Chapter 5 — Escape or Death?

The alarms blared through the facility, their shrill sound slicing through the heavy tension in the air. Xander's heart pounded in his chest as he glanced around the lab. His parents were still reeling from their revival, their faces pale and disoriented. The harsh fluorescent lights above flickered as the whir of security doors locking echoed throughout the facility. The room seemed to close in on him.

"Mara, we need a way out, now!" Xander's voice was strained as he turned to the tech expert, his pulse racing. He couldn't believe this was happening—his parents were alive, but now they were in even more danger than before.

Mara's fingers flew over her wristband, activating her portable terminal. "I'm on it," she muttered, scanning for a way to override the lockdown. She moved swiftly, her eyes focused, but her usual confidence was laced with a hint of concern. "There's a service exit nearby, but it's guarded. If we don't move now, we won't make it."

Xander stepped closer to his parents, his father's weak eyes slowly focusing on him. "Dad… Mom… are you alright?" His voice cracked as he spoke. The years of searching, the loneliness, and the heartache built up until it all spilled out in that one simple question. The two people who had shaped his world were right there, but they were barely alive.

His mother reached out with trembling hands, her voice barely above a whisper. "Xander... Is it really you?"

He nodded, his throat tight. "Yes, it's me. And we're getting out of here, I swear it."

His father blinked several times, as if unsure that he could trust his own eyes. "GeneCorp... they've been manipulating us... using us... But you... You've come for us, haven't you?"

Xander's breath caught in his throat. They had known. They had been used for their genetic potential, experimented on, altered in ways Xander could barely understand. The realization stung harder than he had expected. They hadn't just been victims—they had been part of GeneCorp's plan all along.

"We need to go," Xander said urgently. He turned toward Mara, who was still hacking away at her terminal, her brow furrowed. The security systems were almost fully activated. "Mara, hurry!"

Mara's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "Done!" She swiped her hand across her terminal, and the door to the lab slid open with a loud hiss, revealing a long, dimly lit corridor. The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, growing louder.

But Xander didn't waste another second. He rushed to his parents, helping them to their feet. They were weak, their bodies trembling as they tried to adjust to the new reality. Their limbs were stiff from years of being in stasis, and Xander could feel the delicate fragility of their existence. Every step they took felt like a step away from death, and every moment spent in this facility was a moment closer to their destruction.

"We have to move fast," Xander urged, his voice tense. He could hear the guards approaching, and he knew they had mere minutes before they would be trapped. "This way!"

The group moved down the corridor, the sound of hurried footsteps reverberating off the walls. Xander kept one eye on the rearview as they ran, watching for any sign of pursuit. The facility was a maze, but Mara's quick thinking had given them a route to the service exit. His thoughts raced as he tried to calm the panic rising within him. He was finally close to his parents—but now, the real fight was about to begin.

The distant echo of boots grew louder, closer. Xander's mind sharpened with the urgency of the situation. His parents were still weak, and he couldn't risk them getting caught. They needed to get out, and they needed to get out fast.

"There's an intersection up ahead," Mara called out, her voice tight with exertion. "We'll have to split up. Voss and the others are waiting for us just beyond the service door. Once we're through, we can regroup."

Xander nodded. His heart raced as he glanced at his parents, still struggling to walk. His father was leaning on him for support, and his mother was clutching his arm with a grip that felt both desperate and fragile.

"I'll carry them," Xander said, gritting his teeth. He didn't want to risk losing time. Every second counted.

Mara hesitated for a moment but then nodded. "Alright. We'll move ahead. Stay in touch."

Xander didn't wait for further instructions. He scooped his father into his arms, his mother following close behind. The weight of the two of them felt like a mountain on his shoulders, but he didn't care. He couldn't let them fall again. Not after all this time.

The corridor narrowed as they approached the service exit, the dim light flickering above them. Xander's mind raced, calculating their every move. He didn't know what kind of security awaited them at the exit, but he knew GeneCorp wouldn't let them slip away easily. They would have forces positioned to prevent any escape. But Xander was done playing by their rules. This was his fight now. His rebellion.

"Stay close," Xander muttered, his voice strained. He had to stay calm, had to lead them out of this nightmare.

A loud bang echoed behind them. The doors to the lab had been breached. The guards were close. Too close.

Xander's heart skipped a beat. "Move!" he shouted, urging his parents forward.

Mara's voice crackled through his earpiece. "We're almost there. Just keep going!"

But before they could reach the door, the ground beneath them trembled. The lights flickered once again, and then, the entire facility seemed to come alive with a deafening hum. The walls shook as the emergency systems kicked in.

"Shit," Xander muttered under his breath, his heart racing. He couldn't stop now. He had to get them out, no matter what.

Suddenly, the blast doors at the end of the hallway slammed shut, locking them in. Xander's breath caught in his throat. There was no way out. The security system had completely sealed the facility.

His mind raced. There had to be another way. He couldn't let them die in here. Not after everything.

"Xander!" his mother gasped, her voice panicked. "What's happening?"

Xander swallowed, trying to keep his composure. "We're not trapped yet," he said, though the doubt gnawed at him.

Then, just as he was about to turn back and try another route, the walls around them began to shift. The sound of metal grinding on metal echoed through the corridor, and the security doors behind them began to close in as well. The whole place felt like it was collapsing in on them.

"We're running out of time!" Mara's voice was frantic through the earpiece. "Get to the service exit now!"

Without another thought, Xander threw his father's weight onto his back, hoisting him higher, and grabbed his mother's hand. Together, they rushed toward the rapidly closing blast door. He could hear the clattering of guards' footsteps, the hiss of their weapons powering up.

Just as they reached the door, it opened with a hiss, revealing a small service tunnel. On the other side, Voss and the rest of the rebel team were already waiting, their weapons drawn. But there was no time to lose.

"We're not out of this yet," Voss said sharply, his expression grim. "Get in, now!"

Xander didn't hesitate. With his parents safely behind him, he ducked into the tunnel, and the group pushed forward, the sounds of the facility's chaos echoing behind them. The tunnel was narrow, and the air was thick with tension, but it was their only chance.

They had to make it out. And they had to make it out alive.