Back in the dimly lit basement, the quiet was broken by the sudden screech of metal on stone.
Gabby, rubbing their wrists where the rope had chafed, casually walked over to the chair they had been tied to earlier. Without a word, they reached down and pulled a loose metal rod from the base of the chair — clearly hidden there beforehand. Maarg, sitting cross-legged nearby, raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, watching with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
Gabby crouched down, gripped the rod firmly, and jammed it into a crack between two floor tiles. With a few precise jabs and a sharp grunt, they pried the tile loose. It came free with a dry snap, revealing a small hollow compartment underneath the floor.
Henry and Jack stood a little straighter, exchanging cautious looks.
Inside the hidden hole was a small, battered metal drum about the size of a football, a half-empty lighter, a tangle of dirty rags, a few cracked glass bottles, and a small but very sharp knife wrapped in cloth.
Gabby wiped the dust off the lighter, gave it a flick — a weak flame sputtered to life.
Jack took a step forward.
"...The hell is this?"
Gabby grinned lazily, lifting the drum with one hand. The sharp, unmistakable stench of kerosene filled the air instantly.
Maarg finally spoke, his voice low, still half-processing.
"You were planning on burning this place down."
Gabby looked over their shoulder at him, golden eyes glinting mischievously under messy purple hair.
"Are planning," they corrected. "Present tense."
For a second, there was silence.
Andy, the short and muscular electrician, let out a soft whistle.
"Damn... That's hardcore."
Even Johan, who had kept mostly quiet, gave an impressed nod.
"You were sitting on this the whole time?"
Gabby shrugged nonchalantly, as if stashing an arson starter kit under a chair was just another Tuesday for them.
"Insurance," Gabby said simply, stuffing the lighter into a pocket and handing the small knife to Henry. "In case the job ever went sideways."
Maarg leaned back against the wall, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth now that he fully understood.
At first, when Gabby had said, "Burn the base to the ground," he thought it was just a metaphor. Maybe a wishful threat. But no — Gabby meant it literally. And judging by the look in their eyes, they had been waiting for the right moment for a very long time.
Jack crossed his arms, cocking an eyebrow at the mess.
"So let me get this straight. Your plan is to douse the whole compound in kerosene... and light it up like a bonfire?"
Gabby smiled wider, like a kid showing off their favorite toy.
"Exactly. Controlled chaos. Fire draws the guards. Gives us cover to move. Maybe frees the prisoners. Big enough fire, and the whole damn building becomes a coffin for the cannibals."
Andy muttered, "I mean... It's crazy. But crazy might actually work."
Johan scratched the back of his neck.
"I don't know if you've noticed, but a few of the buildings are made of old concrete. Fire's not gonna bring the whole place down."
Gabby nodded, acknowledging the point.
"True. But the fire's not to collapse it. It's to flush them out. Smoke, panic, confusion — it's the distraction we need. Once they're running around like headless chickens, we pick off who we need, get your friends, and vanish."
Maarg tapped his knuckles lightly on the ground, considering it.
It was reckless.
It was dangerous.
It was exactly the kind of plan they needed right now.
He looked around the circle. Jack was grinning already — the way he always did before diving headfirst into a brawl. Henry seemed serious but nodded grimly, the gears already turning in his head about how to make it work. Andy and Johan exchanged a look that said, "We're already in too deep to back out now."
Finally, Maarg turned his gaze back to Gabby, who was now tying a rag around the neck of a cracked bottle.
"Alright, arsonist," Maarg said, voice low but steady. "Let's burn these bastards to hell."
Gabby's smile sharpened into something more dangerous — a silent agreement between wolves before the hunt.
Johan stood and started inspecting the broken tiles around the basement, checking if they could find more hidden supplies. Andy volunteered to rig some small makeshift explosives using the leftover kerosene and scraps of metal lying around.
Meanwhile, Jack crouched beside Gabby, helping prepare crude Molotov cocktails with the rags and bottles.
It was messy, improvised work — but it didn't matter.
