“You will find both of those items in a storage closet within the control room. I can run the feed through the Biosphere’s system. As long as the lithium ion batteries last, Timothy and Holly should be able to track your progress outside from the control room, presuming there is no interference.”

“Excellent, then it’s settled. I don’t want to waste any more time—there could be people in need of help, so the sooner we find out what’s going on, the better.”

Sophie took a deep breath. The main mission had more than likely already failed, but a new one was about to begin. Somewhere inside she knew that it was even more important than the Biosphere—something told her it was connected to her dreams.

The train tore down the dark tunnel, the beam of its headlight cutting through the blackness like a rocket through space. Sophie rested her back against the hard seat. She couldn’t help but wonder if they were making the right decision. Holly had advised her to use the scientific side of her brain, the logical side, and that was exactly what she had done. After examining the evidence, she had no reason to believe NTC was testing them. It had to be a solar event or EMP attack. Something so terrible it had knocked out the hardened line to the facility.

She shook her head, trying not to think about post-apocalyptic scenarios. Deep down she had to believe there was still something worth saving, and that her trip to Mars was just being postponed.

The train slowed as the tunnel widened and opened up into the same hangar she had entered just a week before. Emanuel and Saafi sat in silence, staring at the massive blast doors towering above the small train.

Sophie squeezed through the train’s doors as they opened. “This is it, guys. Let’s find that gear.”

At the far end of the hangar, just shy of the blast doors, was a small, windowless building.

“That must be it,” Saafi said, pointing at the structure.

Sophie attached a tiny camera to the top of the headset she had retrieved from the command center. She pulled her blond hair back into a ponytail and slipped the device over her head, the speaker resting perfectly in her ear. “Alexia, this is Sophie. Do you read me?”

The feminine voice immediately responded. “Yes, Dr. Winston.”

“We’re headed for the equipment room, please advise.”

“I’ve unlocked the doors; you may proceed.”

Emanuel was the first to reach the building. He pushed a green button on the keypad, and the automatic metal door screeched open. Inside were the guts of what had been some sort of janitorial closet. A surplus of dusty mops and empty buckets sat in a disorganized cluster in the corners. On the opposite side of the room was a wall lined with black lockers, each filled with a plethora of weapons. Next to the lockers were hazmat suits and gas masks hanging from hooks on the concrete wall.