Fifteen computer cards spilled out onto the chilled floor. Mills had frantically scooped them up without thinking to keep them in order. That's where we think it all went wrong.
For the last five years underground, our sole communication with the outside world was through ERiC, the mainframe that ran the installation. Most of the orders were recurring and maintenance-oriented, but we had a specific protocol for emergencies. We kept the cards for that sequence in the safe. In order. But then Mills--
The Electronic Recognitializing Computer sent a final message before its beacon went silent forever: "Mismatch. Start Over."