Reed propelled himself forward aware that his escape would not go unnoticed for long. His knowledge of the ship and its operation had helped him to avoid the more heavily trafficked
areas. Still at times, he was forced to backtrack and seek an alternate route or risk discovery. Ahead, he could see a cargo elevator that would be able to take him up to the deck just below the bridge,
but was reluctant to place himself in an enclosed area.
Time decided the issue for him, and he rushed to the elevator, keeping low in hopes of avoiding detection. He pressed the the .1 "up" button, waited what seemed an eternity for the car to arrive, and stepped
in when the doors slowly opened. Through the crack between the doors as they slid shut behind him, Reed saw the young security officer he'd dispatched earlier stagger into view. The guard yelled something
unintelligible as he spotted the Commander, his jaw hanging slightly off kilter from Reed's jarring blow. The doors closed and Reed knew he was out of time. Surely the guard had sounded the alarm, which
would place the entire security division on his heels.
Several squads converged on the few exits the elevator shaft offered. Systems personnel located and isolated the car's destination, dispatching a large contingent of the security division to the deck directly
below the bridge to await Reed's arrival. Hands flexed on the grips of their weapons as the floors ticked off on the display. A melodic "ding" announced the elevator's arrival and everyone tensed.
The doors slid open revealing an empty car with jagged hole cut through it's thick steel floor. A hole large enough for a man.
