Chapter 5 - 5

Chapter 14 – First Steps into Darkness

Jet awoke to the soft patter of rain against the apartment's reinforced window. For a moment he lay still, savoring the unfamiliar comfort of a real bed. Across the small room, Lexi was curled up on the lower bunk, still fast asleep beneath a patchwork quilt of donated blankets. Clean water, bunk beds, a locking door—just days ago these were unattainable luxuries. Now, thanks to Aurora and the hard-won victories of recent weeks, this modest one-room flat was home.

He stretched quietly and slipped out of bed. The morning light filtering through smog-gray clouds revealed walls decorated with Lexi's drawings and a few faded holo-posters their friends had given as housewarming gifts. In the kitchenette corner, Jet heated water for tea. They didn't have much in the pantry yet, but a half loaf of nutri-bread and a couple of oranges waited on the counter—ample breakfast by their old standards. Jet began slicing the bread, humming under his breath. It was impossible not to feel hopeful here; every inch of this place was proof that life could change for the better.

As he set two chipped mugs on the table, a familiar dry voice echoed in his mind. [SYSTEM REMINDER: Quest Complete – "Secure Safe Home" → Rewards already dispensed. Current XP: 78/100.] Jet nearly smiled. The System had congratulated him last night in its begrudging way, acknowledging the completion of the "Permanent Home" quest. It had awarded a chunk of experience points and even a small credit bonus—"seed money for your domestic aspirations," the AI had called it wryly. Jet wasn't sure if the System was more pleased about the altruism of providing Lexi a home or the efficiency of having a stable base of operations. Either way, his XP bar was now creeping toward the next level.

He heard Lexi stir and yawn. "Morning, big bro," she greeted, voice thick with sleep. She padded over to the table, her bare feet silent on the laminate floor. Jet poured the steaming tea and handed her a mug.

"Morning. Sleep okay?" he asked.

Lexi nodded, cradling the warm cup between her palms. "I dreamed I was back in our old alley, but then I woke up and remembered we're here." Her smile lit up her young face. "No rats scurrying around. No leaks in the roof. It's real."

Jet gently tapped her mug with his. "It's real," he echoed. They ate their simple breakfast together, relishing each bite. Lexi chattered about how Nurse Mei had invited her to visit the clinic's new pediatric corner today and read to some of the little kids waiting in line. Even at thirteen, Lexi had a nurturing streak. Jet listened fondly, pleased that his sister was finding ways to help others too.

When they were ready to leave, Jet donned his threadbare jacket and slung a lightweight med-kit over his shoulder—a gift from Aurora's team. Lexi pulled on a neon-pink poncho someone had donated. The rain had stopped, but one could never be too careful with the sporadic acid drizzle in Mega-City Theta. They double-checked the apartment's door lock (still a novelty) and headed out into the bustling morning of the lower levels.

On the walk to Aurora Enterprises' mobile clinic, the city felt more alive than usual. Vendors were opening up stalls selling hot soy cakes and congee; children in hand-me-down uniforms darted off to a nearby schoolhouse module. Jet kept a watchful eye as always, but the streets here—only a few blocks from where they used to squat—already felt safer. Perhaps the presence of Aurora's clinic and its community outreach was making a difference. He spotted the fresh mural on a concrete wall where Iron Shark gang graffiti had been scrubbed away; it depicted a red cross and a sunrise, symbols of healing and hope. Jet smiled to himself.

They reached the clinic tram, which was parked at its usual spot under an overpass. The retrofitted mag-lev tram gleamed white and green with Aurora's logo. This early, a small crowd had already gathered—people seeking basic medical care they couldn't afford elsewhere. Jet exchanged waves with Finn, who was unloading crates of supplies from a van. Finn's face broke into a grin when he saw them.

"Jet! Lexi! Over here," Finn called, jogging over with two crates stacked in his arms. Life as a volunteer clearly agreed with him; the sullen, half-starved mugger Jet had thwarted weeks ago was gone, replaced by a youth with genuine purpose in his eyes.

"Need a hand?" Jet asked, already reaching for one of the crates.

Finn chuckled. "Sure, though careful—this one's full of bandages and antiseptic. I don't want Nurse Mei after me if I drop it." He handed one crate off to Jet. Lexi eagerly took a smaller box of pamphlets to carry.

Together, they brought the supplies inside the tram, where nurses and volunteer med-techs were preparing for the day. Dr. Aurora "Rory" Zhang herself was in the midst of it, tying her dark hair back as she reviewed patient charts. She looked up and gave the siblings a warm smile. "Good morning, you two. Sleep well in your new place?"

Lexi beamed. "Better than ever, Dr. Rory. Thank you again."

Aurora waved a hand. "I'm just glad you're settling in. Now, how about helping us set up station seven, Lexi? Mei could use an assistant with the kids."

Lexi bounded off, and Aurora turned to Jet. "Think you could manage triage this morning? Some of our regulars trust you, and Mei says you have a calming way."

Jet nodded, heartened by her confidence in him. "Of course. I'll do my best."

As he took his place by the intake area—essentially a few plastic chairs and a folding table—Jet felt the System's presence attentive in the back of his mind. It often became more active when he was helping others, as if preparing to tally up points. Not that Jet did any of this for rewards. If anything, the System's constant emphasis on profit and optimization amused him now; he'd learned to live with its voice and even appreciate its guidance at times.

The morning passed in a satisfying blur. Jet guided patients through basic forms, offered reassurance to the nervous ones, and flagged serious cases for Aurora to see first. An elderly woman with a bad cough, a little boy with a burnt arm (from a malfunctioning heater in their tenement), a pregnant mother due any day—Jet treated each with gentle respect. For every kind word or comfort he gave, the System chimed in with small affirmations:

[SYSTEM]: "Micro-Quest complete – Soothed a fearful child. +2 XP, $1 credit."

[SYSTEM]: "Efficient Triage – Identified high-priority patient. +3 XP."

By midday, Jet's XP had ticked up a few more points. He could feel the incremental improvements in himself too: each act of service left him a bit more energized, focused, alive. Field Medic (Novice) training from his last level-up coursed through his mind, giving him the know-how to apply a bandage here, check vital signs there with growing confidence.

During a brief lull, he overheard snippets of conversation from two men seated near the back of the tram. They were new faces—scruffy, dressed in patchwork armor made of old rubber and plastic plates. Scavengers, by the look of them. One had a crudely bandaged leg wound and was waiting for treatment while the other kept him company.

"…damn crawler bit right through my pants," the injured man was saying in a low voice. "Next time, we need stronger repellent. Or better armor."

His companion grunted. "Next time? You're lucky you didn't get yourself killed down there. Those tunnels aren't worth it, Toma."

Jet pretended to be sorting forms, ears keen. Tunnels? He inched a bit closer, as Aurora was still busy with another patient.

Toma, the wounded scavenger, lowered his voice. "Not worth it? We pulled three microcells out of that wrecked lab. Those will fetch a hundred credits each at least! Once I'm patched up, we go back and get the rest before someone else does."

His friend shook his head. "We barely made it out. Besides, I heard a couple of Iron Sharks have started sniffing around the west entrance—"

Before Jet could catch more, Nurse Mei approached to tend to Toma's leg. Jet moved along, not wanting to seem like he was eavesdropping. But his mind raced. They clearly had been in the Labyrinth, the maze of old underground infrastructure beneath Mega-City Theta. Jet had heard vague tales of it: service tunnels, abandoned transit stations, maybe even fallout shelters from decades past. Over time, toxic runoff and neglect had turned the undercity into a breeding ground for mutants and who-knew-what else. Few dared venture there, except desperate scavengers or those with nothing to lose.

Still, the mention of hundreds of credits… Jet's thoughts flashed to the meager balance on his System ledger and the many needs ahead. Aurora might be covering rent now, but Jet knew he couldn't rely on her charity forever. If he wanted to eventually pay for formal medical training—or even just ensure Lexi's future security—he'd need substantially more money than occasional volunteer stipends and micro-quests provided. The System, naturally, agreed.

[SYSTEM:] "Interesting. I calculate a 78% chance that our financial solvency issues could be solved by accessing resources in that Labyrinth. Mutant-infested death trap or not."**

Jet frowned internally. I'm not looting old tech for profit.

[SYSTEM]: "Who said anything about pure profit? Consider it efficient altruism. Imagine the good you could do with a few extra thousand credits… or by removing some dangerous creatures that threaten unwary citizens topside. Win-win, no?" The AI's tone dripped with temptation and a hint of mock innocence.

Jet busied himself wiping down the intake table, considering despite himself. Clearing out dangerous creatures would make the slums safer. And if valuable scrap was just lying down there, retrieving it might help the clinic or the community. Aurora's supplies were always stretched thin—what if he found something like those microcells the scavenger mentioned? High-density energy cells like that could power medical devices or be sold to fund more medicines.

