Chapter 09: CITADEL INWARDS

Axel found himself in a narrow, white-walled corridor lined with doors bearing Omicron logos and cryptic labels like "Project Erebus" and "Chrono Code Research".

Ryder moved ahead, scanning for guards or security cameras – Lena's hack seemed to be holding strong.

Axel followed closely, eyes adjusting to the fluorescent lighting after the dark sewer tunnel. His comms device crackled with Lena's voice:

"Ghost here. Cameras still down, but motion detectors online. Move quietly, team."

Axel nodded to himself, though Lena couldn't see him. He knew the risks – one misstep would trigger alarms and summon Omicron guards.

Ryder halted at a intersection, pointing down the left corridor. "Research Facility should be that way, Specter. Elliot confirmed the Chrono Code reboot lab is on level 3."

Axel consulted his mental map of the Citadel layout Dr. Zhang provided. "Agreed, Viper. Stairwell to level 3 should be nearby. Let's move."

They proceeded cautiously, avoiding detection by patrolling guards barely 20 feet away. Axel's heart raced with every close call.

Suddenly, Elliot's voice whispered through the comms device. "Chronos here. Reached Medical Lab on level 2. Maya's accessing Chrono Code antidote storage. Proceed with caution, team."

Axel exchanged a tense glance with Ryder. They were closing in on their objective – the Chrono Code reboot lab.

Axel pushed open the stairwell door, gun drawn.

Axel slipped inside, Ryder covering his back. 

The stairwell was empty, but Axel heard distant voices – Omicron scientists discussing the Chrono Code reboot. 

His heart sank – they were right below the lab.

Axel signaled Ryder to wait, then carefully peeked over the stairwell railing into the level 3 corridor below.

Omicron scientists in white coats hurried past, discussing the reboot timeline:

"...final Chrono Code sequence uploaded. Commander Vex expects successful reboot within the hour."

Axel's grip on his gun tightened. They were running out of time.

He withdrew back into the stairwell, whispering to Ryder, "Scientists confirm reboot prep is complete. We need to move – now."

Ryder nodded, drawing his own gun. "Take point, Specter. I'll cover our six."

Axel descended the stairs silently, gun scanning the corridor below. Ryder followed closely.

They reached the bottom stair, and Axel pushed open the door into level 3's corridor. The Chrono Code reboot lab door – marked "Authorized Personnel Only" – was straight ahead.

Axel sprinted towards the lab door, Ryder close behind. They reached it just as two Omicron guards turned into the corridor, eyes locking onto them.

Axel dropped the first guard with a swift takedown, silencing him before he could raise an alarm. Ryder dispatched the second guard equally quietly.

Axel caught his breath, then swiped a stolen ID card through the lab door's reader. Locks disengaged with a soft click.

He pushed open the door, revealing a room filled with sleek equipment and a massive Chrono Code console dominating the center. Commander Vex stood beside it, eyes widening in surprise.

"Axel Vaughn... how delightful," Commander Vex sneered, hand resting on the console's activation button. "You're just in time to witness the Chrono Code's rebirth."

Elliot's urgent voice crackled through Axel's comms device. "Chronos here. We've got the antidotes. But you need to stop that reboot – NOW!"

Axel charged towards Commander Vex, gun drawn.

Axel dove towards Commander Vex, gun aimed at her hand on the activation button. 

She sneered, fingers tightening around it. "Too late, Axel. Reboot sequence initiated – 5...4...3..."

Axel landed hard on the console, slamming Commander Vex's hand away from the button. The countdown halted at "2..."

The room erupted into chaos: 

- Alarms blared 

- Lights flashed 

- Scientists panicked .

Commander Vex snarled, drawing her sidearm and pointing it at Axel's head.

Ryder tackled her from behind, sending them both crashing to the floor. Axel scrambled to his feet, gun still clutched in his hand.

The console behind him beeped wildly – the reboot sequence hovering precariously close to completion. Axel spun around and slammed his hand onto the emergency shutdown panel.

The room plunged into temporary silence as systems powered down. The Chrono Code reboot sequence aborted at 0.01 seconds from completion.

Axel exhaled heavily, then turned to Ryder, who was pinning Commander Vex to the ground. "We did it, Viper. The reboot failed."

Ryder nodded, eyes locked on Commander Vex. "Time to take out the trash – and get out of here."

Elliot's voice came through the comms device again. "Chronos here. We've secured the antidotes. Meet us at extraction point Bravo-12. Omicron reinforcements incoming!"

Axel helped Ryder drag Commander Vex to her feet – a prisoner to interrogate about Omicron's plans. 

Their mission was almost over – but escaping Citadel alive still remained a daunting challenge.