"This is a freaking maze," I muttered to myself as I crawled through the narrow confines of the vent system. After navigating right twice, I hesitated. The oppressive silence was unsettling—no sounds of footsteps or distant explosions. It was time to get down.
I cautiously lifted the vent cover and peeked down into a spacious room, filled with computers and cubicles, a bleak reminder of normalcy in this hellscape. With no one in sight, I dropped down, hitting the floor with a thud that felt like unintentional theatrics in a deadly play.
Looking around, I quickly found a pair of scissors abandoned atop a desk. "Time to make arts and crafts," I muttered darkly to myself, gripping them tightly as I moved toward the nearest cubicle.
Just then, an explosion rattled the other side of the room, shaking the floor beneath me. Instinct kicked in, and I ducked low, heart pounding in my chest. More explosions followed, echoing through the space like angry thunder. I took a deep breath, conjuring every ounce of stealth I had left, and crept silently toward the door.
As I glanced down the hallway, I froze. Two armed men were stationed there. One stepped into a nearby room while the other lingered, looking too relaxed for my liking. Now was my chance.
With a sudden burst of adrenaline, I hurled my makeshift spear, aiming for the back of his right knee. He yelped in pain and crumpled, catching me off guard as he spun around, his rifle barely raised. I kicked his gun hard to the right, sending it clattering against the wall, then lunged forward, scissors poised in my hand. In a swift movement, I pressed the blade into his throat, silencing him permanently.
Breathless, I grabbed his rifle, quickly throwing his body over my shoulder to hide it from his partner, who was bound to come running. Sure enough, the other soldier burst through the door, calling for backup. He glanced at his partner's still form on the ground, confusion flickering across his face before suspicion set in.
That's when I struck. I had rigged a trap using my MK2 grenade on the body earlier, and with a well-timed flick, I manipulated the safety lever as he turned the body over, causing an explosion that rocked the hallway. I darted through the thickening smoke and chaos, gripping the stolen rifle with newfound purpose.
As I glanced frantically around, I spotted a map of the building hanging limply on the wall. My goal was clear: only a left and then a right lay between me and escape.
Fueled by determination, I sprinted down the hall, adrenaline fuelling my every move. I made the last right turn, but just as I felt free, I heard a gunfire crack echo around me. A sharp, searing pain shot through my side, as if someone had stabbed me with a red-hot iron rod.
I staggered, my vision momentarily blurring, but instinct had me rolling and diving to the left just in time to land behind the front desk. Heart in my throat, I tried to catch my breath, but all I could hear was that deep, husky voice cutting through the air like a knife.
"You know, I thought you'd die in the artillery barrage."
The air grew colder as a shadow fell across the desk, revealing him. My world had narrowed down to a single focus: survival.
"Alex," he continued, tauntingly, a twisted smile playing on his lips. "Did you really think you could escape? We're just getting started."
His voice sent chills down my spine, reminding me of everything I was fighting to protect. I gripped the rifle tighter, setting my jaw as I prepared for the confrontation that was about to unfold. He might have thought he had the upper hand, but I was not going down without a fight.