By the time the clinic wrapped up for the day, the idea had firmly rooted in Jet's mind. He helped pack up equipment with Finn as dusk approached. Lexi was kneeling on a seat, helping a toddler finish a cup of vitamin-fortified juice, oblivious to her brother's inner debate.

Finn nudged Jet as they carted a bin of waste out to the curb. "You were quiet this afternoon. Everything okay?"

Jet hesitated. Finn had become a close friend, but Jet wasn't sure how to explain. "Just thinking about ways to… bring in more support for the clinic." It wasn't exactly a lie.

Finn pushed his shaggy hair back and gave a half-smile. "That's Aurora's job to worry about, isn't it? We do what we can. You've already done more than enough, man. You literally saved the place."

Jet managed a modest shrug. "I guess. But I can do more."

They disposed of the trash and Finn began to chatter about an upcoming neighborhood watch meeting Aurora wanted him to attend. Jet listened with a smile, though his mind was elsewhere—down in the dark, winding tunnels below the city.

On the walk home, Lexi skipped ahead a few paces, enjoying the rare clear evening. Jet was lost in thought. He needed more information about the Labyrinth and how to survive it. Reina came to mind—she was a scavenger by trade and had navigated dangerous places before. But Reina wasn't around today; she'd mentioned being on a supply run to another district. Asking her could be wise… yet Jet felt a tug of pride. Reina and Finn had risked themselves fighting the Iron Sharks. Could he really ask them to plunge into the Labyrinth's unknown perils too?

Maybe at least at first, he shouldn't. This was his idea, his risk to take. His responsibility. Jet glanced at Lexi, who was carefully avoiding puddles on the sidewalk, humming a song under her breath. Everything he did was ultimately for her and people like her who needed protection. If the System was pushing this path, perhaps it was because it saw potential there.

That night after dinner, Jet helped Lexi with her homework by lantern-light (the apartment's power flickered now and then, a quirk of the cheap city grid). When she was safely tucked in, already dozing off with a comic book on her chest, Jet prepared quietly. He pulled on his sturdiest boots—scuffed but solid—and layered two jackets for some padding against bites or scrapes. From their meager toolkit, he took a small flashlight, a rusted multitool, and a length of rope. His heart pounded at the secrecy of it all. He hated not telling Lexi, but she would only worry or try to dissuade him. Better to see how a short excursion went before involving anyone else.

Jet scribbled a quick note and left it on the kitchen counter, just in case Lexi woke up: "Went to help Finn with something. Back by morning. –J." It wasn't great as far as excuses went, but it was something.

Slipping out of the apartment, Jet locked the door behind him. The hallway was quiet, lit by a single dim bulb. He took the stairs down to ground level and headed for a half-remembered location: an old maintenance hatch in an alley two blocks over, which he and Lexi used to hide near on rainy days. Back then, the heavy iron cover had been chained shut by the city. But street rumors said many such entrances had since been pried open by scavengers or things escaping from below.

The alley was empty save for a prowling orange cat. Jet's pulse quickened as he found the maintenance cover behind a dumpster. The chain was indeed broken. He gripped the cool metal handle and heaved upward. With a squeal of rust, the hatch lifted, revealing a narrow shaft and a ladder descending into blackness. A foul, damp air wafted up—earthy decay mixed with chemical tang. It took all of Jet's will not to gag.

[SYSTEM]: "Smells like adventure." The AI's voice was soft but gleeful. Jet suspected it had been waiting for him to make this move all night.

He climbed in and began the descent, pulling the hatch closed above him. Darkness enveloped Jet aside from the narrow beam of his flashlight. He clicked it on and took one steady rung at a time. The sounds of the city faded, replaced by the drip-drip of water and the scuttling of unseen critters below.

After maybe thirty feet, the ladder ended. Jet dropped the last few feet, boots splashing in shallow muck. He played his light around. He stood in a concrete corridor just tall enough to stand upright. Corroded pipes ran along the ceiling and one wall. This might have been a storm drain access or part of the old sewer system. Faded hazard stripes marked the pathway. To his left, the tunnel seemed to slope downward, deeper into the unknown. To his right, it climbed slightly and curved out of sight.

Jet inhaled, steadying himself. The air was heavy and dank, but he forced slow breaths. Just a quick look around, he reminded himself. He wouldn't go far, just enough to get a feel for the place and maybe confirm if those mutated creatures were as bad as they said.

He pulled out a piece of chalk from his pocket—another tool he'd thought to bring—and made an "X" on the wall by the ladder. If his memory ever faltered, at least this would mark his exit. Then he began walking, choosing the leftward, downward path first.

Each step sloshed softly. The flashlight's beam illuminated clusters of pale fungus clinging to the walls and occasional scraps of debris—bottles, plastic wrappers—from long ago. Jet moved slowly, ears straining for any hint of danger over the echo of his own footsteps. The tunnel soon branched into a web of intersecting passages. It truly was a labyrinth down here. Without his keen memory, Jet could easily see how someone might get lost forever. He silently noted each turn: left at the broken pipe junction, right past the graffiti of a white skull, straight through the archway with missing grate…

A sudden skittering sound froze him in his tracks. Jet swept the flashlight around wildly. The cone of light caught a flash of movement ahead—something low to the ground, ducking behind an overturned barrel in the tunnel. He heard a chittering hiss and felt his heartbeat slam in his chest. Keep calm. He crouched, free hand already slipping into his satchel for the makeshift weapon he'd packed: a long screwdriver with cloth wrapped around the handle.

The creature emerged, drawn into the light. Jet's stomach did a little flip at the sight. It was a rat—at least it had been once—but grotesquely mutated, nearly the size of a small dog. Patchy fur revealed tumorous flesh. Its eyes gleamed milky white, and its long teeth… Jet swallowed. Those could do damage.

The mutant rat sniffed the air and locked onto him with a shrill squeal. In a heartbeat it lunged, scuttling fast across the slimy floor. Jet braced himself, planting his feet as he'd seen Reina do in fights, and swung the flashlight in his left hand toward the creature's face while jabbing with the screwdriver in his right.

The flashlight crack caught it on the snout mid-leap, deflecting its attack so that it grazed Jet's leg instead of a direct bite. He felt sharp claws rake across his pant leg—no pain, so probably just the fabric torn. The rat fell back, reorienting with an angry chatter. Jet's heart thundered. Part of him was amazed he hadn't frozen up entirely. Was that his agility training kicking in?

[SYSTEM]: "1 mutant rat. Hardly the mighty dungeon boss of legend, but try not to die to it."

Jet ignored the commentary, focusing as the rat charged again. This time he was ready; he sidestepped on instinct, his enhanced reflexes guiding him. The rat hurtled past, and Jet struck out hard with the screwdriver, landing a solid hit to its side. The creature let out a hideous squeal of pain. Before it could turn, Jet followed up with a kick from his boot, sending the rat tumbling into the wall.

It twitched, then went still. Jet stood there, panting, the echoes of the scuffle fading into the tunnels. A rancid smell of blood and musk hung in the air. He nudged the carcass with his foot to ensure it wasn't a threat. Nothing. It lay lifeless, a testament to his first victory in the Labyrinth.

A mix of triumph and revulsion filled him. He'd never killed an animal this large before—certainly not a mutated one. But it had attacked him; what choice was there? Jet wiped the screwdriver on a rag. His hands trembled as the adrenaline coursed through him.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Combat Quest Complete – "Vermin Vanquisher."

+10 XP, +10 Credits awarded.]

Jet exhaled in relief at the System's notification. At least the danger hadn't been for nothing. Ten experience points was more than he'd get from a whole day of minor good deeds. And the credits… actual money for slaying a rat? He felt a pang of guilt at the spark of excitement that gave him. Was he really so quick to monetize violence? But the System's framing helped: the quest called him a Vermin Vanquisher, implying this thing had been a scourge.

"Probably was attacking folks who wandered down here," Jet murmured to himself, rationalizing. "Keeping it from hurting someone… that's good, right?"

His voice sounded small in the darkness. He realized then how alone he was down here, just a teenager talking to a corpse and an invisible AI. A faint dread crept in. Maybe this was enough for one night.

He decided to head back before his luck ran out. Retracing his steps carefully, Jet navigated by memory and the small chalk marks he'd made at each junction. Twice he heard distant noises—once a clatter that echoed (another creature? something falling?), and once what sounded like a far-off human shout that set him on edge. But he didn't investigate; not now.

Finally, the beam of his flashlight fell on the "X" at the base of the ladder. Jet nearly sagged with relief. He climbed up, pushing aside the hatch and emerging into the cool night air of the alley. It felt like being reborn, in a way—surfacing from a nightmare into the relative safety of the world he knew.

