was setting, painting the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains in violent shades of orange and purple. The biting wind tore through my tactical jacket, but the sheer adrenaline kept the cold at bay.
Roman led us to what looked like a solid wall of rock. He brushed away a layer of snow to reveal a biometric scanner. He pressed his hand against the glass, and with a heavy mechanical groan, a massive section of the cliff face slid open, revealing a brilliantly lit, state-of-the-art bunker.
The interior was a stark contrast to the frozen wilderness outside. It was warm, equipped with high-tech servers, reinforced steel walls, and an armory that rivaled a military base. Titan immediately trotted over to a heavy rug near a space heater, shaking the snow from his thick coat.
"Welcome to the last resort," Roman said, dropping the duffel bags onto a metal workbench.
He immediately went to work at the command center, booting up rows of encrypted servers. I walked over to the armory, my eyes scanning the racks of automatic rifles, tactical shotguns, and body armor.
"Are you ready for this, Elara?" Roman asked, his fingers flying across the keyboards as lines of code reflected in his dark eyes.
"No," I answered honestly, pulling a heavy Kevlar vest over my shoulders and strapping it tight. "But I am not running anymore."
Roman paused, walking over to me. He gently adjusted the straps of my vest, his proximity making my heart race faster than the impending danger. He looked down at me, the fierce, protective intensity in his eyes making me weak in the knees.
"When the upload starts, the bunker’s automated defenses will activate. Steel shutters will lock down the windows, and the main door will seal," Roman explained, his voice low and serious. "But Silas uses elite mercenaries. They will have breaching charges. If they get inside, I need you to stay behind the server banks. Do you understand?"
"I am fighting with you," I argued, crossing my arms.
"You are protecting the upload," Roman corrected, cupping my cheek with his warm hand. "If the servers are destroyed before the transfer hits one hundred percent, this was all for nothing. You are the last line of defense, Elara. I trust you more than anyone else in this world."
His words settled heavily in my chest. I nodded, leaning into his touch.
"Okay," I whispered. "Start the upload."
Roman walked back to the console. He inserted the tiny black drive from Titan’s collar into the server port. He typed in a complex passcode and slammed the enter key.
A massive progress bar appeared on the main screen. 0%... 1%... 2%...
Suddenly, a loud, blaring alarm echoed through the bunker. Red strobe lights began flashing, painting the steel walls in the color of blood.
"Satellite connection detected," the automated computer voice announced. "Warning. Multiple unidentified aircraft approaching from the north."
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Roman racked the slide of his combat rifle, the metallic clack sounding deafening in the enclosed space. Titan stood up, his hackles raised, a low, menacing growl vibrating in his chest.
"They are here," Roman said.
