The air in the subway tunnels felt heavier than before, as if the darkness itself was closing in on the group. Silvanus led them in silence, his steps careful but quick. Every noise echoed eerily around them, making it difficult to tell where the danger was coming from. There was no way to know if the marauders were still close or if they had given up the chase, but Silvanus wasn't about to take any chances.
Behind him, Marcus kept his rifle ready, constantly scanning their surroundings. Nadia was near the middle of the group, making sure Claire, Luke, and Anna stayed close. There was an unspoken understanding now that their lives were bound together, at least for the time being.
As they rounded a corner, Silvanus stopped and held up a hand, signaling the others to halt. Up ahead, the tunnel split into two. One path veered slightly upward, leading toward a surface exit, while the other descended deeper underground. Silvanus frowned, studying the two options.
"Which way?" Marcus asked, his voice low.
Silvanus was about to answer when Claire spoke up. "We can't go up. Not yet. The sun's too dangerous, and we don't know how far it's spread. We stay underground."
Claire's voice was steady, but her face was pale, the tension of their escape still weighing heavily on her. She was right, though. The sun had become a death sentence, and they had to avoid it at all costs.
"The lower tunnel, then," Silvanus agreed, motioning for the group to follow him. He led them down the sloping path, deeper into the earth. The temperature dropped as they descended, but the air was stale, making it harder to breathe.
The tunnel was older down here, the walls crumbling and overgrown with mildew. Water dripped from above, creating shallow puddles on the ground. Silvanus hated this part of the journey—being deep underground, where there was no escape if things went wrong.
"We need to rest soon," Nadia murmured, her voice soft but filled with urgency. "The others are exhausted."
Silvanus glanced over his shoulder. She was right. Luke and Anna were struggling to keep up, their faces drawn and tired. Claire wasn't faring much better, and even Marcus, as tough as he was, looked like he needed a break.
Silvanus nodded, scanning the tunnel ahead for a safe place to stop. After a few more minutes of walking, they reached an old service alcove, a small room set off to the side of the main tunnel. It was cramped and musty, but it would offer some protection while they rested.
"We'll stop here for a bit," Silvanus said, motioning for everyone to sit. "Just a quick rest, then we keep moving."
Everyone collapsed onto the cold floor, grateful for the break. Nadia handed out what little water they had left, and Claire took a moment to bandage a small cut on her leg that she had gotten during the earlier fight. Silvanus sat near the entrance, his eyes constantly scanning the tunnel for any signs of movement.
As they rested, Silvanus' mind drifted back to the marauders. Something wasn't adding up. They had been too quick to find them, too organized. Marauders were usually disorganized, desperate scavengers—violent, yes, but not like this. These ones had moved with purpose, like they were hunting.
Silvanus' gaze drifted toward Luke and Anna. The siblings were sitting close together, whispering quietly to each other. Luke had been helpful, but there was something about him that didn't sit right with Silvanus. And Anna… she was a puzzle he couldn't figure out.
He decided to confront it.
"Luke," Silvanus called, his voice cutting through the quiet. "I need to talk to you."
Luke looked up, startled. His eyes flicked to Anna for a moment before he stood and approached Silvanus.
"What is it?" Luke asked, trying to sound casual, but Silvanus could hear the nervousness in his voice.
"Back in the tunnels, you said something that caught my attention," Silvanus began, keeping his tone neutral. "You said the marauders found us too quickly. Like they knew exactly where we'd be."
Luke tensed, and Silvanus saw his eyes dart to Anna again. "Yeah, I said that. I mean, it's true, right?"
Silvanus leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice so the others wouldn't hear. "How did they find us, Luke? Because I don't think it was a coincidence."
Luke swallowed hard, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I… I don't know. I swear."
Silvanus studied him carefully. Luke's fear seemed real, but Silvanus had been around enough liars to know when someone was hiding something. He shifted his gaze to Anna, who was still sitting quietly against the wall, her eyes distant.
"It's not just you I'm worried about," Silvanus said, his eyes narrowing. "It's your sister. There's something off about her."
At that, Luke's entire demeanor changed. His expression hardened, and he stepped closer to Silvanus, his voice a low growl. "Don't talk about her like that. She's been through enough."
Silvanus raised an eyebrow but didn't back down. "I'm not accusing her of anything, Luke. But I need to know if there's something you're not telling me. Because if we're being hunted, I need to know why."
Luke hesitated, his jaw clenched tightly. He glanced at Anna again, as if weighing his options.
"I don't know everything," Luke finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But… they're looking for her. The marauders, I mean. They were after us long before we found you."
Silvanus' eyes narrowed. "Why?"
Luke shook his head. "I don't know. I swear I don't. But Anna… she's different. She's always been different. And they want her. I've been trying to keep her safe, but—"
"Silvanus!" Nadia's urgent whisper cut through the air. She was standing at the entrance of the alcove, her face pale. "We've got movement."
Silvanus was on his feet in an instant, his hand going to his rifle. He moved to Nadia's side, peering into the darkness of the tunnel. His heart sank as he saw shadows moving in the distance.
"They're coming," Nadia whispered, her voice tight with fear. "The marauders… they found us."
Silvanus cursed under his breath, quickly turning to the others. "Pack up. We're moving now."
The group scrambled to their feet, gathering their gear as quickly and quietly as they could. The tension in the air was palpable, every second feeling like it stretched into an eternity. Silvanus could hear the marauders' footsteps now, echoing through the tunnel, growing louder with each passing moment.
"We can't fight them here," Marcus muttered, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. "Too many of them, and we don't have enough ammo."
"We're not fighting," Silvanus said, his voice firm. "We're running."
Without another word, they slipped out of the alcove and back into the tunnel. Silvanus led them at a fast pace, his heart racing as the sound of the marauders grew closer. He didn't know how long they could keep running, but they had no choice.
As they ran, Silvanus glanced back at Luke and Anna. The fear on Luke's face was unmistakable, but Anna remained eerily calm, her eyes focused ahead as if nothing could touch her. Silvanus couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the girl than Luke was letting on.
They needed to get out of these tunnels, and soon. But the marauders were closing in, and the darkness ahead seemed endless.
"Keep moving!" Silvanus urged, his voice echoing through the tunnel.
The chase was on, and Silvanus knew they were running out of time.