Sliding the maintenance cover back into place, Jet took a moment to steady himself. His clothes were smeared with grime, and a tear in his right pant leg revealed an angry red scratch beneath. The rat's claws had caught him after all, just a shallow scrape above the ankle. It stung now that the adrenaline was wearing off. Jet rummaged in his med-kit for a disinfectant wipe and a bandage. As he cleaned the wound, the System piped up cheerfully:

[SYSTEM]: "First blood and first profit. Not bad for a newbie dungeon crawl. How's it feel, Jet? Ready to sign up for the grand tour down there?"

He bit back a retort as he tied off the bandage. The truth was, it felt terrifying—but also empowering. He had faced a monster in the dark and survived. More than survived, he had won, in his own small way. And for his efforts, he'd gained resources that could directly help Lexi and the clinic.

"I'm not rushing into anything," Jet whispered under his breath, heading home with cautious footsteps. "But… yeah. I think I can handle a bit more."

As he neared their apartment block, Jet noticed dawn was not far off; the horizon had a faint, murky light. He slipped back inside and up the stairs, grateful that the early hour meant no one in the building was around to see his disheveled state.

Quietly, he unlocked the apartment door and stepped in. Lexi's note lay undisturbed on the counter, and Lexi herself was still sound asleep, having shifted to sprawled halfway out of her blankets. Jet sighed with relief. He peeled off his dirty jackets and boots, placing them in a bag to clean later. A quick rinse at the sink had to suffice for now—he didn't want to wake Lexi with a full shower.

He checked the System interface mentally before lying down: his XP was now at 88/100. So close to Level 3 already. Ten credits had been added to his balance, bringing it to a modest sum that might cover a few more groceries or supplies.

Jet eased into the top bunk, exhaustion pulling at him. His muscles ached from tension and exertion, but his mind was alight with possibilities and lingering fear. As he closed his eyes, the image of the mutated rat flashed in his mind, followed by Lexi's smiling face at dinner, and Aurora's hopeful smile that morning at the clinic.

He promised himself two things: One, he would not let the Labyrinth's dangers spill into their new life upstairs. And two, if he was going to continue these excursions, he needed to be prepared. Better gear, better planning, and maybe… eventually… a partner to watch his back.

For now, though, he'd rest. Jet drifted off to sleep just as the System chimed a final smug aside: "Sweet dreams, Rat Slayer." Jet only groaned softly, already fading into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Chapter 15 – Mapping the Maze

The next day, Jet felt the night's adventure in every muscle. He winced as he rolled out of bed at dawn, his body protesting the lack of proper rest and the exertion of the fight. A purple bruise blossomed on his left forearm where the mutant rat had knocked the flashlight from his grip, and the scratch on his ankle throbbed dully.

Lexi, oblivious to the true cause of his soreness, simply teased him for "sleeping funny." She had bought his excuse that he'd been out early helping Finn—a small relief. Jet hated bending the truth to her, but until he understood how to handle the Labyrinth, it felt like a necessary lie.

They went about their morning routine: quick breakfast, tidying up the little space, and then off to the clinic. Jet moved carefully, trying not to betray any limp. If Lexi noticed how quiet he was on the way, she didn't press him—she was busy recounting a story Nurse Mei had told her about medical school.

Once at the clinic, Jet forced himself to focus on the tasks at hand. Tuesday meant vaccination day, and a lineup of crying toddlers with weary parents soon occupied all his attention. By mid-morning he was holding a squirming two-year-old still for a nurse to administer a dose and pulling silly faces to distract the child from the needle. Lexi was nearby, gently corralling the next kids in line and demonstrating remarkable patience for someone her age.

Aurora breezed in and out, splitting her time between treating patients and coordinating a supply shipment from HQ. At one point she paused by Jet, giving him a concerned look. "You all right? You look a little pale," she noted, touching the back of her hand to his forehead as if checking for fever.

Jet's heartbeat quickened; Aurora's perceptiveness was almost as uncanny as the System's sometimes. "I'm okay, just didn't sleep well," he said lightly. "Probably just getting used to the new bed." It wasn't even entirely a lie—though exhaustion was more due to battling monsters than a lumpy mattress.

Aurora accepted this with a sympathetic nod. "Remember, if you ever need anything—medicine, vitamins, whatever—you let me know, okay? You and Lexi are family to us here."

"Thanks, Rory," he replied, using the familiar nickname she allowed among her volunteer crew. "I will." Guilt tugged at him as she walked off. Would she still call him family if she knew what he was doing at night? She'd likely try to stop him, or worse—feel responsible.

By lunchtime, Jet's body had loosened up a bit, and he was moving more naturally. During a short break, he found himself standing outside the tram, sipping a cup of instant soup while the midday drizzle misted the streets. Finn sidled over, gnawing on a protein bar.

"You sure you're okay? You seem distracted," Finn said between bites.

Jet considered. Finn was a friend, and unlike Aurora, he might understand the lure of the Labyrinth. Finn had lived on the edge of law and survival too. Still, Jet was hesitant to put any burden on him. "I've just been…thinking about ways to earn more. For Lexi and, you know, the future."

Finn gave a low whistle. "Heh, you and me both. I was actually eyeballing a night guard job listing. But I doubt they'd take me with my record." He kicked a pebble on the sidewalk, looking frustrated. Despite having turned over a new leaf, Finn still carried the baggage of his past run-ins with the law—and gangs like the Iron Sharks.

An idea struck Jet. "What do you know about the Labyrinth under the city?" he asked quietly.

Finn raised an eyebrow. "You mean the maze those crazies go scavenging in? Only what everyone knows: it's a death trap. Mutants, old automated defenses, structural collapses. Why?"

Jet shrugged, feigning casual curiosity. "Heard some scavengers talking. They pulled valuable tech from down there. Just got me wondering if it's as dangerous as they say."

Finn turned to face him fully, expression serious. "Jet, you're not thinking of going down there, are you?"

Jet forced a light laugh. "Nah, just curious. Besides, I've got my hands full here, right?" He gestured at the bustling clinic line. It wasn't an answer, but Finn seemed to let it go, though not without a lingering look of concern.

That afternoon, between cleaning used syringes and restocking bandages, Jet found his mind drifting back to the tunnels. His excellent memory replayed last night's route turn by turn, as if sketching a mental map. If he ever went back (and he would, a voice inside insisted), mapping would be crucial. Maybe he could even chart some safer pathways and mark the danger spots.

As the day wrapped up, Jet noticed the scavenger from the morning—Toma—limping away from the clinic on a freshly bandaged leg, his friend supporting him. They were headed westward, possibly back to a Labyrinth entrance. The System had been quiet for hours, but as Jet watched the pair disappear into an alley, it spoke up slyly:

[SYSTEM]: "Those gentlemen seem eager to return to the goldmine. Shall we follow their stellar example? Late nights are going to be our new normal, I suspect."

Jet inhaled slowly. He was going back, but maybe not blindly this time. "Soon," he murmured under his breath. "But I need more information first."

That evening, after dinner, Jet guided Lexi through her homework as usual. Yet his fingers tapped restlessly on the table as she worked through math problems. He glanced at the analog clock on the wall. Reina might be back in the neighborhood by now. If anyone could give him pointers on subterranean scavenging, it was her.

"Hey, Lex," Jet said casually, "I'm going to step out for a bit, maybe see if Reina's around. I heard she got a cool find on her supply run."

Lexi looked up from her notebook. It was getting dark outside. "Want me to come? I'm done here."

Jet shook his head. "It's okay. You should stay in and get some rest. I'll be back soon—promise." He ruffled her hair gently. Lexi gave him a searching look but didn't argue.

He left before she could sense anything amiss, heading toward the open-air market where Reina often fenced her salvage or hung out. The market was winding down for the night, stalls closing up, but a few late vendors still called out discounted wares. Jet scanned the area and soon spotted Reina's unmistakable silhouette at a corner stall, haggling with a merchant.

Reina was hard to miss: short and wiry, clad in patched cargo pants and a leather jacket two sizes too big, with her vibrant blue-dyed hair pulled back under a fraying cap. At the moment, she was brandishing a small electronic device at the older man running the stall. "—worth at least fifty, and you know it, Marlon," she was saying. "This is third-gen biotech, not the junk you usually peddle."

Marlon, a grizzled fellow with cybernetic goggles, rolled his eyes. "Maybe it is, but I gotta find a buyer, girl. Twenty and I'm taking a risk."

Before Reina's temper could flare, Jet stepped forward with a grin. "Split the difference at thirty-five, maybe? I hear third-gen biotech is trending," he interjected lightly.

Reina spun, surprise turning to delight. "Jet! Where'd you pop up from?"

Marlon grunted. "If it ain't Aurora's golden boy. You vouching for this gadget's value too?"