Their plan was simple now: set the fire, use the chaos, rescue Tara and Mark — and if possible, find Carla.
And if everything went wrong?
Well.
At least the whole cannibal nest would go down in flames with them.
***
The faint flickering light from the kerosene-soaked rags made their shadows dance on the cracked basement walls. Everyone had circled back to the center, crouched around a rough map Gabby had quickly sketched out with charcoal and a broken tile on the dusty floor.
Gabby pointed to a cluster of structures at the center of the compound. "These buildings here," they said, tapping the sketch. "This is where the mess halls used to be. Now, it's mostly dormitories and a supply depot — wooden frames, old oil drums, and plastic roofing. Perfect for a good blaze."
Maarg leaned over their shoulder, scanning the layout. "And that underground section?"
"Mostly for prisoners. And… trophies," Gabby said darkly. "If your friends were taken separately, chances are at least one of them is being kept down there."
Jack cracked his knuckles. "Then I'll go underground," he said immediately. "I'll get Tara and Mark out — or at least find out where they're being held."
Maarg nodded. "You'll need cover when things start burning."
Jack gave him a lopsided grin. "I'm used to fighting in chaos. Just give me the distraction, and I'll carve my way through."
Gabby didn't argue. Instead, they turned to Andy, the short electrician, who was inspecting the frayed remains of a fuse box someone had left near the corner of the basement.
"I'll go with Gabby," Andy volunteered. "We can split the fire across two points. If I can find a few circuits, maybe hack an old transformer, we can cause a surge. Light a few places up the second the fire starts. The place will fry from the inside."
Gabby gave him a sharp nod of approval. "Just try not to electrocute us in the process."
Andy smirked. "No promises."
Johan stepped forward, arms crossed. "I'll make sure we have a ride out. There's a garage out back near the perimeter wall. Trucks. Vans. Some are junk, but if I can hotwire something, I'll keep the engine running. You signal me when it's time, and I'll ram straight through the gate if I have to."
"Good," Maarg said. "You're the heartbeat of the escape. If we don't have wheels ready, we're dead."
Henry, silent until now, looked at Maarg. "And what about you?"
"I'm sticking with Jack," Maarg said. "If he finds Mark or Tara, he'll need backup. Plus, someone has to keep an eye out in case things spiral."
Gabby tossed Maarg a small knife — the same one they had hidden earlier. "In case the fire doesn't scare them enough."
He caught it with one hand, then tucked it into his waistband. "Appreciated."
Everyone looked at one another. No more hesitation. No more fear. They were done being prey.
Gabby stepped up first. Their hoodie now tucked tighter, the lighter secured in one pocket, a small glass bottle of fuel in the other. "Once I'm in," they said, "I'll blend back with the guards. Vick trusts me enough. I'll plant the flames close to the barracks, maybe the food stores. That'll get them running."
Andy stood up next, stuffing wires and a screwdriver into his belt. "I'll follow through the maintenance tunnels. Less guarded. Once I find a junction box, I'll wait for your signal."
Johan, already with a wrench slung over his shoulder, turned to Jack. "I'll give you ten minutes. Then I start the engine and prepare for extraction. No matter what, I'm driving that truck out of here."
Jack gave him a fist bump. "Make it loud."
Henry clasped each of their shoulders as they passed, giving nods of affirmation. "No mistakes. No panic. We all have one shot."
Maarg tightened the laces on his boots, checked his grip on the knife, and exchanged a long glance with Gabby.
"You sure you're ready for this?" he asked.
Gabby tilted their head, a grin tugging at their lips.
"I've been ready for this since the day I got recruited."
The group split. Gabby and Andy vanished up the narrow side passage, moving with practiced silence. Johan slipped away through a small hole in the rear wall, heading for the vehicle bay. Jack and Maarg waited for a moment longer, hidden in the shadows of the basement's edge, ready to move the second the first flame touched wood.
The final plan had been set in motion.
Now, all that was left… was execution.