"Get down!" Alexander's voice was sharp, and I dropped to the floor before my brain could catch up.
The hum from the hidden speakers grew louder, pulsing through the room like a heartbeat. Then it stopped.
A single word cut through the silence: "Run."
Alexander yanked me to my feet, his grip firm as he propelled us toward the staircase. Lawrence stumbled after us, his movements sluggish from his earlier ordeal.
"They're trying to herd us," I said between breaths, my mind racing.
"Then we break the pattern," Alexander replied, his tone grim.
We reached the top of the staircase, but instead of emerging into the same dim corridor, we were in a new space. The walls gleamed, sterile and bright.
"Where are we?" Lawrence asked, his voice unsteady.
Alexander ignored him, scanning the room with narrowed eyes. He motioned for us to move, his steps deliberate.
"Stay close," he said.
I didn't need to be told twice.