Jet chuckled and raised his hands disarmingly. "Just a friendly suggestion. I don't know the tech like you both do." He winked at Reina. She smirked, then turned back to Marlon.

"Thirty and a half, final offer. And I'll throw in that bag of rusted capacitors I found—free." Reina tapped her foot as Marlon hemmed and hawed, but ultimately he nodded and transferred the credits to her slum-standard comm watch. Business concluded, Reina stuffed the device and assorted junk into her backpack and stepped away from the stall with Jet.

"Thanks for the assist. Although now Marlon's gonna think I have corporate backing if you show up," she teased, elbowing Jet lightly.

He snorted. "Hardly corporate. How was the supply run?"

Reina shrugged. "Boring. Escorting an aid convoy through two sectors—only had to scare off one gang. The highlight was salvaging that biotech monitor from a trash heap." She eyed him, head tilted. "But I get the feeling you didn't track me down just to chat. What's up?"

Jet appreciated her directness. He motioned for them to walk away from prying ears. Once in a quieter spot by a closed noodle stand, he spoke in a low voice. "I heard some scavengers at the clinic talking about the Labyrinth. They found valuable stuff in an old lab down there. And… last night I might have, uh, taken a quick look for myself."

Reina's eyes widened, then narrowed sharply. "Jet, are you serious? You went down there alone?"

He nodded, feeling simultaneously foolish and proud. "Just a short trip. Fought off a mutant rat, actually."

She let out a low whistle, whether impressed or just startled he couldn't tell. "Lucky you didn't run into worse. Those tunnels aren't a playground, Jet. I've been down a few times on jobs—only with a team, and it was still hairy. Why the sudden interest? Money?"

Jet sighed, leaning against the shuttered stand. "Money, experience… The System in my head thinks it's the next logical step for 'maximizing gains.'" He used air quotes and rolled his eyes. "And maybe it's right. I can't keep relying on Aurora's charity, and I want to help more people. If there's tech or resources down there going to waste—or creatures hurting folks—it feels like something I should do. But I know it's risky."

Reina crossed her arms, her expression unreadable in the flickering neon of a broken sign overhead. "I get it. Just—Jet, you have people who care about you now. Running off into the dark, getting yourself killed… that'd hurt a lot of folks." Her voice had an uncharacteristic softness.

"I'm not planning on dying," he replied quietly. "That's why I came to you. I could use advice. Maps, hazards to watch for, anything you know."

She blew out a breath and nodded slowly. "Alright. First off, navigation—luckily you've got that freaky steel-trap memory, which will help. Still, mark your path. The tunnels all look the same after a while. Chalk, string, whatever works."

"Chalk, yeah," Jet said. "I did that."

"Good. Second, creatures. Mutant rats are the least of it. There are overgrown lizards, packs of feral canids… I've even heard rumors of giant centipede things, though I haven't seen those myself. Some of the mutants hunt by sound, others by scent. Fire might deter some, but guns work best—if you had any, which I know you don't." Reina tapped her boot, thinking. "I've got an old stun baton I could lend you. It's short-range but packs a punch, good for close quarters if it still holds a charge."

Jet's eyes lit up gratefully. "That would help a lot." His screwdriver and flashlight combo seemed laughable now.

Reina held up a finger. "I'll give it to you on one condition: you don't go alone again. If you're set on doing this, we plan it and go together, yeah?"

He opened his mouth to protest—he hadn't intended to drag her in so soon—but the look on her face brooked no argument. It was equal parts concern and stubborn determination. Truth be told, the idea of having Reina's quick reflexes and combat skill at his side was a massive relief. Jet nodded. "Deal. But maybe not right away. I was thinking of a small run tonight, just to scout further. If I find anything too dicey, I'll back out."

Reina frowned. "Tonight? You really have the bug, don't you." She ran a hand through her blue hair, then reached into her backpack. After some rummaging, she pulled out a compact black baton with a rubber grip, about a foot long, and handed it to Jet. "Press the side button to activate. It's noisy and bright when it arcs, so don't use it unless you're in a fight. Save the charge for as long as possible."

Jet took the stun baton, feeling its weight. A tingle of reassurance went through him. "Thank you. I promise I'll be careful."

"You better," she said sternly, then managed a half-smile. "I'm heading back to my place to catch some shut-eye. Text me on your comm if anything urgent happens, alright? And Jet—seriously, if you run into trouble, run. Nothing down there is worth your life."

He nodded again, and with that Reina stepped in and gave him a quick, fierce hug. It caught Jet off-guard—Reina wasn't usually the hugging type, but he patted her back softly. When she pulled away, her cheeks colored as if she just realized what she'd done.

"Just… don't do anything I wouldn't do," she said gruffly, then turned on her heel and disappeared into the night.

Jet stood there a moment, processing. Reina's concern warmed him. He hadn't realized how much he'd begun to rely on having friends like her and Finn. For so long it had just been him and Lexi against the world; now there were more people he didn't want to let down.

Back at the apartment, Lexi was already asleep. Jet's earlier note still lay on the counter; he crumpled it and tossed it away, replacing it with a new one: "Out for a walk. Back soon – J." He hated these little deceptions but reminded himself it was temporary.

He geared up again, this time with the added confidence of the stun baton at his belt. He also dug out a pair of old work gloves and the flimsy safety goggles from his days cleaning a machine shop—minimal protection, but better than nothing.

Around midnight, Jet found himself descending the same maintenance hatch ladder. This time he noticed the faint chalk "X" he'd left was smeared—perhaps from moisture or maybe something brushed against it. He reapplied it boldly, along with an arrow indicating the way back to this ladder.

The tunnels seemed a touch less frightening now that he knew what to expect—at least in the initial passages. Jet moved carefully, marking turns and noting any changes. At each junction, he paused to listen. The darkness beyond his flashlight was absolute, but he could occasionally catch distant drip of water or skitter of tiny feet (hopefully just normal-sized rats this time).

He ventured further than before, determined to map a circular route and return to his starting point from a different angle to expand his knowledge. It was slow going. Twice he had to double back when corridors ended in caved-in rubble. Another time he found a rusted ladder leading up to a sealed manhole—likely a different surface exit, but the cover wouldn't budge from beneath.

Jet soon came across signs of prior human passage: graffiti tags on walls (some gang markings he vaguely recognized from topside, others just scribbles), and even a faded arrow pointing deeper in with the words "SAFE >>" scrawled underneath. He wasn't sure he believed the promise of "safe" in any direction, but it meant someone had been down here navigating before him.

About an hour in, Jet found something curious—a partially collapsed chamber branching off from the tunnel. Poking his head in, he realized it was an old storage room. The ceiling had cracked, letting soil and debris pour in from above years ago, but some metal shelves remained intact against the far wall. Peering closer, Jet's flashlight revealed a few intact bottles and boxes on those shelves.

His heart quickened. This might be salvage. He squeezed through the narrow doorway of rubble, minding the jagged edges of broken concrete. The room smelled of mold and rust. On one shelf he found a trio of dusty plastic bottles labeled with biohazard symbols—perhaps old chemicals or reagents? He dared not disturb those. But on the shelf below, inside a lopsided cardboard box, he found a stash of unopened medical supplies: syringes still in sterile packaging and a couple of sealed IV bags of saline solution.

This was a real treasure for the clinic. Aurora was always in need of saline IVs for dehydrated patients or wound cleaning, and they weren't cheap. Jet carefully lifted one of the IV bags out; it was intact and still liquid, expiry date smudged but perhaps only a few years old. Saline didn't go bad easily. Excitement flared in him.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Quest Discovered – "Medicine in the Dark."

Find usable medical supplies in the Labyrinth and deliver them to the clinic. (Rewards: +20 XP, +30 Credits, ?)]

Jet smiled at that. Even the System recognized the significance. He whispered, "Accept quest," and began gently loading the IV bags (there were two) and a handful of syringes into his satchel, padding them with an old rag he found to avoid punctures.

Just as he finished, a sound made him freeze—a low, guttural growl emanating from the tunnel he'd come from. Jet's blood ran cold. Carefully, he stepped back to the doorway and aimed his flashlight out, keeping it on low beam.

A pair of eyes reflected the light about twenty feet down the corridor, near the floor—eyes much larger and higher off the ground than a rat's. The creature stepped forward into view and Jet's breath caught. It was a dog… or had been, long ago. Mangy gray fur hung off a skeletal frame, and bony spines jutted from its back. Its lips were peeled back in a snarl, revealing multiple rows of jagged teeth. A mutant hound, likely one that had adapted to this subterranean world of toxic runoff. And worse, as Jet's flashlight beam widened, he saw another shape slink behind the first. There were two of them.

He recalled Reina's warning: some hunt by sound, others by scent. These hounds must have caught his scent while he lingered here. I should have been quicker. Slowly, Jet backed into the storage room, putting one wall at his back. The two hounds crept closer, shoulder blades protruding as they moved with an eerie, predatory grace despite their malformed bodies.

