The tunnel curved sharply, narrowing into a hidden chamber lit by old floodlights humming with unstable energy.
Two resistance medics rushed toward them the moment they stepped inside.
One of them — a woman with sharp features and steady hands — immediately dropped to Foden's side.
"You're losing too much blood," she said briskly, slicing away the ragged sleeve of his shirt.
Kale held Galvano closer, stepping back to stay out of their way. Her body ached, her mind felt like it was fraying apart, but she stayed standing — watching. Listening.
Foden winced as the medic pressed gauze to the nasty wound on his arm.
"Clean bite. Deep," the second medic muttered, inspecting the wound grimly."Lucky if it didn't hit bone. We'll need to monitor for infection... or worse."
Foden's eyes — always so hard, so calculating — flickered with something almost like fear.He knew what "worse" could mean.Infections weren't always natural anymore — not in this world.
He was about to respond when footsteps echoed down the tunnel.
A tall man approached — pale skin, dark brown hair hanging limp over haunted eyes.He wore the insignia of the inner resistance, a battered silver badge pinned to his chest.
"Foden."His voice was low, almost apologetic."The Chief's asking for you."
Foden turned his head sharply, his face hardening.
"Yeah? Where the hell was the Chief when we needed him?"His voice was raw, biting.
The man flinched, but held his ground.
Foden stood up stiffly, shaking off the medics' hands. His blood still seeped through the bandages, staining them dark red.
"Why didn't he open the damn tunnel sooner?" Foden snarled, his fists clenched."Why didn't he send reinforcements when we screamed for them?"
No answer. Just the dull flicker of guilt across the messenger's face.
Foden scoffed bitterly, his body trembling with rage and pain.Without another word, he shoved past him, following the tunnel deeper into the heart of the resistance.
Behind him, Kale remained in the shadows, her arms wrapped around the tiny sleeping form of Galvano, her mind a storm of questions and growing dread.
The resistance was supposed to be safe.But here, trust was just another illusion.And tonight had proven how quickly it could all fall apart.