Chapter 17

The damp air of the tunnel wrapped around us like a second skin, thick with the scent of rust and mildew. The faint sound of distant gunfire echoed above, but the earth between us and SynerTech’s forces was enough to muffle the immediate danger. For now.

Cloud leaned against the wall, his breathing ragged. “I hate to say it, but I don’t think I can keep this pace much longer.”

Athena pulled a glowstick from her pack, cracking it open to cast a greenish hue over the tunnel. “We don’t have a choice. If they figure out where we went, this place will turn into a death trap.”

I crouched next to Cloud, assessing his condition. The bandage around his arm was already soaked through, the blood loss making his face pale. “We need to stop the bleeding or you’re not making it out of here.”

Athena reached into her med kit, pulling out a small vial and syringe. “Cloud, this is going to sting, but it’ll help you keep moving.”

He scoffed. “More pain? Fantastic. Just do it.”

She injected the coagulant, her hands steady despite the tension thickening around us. Cloud gritted his teeth but gave her a small nod when she finished.

“We need to keep moving,” I said, adjusting my grip on my pistol. “Tunnel should lead to the old freight station. If we make it there, we can find a way topside without walking into a kill zone.”

Athena nodded, stepping ahead while I helped Cloud back to his feet. We pressed on, the tunnel stretching before us like an unending abyss. Our footsteps echoed softly against the damp concrete, each step taking us further from the gunfire but closer to uncertainty.

Minutes passed, maybe longer. Time was slippery down here, the darkness playing tricks on my senses. Then Athena suddenly halted, raising a fist to signal us to stop.

I strained to listen. A soft hum. Machinery. Voices?

Athena turned to me, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’re not alone.”

I shifted, adjusting the grip on my weapon. “SynerTech?”

“Doubt it. If they had forces down here, they’d be making a lot more noise.” She pointed ahead, where a faint orange glow flickered beyond the tunnel’s curve. “Could be scavengers. Could be worse.”

Cloud let out a shaky breath. “Either way, I don’t think we’re getting a warm welcome.”

I nodded and took the lead, stepping carefully as we rounded the corner. The glow turned into firelight, revealing a makeshift encampment tucked into the tunnel walls. Improvised barricades made of scrap metal and debris lined the passage. A handful of figures crouched near the fire, their faces gaunt and wary.

A woman stepped forward, her sharp eyes scanning us like she was deciding whether we were worth the bullets. A scar ran down her cheek, half-hidden beneath the hood of a ragged coat. Her grip tightened around a sawed-off shotgun. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“We don’t want trouble,” Athena said, keeping her hands visible but close to her holster. “We just need to get through.”

The woman’s gaze flickered to Cloud, noting his injury. Her expression didn’t soften. “People who run into these tunnels are either desperate or hunted. Which are you?”

I exchanged a glance with Athena before responding. “Both.”

That made the woman smirk, though it lacked any real amusement. “Then you’re going to bring trouble whether you want to or not.”

The others around the fire stirred, gripping whatever weapons they had. Knives, makeshift clubs. Not much against SynerTech’s firepower, but enough to make us think twice about drawing first.

Athena took a slow step forward. “Listen, we don’t want to stay. We just need to get to the freight station and get out of the city.”

The woman exhaled sharply, considering. Then she gestured toward the passage behind her. “Tunnel’s rigged ahead. Gas traps. You walk in blind, you won’t walk out.”

I cursed under my breath. We didn’t have time for detours.

“Is there another way?” Athena asked.

The woman hesitated before answering. “Maybe. There’s an old access hatch that leads up to the surface. Not far, but…”

“But?” Cloud prompted, grimacing as he adjusted his stance.

She tilted her head, studying us again before her smirk returned. “It’s occupied.”

A sinking feeling settled in my gut. “Occupied by what?”

“Not what. Who.” She tapped a finger against her shotgun. “There’s a faction that operates around here. Call themselves the Hollow Men. Real charming folks.”

I had heard of them in passing—a gang of ex-military and rogue mercenaries, remnants of failed black ops teams that SynerTech discarded when they were no longer useful. Ruthless. Organized. And extremely territorial.

Athena cursed under her breath. “Fantastic.”

“You want that exit?” The woman shrugged. “You’ll have to take it from them.”

Cloud let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “I swear, it never gets easier.”

I turned back to the woman. “You’re helping us. Why?”

Her expression darkened. “Because SynerTech burned down my home ten years ago. If you’re carrying something that can bring them down, I want to see it happen.”

I nodded. “Then we have a common enemy.”

She gave a short laugh. “Don’t make me regret helping you.”

Athena checked her weapon and looked to me. “What’s the plan?”

I exhaled, adjusting my grip on my rifle. “We take the access hatch.”

Cloud sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

The woman pointed down a side tunnel. “Hollow Men control that route, but they run patrols in shifts. If you move fast, you might catch them off guard.”

Might.

Athena rolled her shoulders. “Then we move now.”

We followed the woman’s direction, leaving the camp behind. The tunnel grew narrower, the air thicker. Faint voices drifted from ahead, accompanied by the click of boots against concrete.

Athena signaled for silence, pressing us against the tunnel wall as two figures strode into view. Armed. Alert. But not expecting us.

I didn’t give them a chance to react. In one swift motion, I raised my weapon and fired. The first man dropped instantly, his partner barely turning before Athena’s shot took him down.

Silence.

Cloud huffed. “Well, they know we’re here now.”

I stepped over the bodies, motioning toward the end of the tunnel. A metal ladder led upward to a rusted hatch. Our way out.

Athena moved first, pushing the hatch open just enough to peek outside. Then she tensed.

I climbed up beside her, gripping my gun as I peered through the gap. Floodlights. Armed figures patrolling a perimeter. And in the distance, the unmistakable shape of a SynerTech transport drone hovering above the rooftops.

Waiting.

I clenched my jaw. “They’re expecting us.”

Athena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Then we give them a fight they’ll never forget.”