Jet's heart thudded. He fingered the stun baton at his belt, flicking the safety latch off. The first hound was at the threshold now, growling louder as it caught sight of him fully. The second stayed a pace behind, lips dripping saliva.

"Easy, fellas," Jet whispered, doubting they understood or cared. The space here was cramped; they could only come at him one at a time through the narrow doorway, which was a small relief.

With a sudden snarl, the first hound lunged into the room, snapping. Jet jerked the baton up and pressed the button. *Crack! A burst of electric blue arced between the prongs with a sharp buzz. He jabbed it forward and caught the beast on the snout mid-leap.

The mutant hound yelped as the shock convulsed it, its momentum carrying it awkwardly to the ground at Jet's feet. It scrabbled, temporarily stunned but not out. Before Jet could react further, the second hound leapt over its companion, slamming into Jet's chest. They both tumbled back into a shelf. Pain exploded in Jet's shoulder as it hit metal. Snapping jaws grazed perilously near his face, and he shoved desperately, using the baton's sparking tip as a torch to push the creature back.

Teeth clamped onto the padded forearm of his jacket—thankfully not piercing flesh yet, but the pressure was immense. Jet grit his teeth and swung the flashlight with his free hand, cracking the hound in the side of the head. It released him with a shake, just as the first hound regained its feet.

Jet was now cornered at the back of the small room, two snarling mutants blocking the exit. His mind raced. If they rushed together, he'd be overwhelmed. The baton's charge—how many zaps left? One, maybe two before it needed a cool-down. He silently thanked Reina for it regardless; without it he'd already be finished.

The first hound shook off the stun and approached low, ready to spring again. The second circled slightly, forcing Jet to divide his attention. Calm. He had to stay calm. Field Medic training was useless here except to note how vicious those teeth were. But maybe his experience with the gang fight could translate—Jet remembered sparring with Finn on slow nights after the clinic, the way Aurora's security guard had shown him to use his smaller size to dodge a larger attacker.

One hound lunged. Jet sidestepped so that the beast crashed into the wall. In that same beat, the second one came for his leg. Jet managed to interpose the baton, shoving the crackling tip into the dog's open maw. A horrible acrid smell of burning flesh hit his nostrils as the creature howled and recoiled, smoke wafting from its jaw.

The first one recovered and sank its teeth into Jet's calf—this time, they punctured. Jet yelled in pain, reflexively kicking. His boot struck the hound's jaw and it released, but hot blood was already wetting his pant leg.

Anger flared through the fear. He couldn't keep just defending; he had to end this. With a determined shout, Jet lunged forward, surprising the injured hound with a swing of his flashlight to its skull. There was a crack, and the creature yelped, collapsing in a heap. Not dead, but dazed.

The remaining hound—the one with the burned mouth—snarled and leapt at Jet's throat. Jet dropped low at the last second, a move that would have made Reina proud, and the beast sailed over him, hitting the ground behind. Jet spun and drove the screwdriver (still tucked in his pocket) straight down into the creature's flank with all his strength. It penetrated hide, eliciting a blood-curdling screech.

In a frenzy, the mutant snapped its jaws wildly, but Jet had already withdrawn the screwdriver and staggered back. The creature, now bleeding and in pain, limped toward its unconscious packmate, perhaps reconsidering this prey. Jet, chest heaving, brandished the sparking baton again and shouted, "Go on! Get out of here!"

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it seemed to work. The injured hound growled once more, then began dragging its companion by the scruff out of the room, retreating into the tunnel with a series of shrill whines and growls until their sounds faded.

Jet slumped against the half-collapsed wall, adrenaline making his hands shake. His calf burned where he'd been bitten, and warm blood seeped through his torn pants. He quickly pulled out a roll of gauze from his kit and wrapped it tightly around the wound. He'd properly disinfect it later, but for now he just needed to stop the bleeding and get moving.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Combat Quest Complete – "Hound Showdown."

+25 XP, +15 Credits. Critical injury sustained – suggest immediate first aid.]

[SYSTEM]: "Critical might be an overstatement," the AI quipped, sounding a bit tense despite the joke. "But you should patch that unless you fancy a limp."

Jet agreed. The field bandage would hold for now. He checked the quest log mentally: the "Medicine in the Dark" quest was marked complete, now that he had the supplies in his bag—he'd just have to turn them in at the clinic come morning. That would net him another burst of XP and credits once delivered.

Already, the fight with the hounds and the earlier rat had pushed him close to a level. By his estimate, he had to be sitting around 98 or 99 XP out of 100. Nearly Level 3. Jet allowed himself a moment of satisfaction amid the pain. He was doing it—growing stronger, getting resources—and he was still alive.

But Reina was right: he had been lucky. Two hounds nearly took him out. If there had been three, or if he hadn't had the baton… Jet shuddered. He couldn't push his luck too far.

With his wound secured and a deep breath to steady his nerves, Jet gingerly made his way back out to the tunnel. He marked a quick "X" on the storage room door to remember it and started backtracking by the chalk marks. Every distant noise now set him on edge, but he kept moving, determined to get above ground before anything else found him.

When he finally climbed out into the cool pre-dawn air, he nearly collapsed to his knees on the wet pavement out of sheer relief. The sky to the east was growing lighter. He'd spent longer down there than intended.

Limping slightly, Jet hurried home. This time, he found Lexi awake, standing in the doorway in her pajamas with panic in her eyes. She ran to him as he approached. "Jet! Where were you? I woke up and you were gone and—" She stopped short, noticing his ragged appearance by the growing daylight. Her eyes dropped to the bloodstained, makeshift bandage on his leg. "You're hurt!"

Jet felt a stab of guilt sharper than any mutant's tooth. He put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her gently back inside before any nosy neighbors noticed. "I'm okay, Lex. I promise, it looks worse than it is."

She hovered as he eased into a chair, biting her lip hard. "Tell me the truth," she demanded, voice trembling. "Were you… down there? In the Labyrinth? I'm not a little kid, Jet, I hear things. People talk about it and, and Finn mentioned he was worried you might—"

Jet closed his eyes. No more lies, he decided. He owed her honesty. "Yeah. I was," he said quietly. "I went down to look for things we might need. And to make sure nothing dangerous comes near us."

Lexi's eyes brimmed with tears. "Jet…you promised no more dangerous stuff after the gang fight! We finally have a home, and friends, and…" She sniffed, angrily wiping her eyes. "I don't want to lose you. You're all I have."

His heart felt like it was breaking and swelling at the same time. He gently took her hand. "You won't lose me. I'm sorry I scared you. But Lexi, I have to protect this… our life. And to do that, I need to get stronger and earn more. The System, it's pushing me to do this, but I choose to because I think it's right. If we leave those monsters alone, they could come up, or hurt someone else like Finn or Reina. And if I find medicine or supplies, I can help more people at the clinic."

Lexi considered his words, tears still spilling. "Then… then let me help. Or tell Aurora, or get someone. Don't go alone and sneak off." She pressed a small hand to the bandage on his leg, which was already spotting red. "You need a doctor."

Jet mustered a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I've got Field Medic skills, remember? I can patch this." He squeezed her hand. "I won't hide it from you anymore, alright? Reina already insisted on coming with me next time. I wasn't going to be alone again."

Lexi hiccuped and managed a tiny, wobbly smile of relief at that. "Good. Reina's scary—she'll keep you safe."

Jet chuckled softly. "She's not that scary."

"She absolutely is," Lexi insisted, half-laughing through her tears now. She took a shaky breath. "Just promise… promise you'll come back every time. That you'll be careful and not try to be a hero by yourself."

"I promise," Jet said solemnly. He pulled her into a gentle hug, and she hugged him back fiercely, mindful of his injuries.

After a moment, Jet got to work properly cleaning and dressing the bite wound with antiseptic from his kit. Lexi refused to leave his side, acting as nurse by handing him gauze and tape. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she was focused.

As he finished tying off the bandage, a familiar chiming sensation filled Jet's head—like the soft ring of a bell only he could hear. The air around him seemed to thrum ever so slightly.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Level Up! → Level 3 achieved.]

All primary stats increased. New Skill Available: Choose one – A) Combat Reflex (Novice), B) Street Navigation (Novice), C) Improved Field Medic.]

Jet's breath caught. A level-up now, in front of Lexi. Usually, the System's notifications were silent to others, but he wasn't sure if his sudden far-off look would worry her. He flashed her a quick smile to show everything was fine, then focused on the selection floating in his mind's eye.

He mentally summoned his status sheet as he'd done after reaching Level 2:

Strength: modestly higher than when this all began, he could feel that in how he moved.

Agility: definitely improved; those dodges and speed against the hounds were proof.

