No Way Back

The corridor stretched ahead, dimly lit, the heavy scent of concrete and gunpowder lingering in the air. Selene's pulse thundered in her ears as she ran with Eve at her side, both of them moving as though the walls themselves were closing in while every footstep echoed in the emptiness was a stark reminder that they were not free yet. Selene's grip on Eve's wrist was firm but not painful, guiding her forward as they maneuvered past every possible obstruction. Lucian's men would be coming soon because he wasn't the kind of man to let his prey slip away easily though they had bought themselves a few minutes at most, but Selene knew it wouldn't last. Eve winced her free hand clutching her ribs where she had taken a hit, the damage was worse than she let on and the pain was beginning to slow her down, and Selene knew they couldn't afford hesitation. 'We keep moving," Selene said, her voice steady despite the urgency clawing at her throat. 'No matter what." Eve nodded, her breathing labored but determined. 'I'm not stopping." The hallway split into two but Selene made a split-second decision, pulling them left. Every corridor looked the same, concrete walls, dim lights, and the lingering presence of control Lucian had built into every corner of this place but Selene had memorized some of it, enough to know that there had to be an exit nearby. A door came into view, heavy and reinforced. Selene's heart pounded harder; if they could get through, they had a chance. She reached for the handle, but before her fingers could close around it, the sound of footsteps thundered behind them. Eve turned sharply, her body tensing. The chase had begun. Selene cursed under her breath, yanking the handle hard but it didn't open. She slammed her shoulder into the door but locked, frustration burning through her veins as the footsteps grew louder. Selene spun, taking in their surroundings in a single glance and sight of a metal cabinet to their right, an exposed vent near the ceiling, and the sharp hum of security cameras watching their every move. Lucian was watching. Selene exhaled sharply, then moved. She grabbed the cabinet, dragging it toward the door, blocking off as much of the entrance as she could. It wouldn't hold them for long, but it would buy them seconds. Eve was already moving toward the vent though it was small, but big enough for them to squeeze through. Selene followed, boosting Eve up first before pulling herself inside and the second she cleared the edge, the sound of boots slamming against metal filled the air as the guards reached the door. The cabinet shuddered but Selene didn't wait to see how long it would last. She crawled forward, the metal grating beneath her hands vibrating with every movement. The space was tight, suffocating but it was better than what waited behind them. Eve moved ahead, her breathing steady despite the pain she had been feeling. The ventilation system stretched in multiple directions, and Selene had no choice but to trust that Eve knew where she was going. Behind them, the sound of the cabinet being knocked over echoed through the vents. Selene clenched her teeth. Lucian's men were right behind them. The tunnel stretched on, a left turn, a right turn, and another left then a dead end. Eve stopped abruptly, her breath catching. Ahead of them was the vent that led straight down like a vertical drop into darkness. Selene's mind raced but there was no turning back and that was their only option. Eve turned her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. 'We have to jump." Selene inhaled sharply, measuring the distance. It was too deep to see the bottom and too risky to guess what was below but staying here meant death. Selene reached for Eve's hand. 'Together." Eve nodded then and jumped. The air rushed around them as they plummeted, their bodies weightless for a fraction of a second before crashing through something fragile. Glass shattered, metal groaned, and the world spun as they hit the ground hard. Selene coughed, rolling onto her side, sharp pain blooming through her shoulder because she had landed badly, but she was still breathing. Eve groaned beside her, her hands bracing against the ground as blood trickled down her arm, but she was moving. Selene forced herself up to see that they had landed inside another room. A different part of the facility. The sound of alarms blaring confirmed what she already knew, Lucian knew exactly where they were. Eve pushed herself upright, her eyes scanning the space, she saw a storage area, filled with crates and scattered supplies. Selene's heart pounded as she spotted what they needed, a door partially open. They locked eyes at each other but no words were needed and with no hesitation, they ran. Selene's lungs burned as they pushed forward, dodging between crates, their steps frantic but controlled and behind them, voices shouted, boots pounded against the floor but the exit was ahead so they wouldn't stop but before they reached the door, gunfire erupted. Selene barely had time to react before bullets ricocheted off metal, sparks flying in all directions. Eve dropped low, dragging Selene with her behind a stack of crates while the smell of gunpowder burned through the air. Selene's breath came fast, her mind calculating and adjusting for a positive move. They were exposed and outnumbered but not beaten then her fingers brushed against something cold and metal-a weapon. She picked it up, weighing it in her grip, it wasn't ideal but enough. Eve exhaled sharply. 'What's the plan?" Selene glanced toward the exit but too many guards were closing on them. Her grip tightened on the weapon, there was only one way out of this as she met Eve's gaze. 'We fight." Eve nodded once then Selene rose, her pulse steady as she took aim then she pulled the trigger.