The group had rested for a few hours in the cool refuge of the subway, but the growing tension between Silvanus and Marcus over whether to trust Luke and Anna lingered in the air. Silvanus hadn't said it aloud, but something about their two new companions gnawed at him. Their arrival was convenient—too convenient—but their offer of water had been real. Desperate times didn't leave much room for gut feelings, so for now, he pushed his suspicions aside.
The group was preparing to move when the faintest sound echoed from the stairwell above. At first, it was just a light scuff, barely audible over the damp silence of the underground station. But Silvanus heard it, his instincts snapping into high alert. He froze, holding a hand up to the others, signaling for silence.
The others halted mid-motion, their breaths shallow, listening. There it was again—this time more distinct. The unmistakable crunch of footsteps, slow and deliberate, trying to be silent but failing against the loose rubble of the subway entrance.
"Marauders," Silvanus whispered, his jaw clenched.
Marcus shifted beside him, gripping his weapon tightly. Nadia's eyes darted toward the entrance, fear and readiness flashing across her face. Claire, already pale from exhaustion, seemed to grow even paler. Luke and Anna huddled close together, their wide eyes betraying the same fear Silvanus felt coursing through him.
"How many?" Marcus mouthed silently.
Silvanus closed his eyes for a split second, focusing on the sound. His heart raced, but his instincts, honed from years of survival, kicked in. "Four, maybe five."
A growl of frustration escaped Marcus' throat, low and almost inaudible. "Can't fight them here," he muttered under his breath. "Too exposed."
Silvanus nodded. They were at a disadvantage. The subway platform offered little cover, just broken columns and benches that were now brittle and decayed from time. The marauders were coming down the only exit, and fighting in close quarters would leave them pinned with no way out.
"We move back. Deeper into the tunnels," Silvanus ordered, his voice low but firm. "We can use the darkness to our advantage."
The others quickly gathered their things, keeping their movements as quiet as possible. But just as Silvanus turned to lead them deeper into the shadows, the unmistakable clatter of metal falling echoed from the entrance. There was no more time. The marauders knew they weren't alone now.
"Run," Silvanus hissed.
They bolted down the platform, their footsteps a ragged cacophony in the dark. Behind them, Silvanus heard the rush of feet descending the stairs, and his heart sank. The marauders were fast—faster than he'd hoped.
"Move, move!" Marcus urged, glancing over his shoulder, his face set with grim determination.
They veered off the platform and onto the tracks, the uneven surface slowing their pace. The tunnel loomed ahead, a black maw that seemed to swallow the last vestiges of light from their flashlights. Silvanus could feel the sweat slick on his neck, hear the pounding of his heart in his ears.
A shout echoed behind them, followed by the sharp crack of a gunshot.
"They're armed!" Claire cried, panic rising in her voice.
"Into the tunnel!" Silvanus shouted, pushing the group forward. They had no choice but to retreat into the subway tunnels where the darkness could offer some cover. They couldn't outrun bullets, but they could make themselves harder to hit.
Silvanus dove into the tunnel just as another shot ricocheted off the wall behind him, sparks flaring in the dim light. His group scattered deeper into the blackness, ducking behind piles of debris and old maintenance carts.
He could hear the marauders now, their footsteps heavier as they entered the tunnel. They weren't in a hurry. These men were hunters, taking their time, knowing that their prey was cornered. Silvanus clenched his teeth. He wouldn't let these bastards corner them like animals.
Marcus crouched next to Silvanus behind a collapsed section of wall, his weapon ready. "We need to ambush them," he growled.
Silvanus nodded. "We split them up, force them to fight in smaller groups. We're not taking them all head-on."
Nadia, Claire, Luke, and Anna were hiding farther up the tunnel, out of immediate sight. Silvanus motioned to Marcus and then whispered into his comm, "Nadia, Claire—stay hidden. Only engage if you're directly attacked. Luke, watch your sister."
A voice crackled back. "Copy that," Nadia replied, her voice tense but focused.