Endurance, Intellect, Perception – all had nudged up slightly. The System auto-distributed small gains each level, it seemed.

But the real choice was the skill. Three options hovered, each tempting in its own way.

Combat Reflex (Novice) – likely a skill to enhance his reaction time in fights, maybe even a form of basic martial instinct. That could keep him alive down below.

Street Navigation (Novice) – the name suggested an almost intuitive sense of direction and mapping, perhaps perfect for not getting lost in the Labyrinth or around the city. Given his reliance on memory, this could be a force multiplier, making him a human compass of sorts.

Improved Field Medic – an upgrade on his current skill, which might grant deeper medical knowledge or better healing abilities.

Jet bit his lip. All three would be useful. He was inclined towards Street Navigation, thinking of the maze beneath and how easily one wrong turn could doom an explorer. Yet, the sting in his calf reminded him how dangerous combat was, making Combat Reflex appealing too. And then there was Field Medic – never a wrong time to improve healing, especially if someone got seriously hurt.

He thought of Reina and Finn, who might rely on his quick thinking in a fight; of Lexi, who he'd do anything to protect; of Aurora's hopes for him as a medic. Ultimately, he reasoned, his natural memory was already a strong asset for navigation, and his agility had been decent in fights so far. But medical skill – that saved lives in a direct way. If Reina or Finn or any friend got hurt, being a better medic could make the difference. Even his own injuries he could treat more effectively with advanced knowledge.

Decision made, Jet selected Improved Field Medic.

A brief warmth bloomed in his mind as the System confirmed: Skill unlocked: Field Medic (Intermediate). Instantly, a rush of information flooded him – clearer understanding of wound management, knowledge of emergency procedures for shock, an almost textbook recall of human anatomy beyond what Novice level had given. It was like he'd just sat through dozens of hours of medical training in a heartbeat. He gasped softly at the intensity.

Lexi's hand was suddenly on his arm. "Jet? You zoned out. Was it…the System?" she whispered.

Jet blinked a few times, then smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. I, uh, leveled up."

A grin broke out on her face. "Really? That's amazing! So you got stronger?" She eyed him up and down as if expecting him to suddenly bulk up like a comic book hero.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Not visibly, goof. But I do feel… a bit sharper. And I picked an upgraded medic skill. So I guess I'll be able to help Dr. Rory even more now."

Lexi's pride in him was unmistakable. "I'm glad. If you're gonna do dangerous stuff, at least you're getting something out of it." Then her tone turned stern, an uncanny echo of their mother from long ago, "But you, mister, are taking it easy today. You need rest and that leg needs rest. I'll make breakfast."

Jet opened his mouth to protest—he hated missing a clinic shift—but one glare from Lexi silenced him. In truth, once the adrenaline of the level-up settled, fatigue crashed into him like a wave. He had only snatched a couple hours of sleep the previous morning, and his body was battered. Perhaps a day off wouldn't hurt.

"I'll call Aurora and tell her you're sick," Lexi said, already pulling out their shared beat-up comm device. "Not too sick, so she doesn't worry, but enough that you should stay home."

Jet yielded, too drained to argue. As Lexi turned to make the call, he leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, offering a silent thanks that he'd made it back and that he wasn't doing this entirely alone anymore.

He listened to Lexi cheerfully inform a distant Nurse Mei that Jet had a "bad stomach flu" from some street food and would be out for the day. That made him smile; Lexi could be a smooth liar when she needed to be. A pang of guilt hit him knowing she had learned such skills out of necessity in their hard life, but here she was using it to protect him for a change.

When she finished, Lexi set about toasting bread and heating a bit of canned soup for a hearty breakfast. Jet limped over to help, but she shooed him back to sit. "Doctor's orders," she insisted, hands on hips until he raised his arms in surrender and sat down again.

As the smell of food filled their little home, Jet realized this was the first morning in ages he'd be spending at home, not working or scrambling for survival. Despite the injuries, he felt a glow of contentment. Lexi was safe and lively, he had new skills and resources to contribute to their world, and tonight—tonight he'd see Reina and share what he'd learned, hopefully convincing her that together they could delve deeper safely.

In the meantime, he'd rest, recover, and refine the map of the Labyrinth etched in his head, readying for whatever the next descent would bring.

Outside the window, the endless city roared on, oblivious to the quiet victories won in its shadows. Jet allowed himself a small, hopeful smile as Lexi brought him a steaming bowl of soup. This was just the beginning of a new chapter—one where by day he'd heal and help above, and by night he'd conquer the dark below, step by cautious step.

Chapter 16 – Deeper and Darker

The neon sign of a noodle shop buzzed and flickered overhead as Jet and Reina sat at a streetside table that evening. The rain had mercifully held off, leaving the air thick but breathable. Jet cradled a cup of jasmine tea between his hands, enjoying its warmth against the fading ache in his forearm. The bruises and bite from the previous night were healing nicely—thanks in no small part to his new Intermediate Field Medic knowledge, which guided him to treat the wounds properly.

Reina slurped noodles from a takeout carton, eyeing Jet with a mix of irritation and relief. "You are one lucky idiot, you know that?" she said, not for the first time since he'd finished recounting his close call with the mutant hounds.

Jet chuckled. "I won't argue. And I'm sorry. I should've waited for you."

She jabbed chopsticks in his direction. "Damn right you should have. That stunt could've gone a whole lot worse. Next time, we go together. No exceptions."

Jet nodded earnestly. After a day of rest (and several not-so-subtle guilt trips from Lexi before she left to volunteer at the clinic without him), he had met up with Reina at dusk. She had immediately demanded details of his second solo run. With Lexi's permission—and stern admonishment to please be careful and bring Reina home safe too—Jet had come out to plan their next move.

Now, armed with a better map sketched on a notepad and the supplies Jet found, they were discussing strategy. At the mention of the medical stash, Reina's eyes had lit up. "Aurora's gonna be thrilled. And you got a quest reward for retrieving those? Nice."

Jet had checked the System logs earlier: delivering the IV bags and syringes to the clinic tomorrow would officially complete "Medicine in the Dark," netting him the promised 20 XP and 30 credits. The XP was basically overflow at this point since he'd already leveled up, but it meant a good start toward Level 4. The credits were more than welcome for their growing rainy-day fund.

He took a careful sip of tea. "So, I was thinking. The scavengers at the clinic mentioned a lab where they found microcells. That might be deeper in, maybe connected to a corporate basement or research wing. If we could find that or a similar site, who knows what useful tech or supplies we'd get. But it might also have more security systems active."

Reina tapped her pen on the notepad, where Jet's rough diagram of the explored tunnels sprawled. He had marked the storage room, the ladder, and the approximate spot of the hound encounter. "This area you went through is east of the entry near your block, right?" she said. "I know there are other entrances and sections. I bet the lab they meant is further west, near the old industrial quarter that got sealed off years back. There was a biotech firm there once—Prelaps Diagnostics, I think—before the company moved uptown. Rumor is they left some equipment behind in the underground levels."

Jet raised his brows, impressed. "You hear a lot on the street."

She shrugged. "I listen. One ear to gossip can lead to profit." With a grin, she added, "Plus, Marlon at the market loves to brag about his sources. He mentioned Prelaps when he was drunk once, said he'd pay top credit for any genetic sequencers or 'lab mice with two heads' we could smuggle out."

Jet laughed, though the idea of experimental mutant creatures lurking did send a chill through him. "Alright. So maybe that's a target: the Prelaps lab remnants." He drew a dotted line on the map where they suspected it might lie. "It's likely beyond where I got to, maybe a level or two further down."

Reina slurped the last of her noodles and tossed the carton in a nearby trash bin. "We'll need better gear if we're going that deep. My baton helped, but if there are more hostiles… Did you manage to keep it charged?"

Jet pulled out the stun baton and handed it to her. She examined it under the neon light. "Looks like you used it plenty. Battery's at half, I'd guess. I can charge it at home with a jury-rig, but I've also got a surprise." She leaned down and opened her duffel bag. After a moment of digging past scrap metal and cables, she revealed a compact crossbow-like device. "Bolt caster," she said proudly. "Made it myself from an old speargun. It can fire these."

She held up a short metal bolt with a barbed tip. "Silent and deadly. I only have a dozen bolts, but they're retrievable if we're careful. This should give us some ranged punch."

Jet whistled softly. "That's…awesome. You've been holding out on me, Reina."

She winked. "Gotta keep some tricks secret. Also, I wasn't sure you'd ever need to know—until now. I prefer not using it topside 'cause it freaks people out."

Jet could imagine: a teenage girl with a custom crossbow roaming the slums might attract the wrong attention. Down in the Labyrinth, though, it was perfect.

