Page 145 of Storm Warning

“A signal jammer, another of Zane’s creations. Can you hook your computer to the scanner?”

She nodded.

“The signal jammer disrupts the biometric reader, forcing it into fallback mode, either needing a keycard or a pin number to release the lock. That’s where you come in.”

“Got it.” Riley slid the pack off of her back and removed her minicomputer and a cable. Once she had booted up her computer and attached her cable, she glanced at Andre. “Ready when you are.”

Andre looked at Seth and nodded. As the rest of his teammates moved toward them, he shifted closer to the scanner. “Three, two, one.” He turned on the signal jammer. “Go.”

Riley plugged her cable into the side of the biometric scanner and got to work. Less than a minute later, a light on the scanner turned red and beeped.

Seth’s heart skipped a beat. “What does that mean?”

She scowled at the lock. “The minicomputer hasn’t figured out the code yet, and the scanner doesn’t like it.”

“Did that count as the first try?”

Riley nodded. “The computer’s still working, so we have another minute before the alarm announces our presence in the hallway.”

Seth glanced at the other operatives. “Get ready. We’re engaging the enemy in another minute.”

“Come on, come on.” Riley glared at the minicomputer. “Don’t let me down now.”

Andre’s gut tightened into a knot. The last thing they needed was a gunfight in this corridor, or worse, inside the lab. Bullets flying around in a lab with weaponized viruses was the stuff of nightmares.

The mission clock ticked in his head. Fifteen seconds before the alarm would sound. He counted down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.

The light radiating from the biometric scanner turned green, and the lock made a quiet click as it released.

Riley removed the cable and returned her computer and cable to her pack.

Andre glanced at Seth, who opened the door to the back of the lab and held it for the rest of his team.

Inside the lab, five guards monitored the scientists and their assistants, fingering their handguns. None of the men paid attention to either lab entrance. Too confident in their control of the security, a dangerous and stupid assumption.

Seth found the light switch and began a silent countdown using his fingers. When he reached zero, he turned off the lights. The lab went pitch black aside from lights from the machinery around the room.

Two women screamed. Several men shouted. Some cursed. The guards shouted orders no one obeyed. Madness and mayhem reigned inside the lab.

Amid the chaos, the Fortress operatives took down the guards one at a time.

When the last one was down, Seth said, “Lights.”

Light flooded the lab, and the scientists and helpers stared at the operatives. “Who are you?” one scientist asked.

“What matters is preventing Obsidian Storm from weaponizing the virus,” Seth said.

The hostages glanced at each other, hope beginning to glow in their eyes.

“Stop the weaponization process.”

Three men shook their heads. “We can’t,” Tall One said.

“Can’t or won’t?”

“It is not safe for anyone to refuse.”

Violet stepped up beside Seth. “When will the process finish?”