The marauders were closer now, their flashlights sweeping across the tunnel walls. They were talking to each other in low voices, laughing cruelly. Silvanus caught bits of their conversation, their smug overconfidence leaking through.
"They went this way," one of the marauders said, his voice rough with anticipation. "There's no way out. Just rats in a trap."
The thought of these men getting their hands on his group filled Silvanus with a cold fury. He motioned for Marcus to take position across the tracks, giving them a crossfire advantage.
"Wait until they're past us," Silvanus muttered, his rifle raised. "Then hit them hard."
The marauders' footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the swish of their boots on the gritty tunnel floor. There were four of them, just as Silvanus had predicted. Two walked ahead, their weapons loosely at their sides, confident in their control of the situation. The other two lagged behind, laughing and joking with each other, oblivious to the threat lurking in the darkness.
Silvanus tightened his grip on his weapon, his breath shallow. He had learned long ago to control his fear, to turn it into focus. His father had taught him that, before the world had gone to hell.
The lead marauder stepped into the ambush zone, his flashlight sweeping just feet away from Silvanus and Marcus. Silvanus held his breath, waiting.
"Now," Silvanus hissed.
The tunnel erupted with gunfire. Silvanus fired first, his shot aimed directly at the lead marauder's chest. The man didn't even have time to scream before he crumpled to the ground, his flashlight clattering away.
Marcus took down the second marauder with a well-placed shot to the head, dropping him instantly. The tunnel reverberated with the sound of bullets and the sharp crack of gunfire echoing in the confined space.
The two remaining marauders spun around, their flashlights flaring wildly as they tried to locate the source of the attack. Panic flashed across their faces as they realized they weren't the hunters anymore—they were the hunted.
Silvanus fired again, grazing one of the marauders in the shoulder. The man let out a pained shout, stumbling back as he clutched at the wound. His partner, the last uninjured marauder, turned and fired blindly into the darkness, bullets ricocheting off the tunnel walls.
Marcus ducked behind the cover of an old maintenance cart, barely avoiding a shot that pinged off the metal. He raised his rifle, firing back with deadly precision. The bullet caught the marauder in the neck, and he collapsed, blood spraying onto the tracks.
The wounded marauder, now alone, scrambled backward, his eyes wide with terror. He turned and bolted, his flashlight swinging wildly as he ran deeper into the tunnel.
Silvanus cursed under his breath. They couldn't let him escape. He would bring more back.
"Don't let him get away!" Silvanus shouted.
Marcus was already moving, sprinting after the fleeing marauder. Silvanus followed, his legs pumping as he pushed himself forward. The tunnel stretched on, dark and claustrophobic, but Silvanus didn't let the fear slow him down.
The marauder stumbled, his injured arm slowing him, and Marcus caught up to him first. With a brutal swing of his rifle butt, Marcus knocked the man to the ground, sending his flashlight skittering across the tracks.
The marauder groaned, trying to crawl away, but Marcus was on him in an instant, pinning him down with one knee. Silvanus caught up moments later, breathing hard but steady.
"Who sent you?" Marcus growled, his voice low and dangerous. He pressed the barrel of his rifle against the marauder's throat.
The man gasped, his eyes wide with terror. "I don't know! We—we saw you come down here. Thought you had something worth taking!"
"Liar," Marcus spat, pressing harder.
Silvanus placed a hand on Marcus' shoulder, pulling him back slightly. "Enough. We don't have time for this. More of them could be coming."
The marauder coughed, wheezing as he clutched at his wounded shoulder. "Please… don't kill me. I'll go—I'll leave."
Silvanus stared down at the man, weighing the options. He didn't trust the marauder, but they couldn't waste time dealing with him either.
"Get out of here," Silvanus said coldly. "If we see you again, you won't get a second chance."
The marauder didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet and ran, limping back the way he had come, disappearing into the darkness.
Silvanus turned to Marcus, who was still seething with barely contained anger. "Let's get back to the others."
As they returned to the group, Sil