"I have something for you too," he said and pulled out a small handheld device from his pocket. It looked like a calculator with a screen. "Found this in the clinic's donation bin of electronics. It's an old GP-tracker. Pre-GPS local tracker. I put fresh batteries in. We can drop signal beacons with it and it'll point back to them within a short range. Not super high-tech, but might help mark a safe base camp or exit."

Reina turned it over in her hands, impressed. "Nice. Also, I brought these." She placed two stubby cylindrical objects on the table. "Flares. For emergency light or to scare off creatures if needed. Bright as hell for about five minutes."

They spent the next hour hashing out plans: they'd enter through the same hatch Jet used, since he knew that area now, then push westward toward the industrial quarter underground. They agreed on signals (two clicks of the tongue to get attention silently, for example), and fallback rules (if one of them says retreat, the other doesn't argue).

As they finalized preparations, Finn wandered by on his way back from evening errands, nearly dropping a sack of groceries at the sight of them hunched over maps and weapons. Jet quickly shuffled a jacket over the crossbow, but Finn had caught a glimpse.

"Um… do I even want to know?" Finn asked, looking both curious and concerned.

Reina flashed a grin. "Just planning a… field trip."

Jet gave a sheepish wave. "We're being careful."

Finn shook his head, stepping closer and lowering his voice. "Jet, you really are doing it, then. Going down there." He looked at Reina, then back to Jet. "I'd offer to come, but I know I'd probably be more a liability." He grimaced. "Just… watch each other's backs, okay? I'd never forgive you if you got hurt and I could've helped."

A warmth for his friend filled Jet. He clasped Finn's shoulder. "Thanks. But we've got it. Someone's gotta stay topside in case we need rescuing, right?" he joked gently.

Finn managed a weak chuckle. "Sure, I'll get my shining armor ready. Seriously, though, take this." He pulled something from his grocery bag—a pair of small protein bars. "High-energy. For when you get out. On the house."

Reina accepted them with a nod. "Thanks, Finn."

After Finn headed off, Reina began packing up their gear, and Jet finished the last of his tea. The plan was to rest a bit more and then head in around midnight, when the streets were emptier and they'd have as much time as needed before dawn.

Jet checked in with Lexi via text to their comm device: Heading off soon. Reina with me. Back by morning. Don't wait up—will be safe, promise. Lexi replied almost instantly: You better be. <3 Be safe and good luck. Followed by a flurry of emoji: flexed arms, hearts, a nurse symbol. Jet smiled and tucked the comm away.

Midnight arrived stealthily, finding Jet and Reina slipping into the alley with the maintenance hatch. Both wore dark clothes; Jet had on a black hoodie over his jacket and a makeshift chestplate Reina lent him (plastic panels duct-taped into a vest, better than nothing). Reina had a bandana around her lower face to filter the air and a headlamp on low setting, plus her duffel of supplies.

They quietly shifted the metal cover and descended, one after the other, into the depths.

Down in the tunnels, Jet led them through the sections he knew. It was eerily quiet—a different section than last night, where the hounds had been. Perhaps his fight had scared off other creatures in the vicinity for now. They passed the marked storage room where Jet had found the medical supplies. Reina peeked in curiously at the blood spatters and upturned shelves but didn't comment, only giving a low whistle.

Beyond that point, they were in unknown territory. Jet's memory guided him to a large junction chamber with multiple exits which he suspected would start leading toward the industrial sector. One tunnel sloped downward quite steeply, with a tattered sign reading "UTILITIES SECTOR 7B" above it. That seemed promising.

As they descended that tunnel, the architecture subtly changed—from plain concrete to walls occasionally interrupted by old wiring conduits and rusted junction boxes. It felt more like they were entering a man-made complex rather than just storm drains.

Reina held up a hand, and they paused. "Hear that?" she whispered.

Jet strained his ears. A faint mechanical hum. It was intermittent, a gentle thrum that came and went, like something trying to start up and failing. They exchanged a hopeful glance—functioning machinery could mean they were near the old labs or a generator.

Moving slowly, they followed the hum. The tunnel opened into a subterranean hall of sorts, with a higher ceiling and metal grates on the floor above drainage channels. The layout reminded Jet of maintenance corridors in large buildings. He swept his light and found stenciled lettering on the wall: "Prelaps Diagnostics – Sublevel 3" in peeling paint.

Jackpot.

The hall was littered with detritus—broken glass, twisted metal frames of what might have been stretchers or trolleys, scraps of yellowed paper. A partially collapsed security gate lay twisted on one side. Beyond it, Jet's flashlight picked up a door marked with a red cross symbol and the words "LAB 7 – Biohazard". The door itself was slightly ajar.

Reina pointed to a nearby alcove. "Let's set a beacon here." Jet nodded and activated the GP-tracker, sticking one transmitter node against the wall with its adhesive back. The handheld device pinged softly, a compass arrow lighting up pointing to the node. Now they'd have an easier time finding their way out to this exact hall.

They approached the ajar door. Jet carefully nudged it further open with the tip of his screwdriver. The hinges squealed, echoing.

Inside was a scene both fascinating and haunting. It was indeed a laboratory—at least, what remained of one. Long metal counters with shattered glassware, overturned stools, a cabinet labeled "Specimens" hanging open and empty. In the corner, an emergency shower and eye-wash station, dusty but intact.

Reina scanned for threats with her headlamp. "No immediate movement," she whispered. They stepped in, Reina sweeping the right side, Jet the left.

The source of the intermittent hum became clear: a large piece of equipment against the wall, perhaps an old refrigeration unit or incubator, was trying to power on, drawing from some failing power source. It would whir, click, then die every half minute. The low light of their flashlights revealed a faint green glow on that machine's panel, indicating a backup battery not quite dead.

Jet's eyes fell on a shelf of sealed boxes, each with labeling. He moved closer, wiping off grime to read: "Sterile Gloves – Nitrile," "Diagnostic Strips – Blood Glucose," "Water Purification Tabs." His heart leapt. These were incredibly useful supplies, if still good.

He picked up a box of gloves. The plastic seal was intact, no obvious water damage. "Aurora will love these," he murmured, placing it gently in his pack. He took as many boxes of diagnostic strips as he could fit; testing strips were expensive and vital for the clinic's diabetic patients. The purification tablets too—clean water in the slums was precious.

Meanwhile, Reina had hopped over a fallen support beam and crouched by a metal case on the floor. "This looks like some field kit…" she muttered. With effort, she pried it open. "Hah!" She held up a sleek metal cylinder and a gun-like apparatus attached to it by a hose. "Portable med-spray. Old model, but if we can refill the canister, it's basically a skin mender for cuts."

Jet recognized it from reading Aurora's supply catalog: a dermal adhesive applicator for closing wounds quickly. "Great find," he said. He glanced toward the back of the lab where a glass partition separated a smaller room. Inside that enclosure, something glinted under his flashlight. "I'm going to check there."

He stepped through a shattered section of the glass wall. This smaller room had some kind of apparatus—maybe a containment unit. But what caught Jet's attention was the row of vials in a rack on the counter. Surprisingly, they were unbroken. He lifted one: the liquid inside had long evaporated or leaked, except a few where a viscous residue remained. They were labeled with alphanumeric codes, no clear indication of what they held. Possibly biological samples or chemicals, now useless.

As he set the vial down, a sudden clang echoed from outside the lab, followed by a scrabbling noise. Jet and Reina both went still.

From the corridor came guttural clicking sounds and a low hiss—unfamiliar to Jet. Reina's eyes widened; she mouthed a single word: "Centipede?"

Jet's blood ran cold. One of those rumored giant centipedes? He remembered the mention and imagined a multi-legged horror skittering toward them. The clicking grew louder. Whatever it was, it had heard or scented them.

Reina silently moved to the door and peeked out with her headlamp off, using just a sliver of Jet's flashlight beam over his shoulder for light. He saw her tense.

A shape slithered into view down the hall—long, low, and disturbingly fast. It wasn't as huge as the worst rumors, but still the size of a large python, except on dozens of legs. Its carapace shone oily black, and as it advanced, antennae waved out front.

Jet's stomach churned. That thing looked venomous. Perhaps it was drawn by the intermittent humming machine or the scent of them rummaging around.

Slowly, he pulled a flare from his belt. Fire might ward it off, if needed. Reina carefully loaded a bolt into her makeshift crossbow, her jaw set. She gestured: she'd shoot first, Jet should be ready if it charged.

They waited, barely breathing. The creature crawled over the collapsed gate and was now just outside the lab door, perhaps ten feet from where they hid behind an overturned table. In the near dark, Jet could make out the glint of many eyes on its elongated head, and the drip of some fluid from its mandibles.

Reina took aim, steady as a statue. She let the bolt fly. Thwip—the bolt shot through the air and struck the centipede in the middle of its body with a wet thunk, lodging between two segments.

