The darkness inside the student union building was a thick, heavy blanket. It was a different kind of darkness than the tunnels; this one was filled with the ghosts of recent life. The air was stale, smelling of spilled coffee, old popcorn, and the faint, coppery tang of fear. Muted gray light from the shattered entrance doors barely penetrated the gloom, revealing a vast, open-plan lobby.
For a long moment, they just leaned against the wall, chests heaving, the adrenaline from their ninety-second dash leaving a shaky, jittery residue. Outside, the remaining four Collectors in the patrol stomped past, their rhythmic thudding a terrifying reminder of how close they had come to failure. They watched the purple glow of the constructs' eyes sweep across the quad and then continue on their programmed route, oblivious.
"We're in," Ben panted, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. He ran a trembling hand through his hair. "I believe my heart is attempting to exit my body via my throat."
"That was too close," Elara said, her voice a low whisper. She checked the edge on one of her sabers, the nervous energy of the chase still buzzing through her. "That glue bomb was the only thing that saved us."
"It saved Ben," Kai corrected quietly, his eyes scanning the cavernous shadows of the lobby. "You were about to try and fight it to buy him time."
Elara met his gaze, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. The time for reckless self-sacrifice was over. They had to be smarter. They had to survive together.
"Okay," Kai said, pushing himself off the wall. "Ben, you said this place was a nexus of resources. Where do we start?"
Ben pulled himself together, his analytical mind taking over. "The building directory should be... there." He pointed towards a large, dark shape against the far wall. "Cafeteria and main seating will be on this level. Campus store and clinic are likely on the second floor."
They moved into the lobby, their footsteps unnervingly loud on the tiled floor. The place was a wreck. Overturned tables, scattered backpacks, and abandoned laptops told the story of a panic that had happened in an instant. A half-eaten sandwich sat on a table, a patch of green mold already starting to colonize it.
They found the convenience store first, tucked away under a large staircase. Its metal security gate was half-closed, twisted and bent as if something large had tried to force its way in—or out.
Kai and Elara put their shoulders to the gate and, with a groan of protesting metal, managed to lift it high enough to squeeze under.
The store was a treasure trove. While most of the fresh food was spoiled, the shelves were still packed with non-perishables: protein bars, canned fruit, jerky, and most importantly, sealed bottles of water and sports drinks. In the back, they found a small pharmacy section with first-aid kits, painkillers, and rolls of sterile bandages.
"Jackpot," Elara breathed, a real, genuine smile touching her lips for the first time in what felt like days.
They worked quickly, shoving as many supplies as they could into their empty backpacks. Water, high-energy food, and medical supplies were the priority. It was a quiet, focused task, a moment of normalcy in a world gone mad.
Kai was stuffing a first-aid kit into his pack when he froze. He held up a hand for silence.
"Did you hear that?" he whispered.
They all went still, listening. At first, there was nothing but the sound of their own breathing. Then they heard it. A faint, high-pitched whining sound, like the cry of a sick animal. It was coming from the second floor, from the direction of the main cafeteria.
It was followed by a wet, tearing sound.
They exchanged uneasy glances. They were not alone in the building.
Kai cautiously peered out of the store and up the grand staircase. The second floor was a wide, open gallery that overlooked the lobby. The whining sound came again, louder this time, followed by a chorus of excited, chittering clicks.
He used Observe on the shadows at the top of the stairs, but the System returned nothing. Whatever was up there, it was out of his line of sight.
"We have what we need for now," Kai said, his voice low. "Let's get back to the lab, drop this off, and reassess."
"Agreed," Ben whispered, hoisting his now-heavy pack. "Discretion is the better part of not being messily devoured."
They slipped back out from under the security gate and began to creep back towards the lobby entrance. But as they reached the base of the staircase, the whining from above stopped. The chittering went silent.
An eerie, expectant stillness fell over the student union.
Then, from the darkness of the second-floor gallery, a small, pale shape darted into view. It was vaguely humanoid, the size of a child, with unnaturally long limbs and skin the color of bone. It moved on all fours, its head swiveling with jerky, bird-like motions. It had no eyes, only a wide, gaping mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth. It let out a high-pitched, piercing shriek that echoed through the lobby.
And from the shadows behind it, a dozen more pairs of pale, spindly limbs emerged. They were a pack.