A shriek like nails on metal erupted from the creature. It thrashed, segments undulating wildly. Jet immediately ignited the flare. With a whoosh, red light flooded the lab, painting everything in a crimson glow. He hurled the flare toward the creature's head.

The bright flame sent the centipede into further frenzy. It recoiled, half of its body trying to scuttle backward while the other half twisted in agony around the bolt wound. Reina quickly loaded another bolt, hands moving on instinct even as her eyes were wide with fear.

Before she could shoot again, the creature mustered a burst of speed, retreating the way it came, its long body zig-zagging as it fled the light and pain. It disappeared down the hall, leaving a trail of dark ichor from its injury.

They waited, tense, until the clacking of its legs faded into the distance.

Reina released a pent-up breath. "Good riddance," she muttered, though her voice was shaky. She retrieved the spent flare, which still burned, and jammed it upright in a crack on the floor to light the area. "We might have others coming. Bright light and noise could attract things or scare 'em off, hard to say. We should grab what we can and go."

Jet agreed. They hurriedly filled their packs with the most valuable supplies at hand. Jet found a cabinet with bandage rolls and antiseptic bottles—some evaporated, but a few still sloshed with liquid. He added two bottles of iodine and several rolls of gauze to his bag. On a whim, he also pocketed a dusty hardcover manual titled "Emergency Field Surgery: 3rd Edition" that lay on a desk. It could be useful knowledge, or at least worth showing Aurora.

Reina secured a box of what looked like memory chips and another of surgical instruments (scalpels, forceps) still in sterilized wrap.

Loaded up, they cautiously exited the lab. The metallic scent of centipede blood hung in the air. Jet kept the flare in one hand, and his flashlight in the other, beam darting around for threats. Reina had the crossbow ready, though she lamented, "I only have ten bolts left, and that thing took one with it. Might not get it back."

They followed the GP-tracker's arrow back toward the maintenance tunnel, moving at a brisk pace. Jet felt a slight tremor in his legs from adrenaline; that centipede's scream had unsettled him deeply. He was grateful neither of them was hurt.

The journey back was thankfully uneventful, aside from skittering away from a cluster of fist-sized pale spiders on the tunnel ceiling at one point. They climbed out of the hatch before dawn, both burdened with full packs but buoyed by success.

Emerging onto the street, they took a moment to breathe in fresh air—well, as fresh as Mega-City Theta's lower level got—and grin at each other. They were filthy, smudged with dust and speckles of who-knew-what, but alive and victorious.

Reina broke the silence. "That… was intense." She huffed a laugh, pushing sweat-damp blue bangs off her forehead.

Jet nodded, adjusting his pack. "We got a lot of what we came for. And more importantly, we're okay."

She lightly punched his arm. "Told you, together is the way to go. You took on hounds solo, but there's no way I'd face that creepy-crawly by myself."

Jet mock winced at the friendly punch, then turned serious. "Thank you. You saved me back there, with the centipede. That shot was perfect."

Reina smiled, a bit of color coming to her grimy cheeks. "And you scared it off with that flare. Team effort."

They made their way back to Jet's apartment in the early dawn light. Once upstairs, Jet quietly unlocked the door. Lexi had fallen asleep on the couch, a book on her chest—she must've tried to wait up. The comm device was next to her, still clutched in her hand.

Jet gently draped a blanket over her, and she stirred, blinking awake. "Jet? Reina?" she murmured, seeing the two of them standing there like soot-covered specters with bulging bags.

"We're back, Lex," Jet whispered. "We're safe."

Lexi sat up, eyes taking in their appearance. "You look like swamp monsters," she declared, wrinkling her nose, but relief was plain in her voice.

"Compliment, I'm sure," Reina joked, dropping her duffel bag softly on the floor. She stretched, groaning a little. "Ow. Definitely gonna feel this tomorrow."

Jet took off his pack, gently lowering it—mindful of the fragile goods inside. "We got supplies. Medicine, equipment… Things that'll help a lot of people."

Lexi rubbed her eyes and stood, stepping over to give Jet a quick, tight hug. Then, to Reina's surprise, Lexi hugged her too. "Thank you for bringing him back," Lexi whispered.

Reina patted Lexi's back, her expression softening. "Anytime, kiddo."

They inventoried the haul on the kitchen table under the flickering fluorescent lamp. Lexi's eyes widened at each item—she recognized some from the clinic and others from stories Jet had told her. "This is amazing… Aurora will be so happy."

Jet nodded, already imagining Dr. Zhang's face when he'd show up with this cache. He'd have to handle it tactfully—explain enough but not encourage anyone else to try the same. Maybe frame it like they stumbled on an old storage closet in a half-collapsed building (which wasn't far from truth, except deeper down).

The System, notably, had been quiet throughout the expedition; likely because their actions, while heroic to Jet's mind, were also self-serving enough for it not to deliver a running commentary. But as Lexi marvelled at a pack of surgical needles and Reina washed grime off her face at the sink, the AI made its presence known:

[SYSTEM]: "Congratulations on the fruitful venture. Calculating total gains... Quest 'Delve into Darkness' complete. Payout: +50 XP, +50 Credits. Bonus objective (recover advanced medical tech) achieved: +10 XP."

Jet felt a familiar tingle as the XP added to his pool. Already, just a day after leveling up, he was making progress toward the next. The credits too—if combined with the earlier reward—meant a nice boost to their savings. The System purred contentedly, "If you plan to keep this up, we might need a bigger wallet. A good problem to have, for once."

Jet smirked at that. He mentally replied, You see? Helping people and profit aren't mutually exclusive. The System gave a good-natured snort in response, but didn't argue.

Reina finished drying off with a rag and joined them, looking at Jet expectantly. "So, what now, fearless leader? Sleep for a week? Or planning the next dive already?"

Jet chuckled. "I think we've earned a bit of rest. At least until these supplies are delivered and we see how things go at the clinic. There's plenty to do above ground too."

Lexi nodded fervently. "Please rest. Both of you. You're not going back down there tonight, or anytime super soon, right?" She directed the question at Jet, but her pleading gaze included Reina.

Reina raised her hands. "I'm all for a break. Maybe mend my gear, come up with more bolt ammo. And, you know, do my day job." She gave Jet a sly look. "We should probably avoid flashing all this at Aurora in one go. Might raise questions. But we can discreetly feed things to the clinic over time."

Jet agreed. "Right. Some things we'll say Reina bartered for or I found doing outreach. Aurora's smart though… she might guess. If she asks me directly, I won't lie to her."

"Same," Reina sighed. "She kinda scares me, in a respectful way."

Lexi giggled. "Dr. Rory could probably guess. She's super sharp. Maybe she'll just quietly accept it because it's helping people."

Jet hoped so. Aurora had seen enough strange things in the city; a pair of resourceful teens finding caches of supplies might not shock her. And she did hint at wanting him to train formally—perhaps she'd think this was him going above and beyond, but not necessarily suspect an underground dungeon crawl.

The three of them settled down. Lexi insisted on treating the small cuts and scrapes Jet and Reina had acquired, employing Jet's med kit and even some of the newly found supplies under his guidance. It was almost comical seeing Lexi sternly press a gauze pad to Reina's minor arm scratch; Reina winced and complimented her "great bedside manner, ow."

As morning light grew, Reina decided to head home before she'd be missed (she occasionally helped at a scrap yard and was expected later). Jet walked her to the door. They were both bone-tired, but there was a lingering excitement between them, a camaraderie forged stronger by shared danger.

"Get some real sleep," Jet said. "And thank you. We make a pretty good team."

Reina bumped her fist lightly against his. "We do. Don't go leveling up without me." She flashed a grin. "See you later, Jet."

After she left, Jet locked up and finally peeled off his filthy outer layer of clothes. Lexi had already flopped back asleep on the couch mid-cleanup, so Jet gently carried her to her bunk. She murmured something about "stubborn brother" and snuggled into her pillow.

Jet climbed into his own bed with a weary sigh. Every part of him ached pleasantly—muscles reminding him of the night's exertions. But more than that, his heart was full. He thought of the people who would benefit from what they brought back: the fevers that could be reduced with clean water and meds, the wounds that could be closed with those tools.

The System's interface glowed faintly at the edges of his mind, showing him current XP and credit balances, but he pushed it aside for now. There would be time to analyze and plan. At this moment, he let himself simply feel proud. Proud of what he and Reina accomplished, proud that he was living up to the protector he aspired to be.

Before sleep claimed him, Jet reflected that the Labyrinth, for all its terror, had given him something unexpected: confidence. If he could face monsters below and return, then whatever challenges lay ahead in the city—gangs, poverty, even his future training—seemed just a bit less daunting.

With that hopeful thought, he drifted off, the ever-present hum of Mega-City Theta lulling him into a deep, earned rest.