Ethan and Malek stumbled out of the collapsing tunnel, gasping for air as they reached the surface. The sunlight hit them harshly, a stark contrast to the suffocating darkness they had just escaped. The tunnel behind them continued to crumble, the earth groaning and shifting as dust clouds billowed upward. The survivors, they had failed. The thought of the innocent people trapped beneath the rubble gnawed at Ethan.
"They're gone," Malek said, his voice hollow, hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath. "We couldn't get them out in time. Buried under tons of rock."
Ethan said nothing, the cold realization hitting him hard. They had come to rescue the Syndicate's prisoners, men and women who had been dragged underground as part of Raeth's scheme. And now, with the tunnel sealed behind them, there was no chance anyone could have survived. At least that's what it looked like. Ethan's mind raced. Had Raeth known about the collapse beforehand? He must have escaped with them somehow. The timing had been too perfect.
"Iris," Ethan muttered under his breath, addressing the AI embedded in his suit. "Give me a full environmental scan. I want any heat signatures or movement below us."
The HUD inside his visor flickered to life, and Iris's calm, synthetic voice replied, "Scanning now. It will take a few moments, Ethan."
Malek looked up, his face twisted with guilt. "It's on us, man. We should have-"
"We didn't have time," Ethan interrupted, his voice cold but steady. "We couldn't save them. Raeth orchestrated this collapse; he knew exactly what he was doing. But he got out. I know it."
"Ethan," Iris chimed in, "no significant heat signatures detected in the vicinity below the surface. I am detecting elevated seismic activity consistent with a large structural collapse. Chances of survival are negligible."
Ethan clenched his fists. "They're dead," he said, mostly to himself. "All of them."
Malek swore under his breath, kicking at a rock in frustration. "Damn it! We were supposed to get them out, Ethan. That was the mission."
Ethan remained silent for a moment, staring out across the barren landscape. The mission had gone sideways the moment Raeth had gotten involved. He was always one step ahead, always twisting the game to his advantage. He was ruthless, yes, but smart. And Ethan knew he hadn't seen the last of him.
"Raeth didn't die down there," Ethan said, his voice low. "I don't know how, but he got out. He has the survivors too. He wants us to think they're gone, buried in that rubble. But I'm not buying it."
Malek wiped the dust from his face, eyes squinting against the harsh sun. "You really think he's still out here? With them?"
"I know he is," Ethan said, eyes scanning the horizon. "That collapse was a distraction. He set the whole thing up, then slipped away. I'm not sure where he's gone, but he's watching. And we're going to find him."
Just then, Ethan's HUD pinged. Iris's voice returned. "Ethan, I'm detecting an approaching aircraft. Likely a Syndicate recon drone."
Ethan's heart quickened. "Get down," he hissed, yanking Malek down behind a nearby outcropping of rocks.
The drone passed overhead, its sleek frame humming ominously as it scanned the area. Ethan watched through his visor as Iris displayed its flight pattern, tracking the drone as it moved away, disappearing over a ridge. Raeth was already looking for them, no doubt trying to confirm their fate after the tunnel collapse.
Malek's breathing was still ragged from exertion. "We're not staying here, right?"
"No," Ethan replied, glancing at his HUD's map overlay. "There's an old relay station to the south. We can send a low-frequency signal from there without getting detected by Syndicate forces immediately. We can use it to figure out our next move."
Malek exhaled heavily. "You're sure they won't pick it up?"
Ethan stood, pulling Malek up with him. "Not for a while. But we have to move fast. Raeth's not going to leave anything to chance."
They began their trek across the rough terrain, keeping low and moving quickly. The sun was brutal, and the landscape offered little in the way of shade. Malek was visibly struggling in the heat, while Ethan's suit, equipped with advanced temperature regulation, kept him cool and steady.
After a tense hour of walking, Iris's voice interrupted again. "Ethan, multiple ground vehicles are approaching from the north. Likely Syndicate patrol."
Ethan cursed under his breath. "They found us."
Malek's face paled as the sound of distant engines reached them. "What now?"
"There's a ravine up ahead," Ethan said, his visor mapping the terrain. "If we get down there, we can lose them in the rocks. Move."
They sprinted toward the ravine, the sound of engines growing louder behind them. Syndicate forces were closing in fast. Ethan's mind raced. Raeth wouldn't stop at just finding them, he was out for blood, and the survivors were leverage. If Raeth still had them alive, he wouldn't give up easily.
As they reached the ravine, gunfire erupted behind them, bullets striking the rocks near their feet. "Go, go!" Ethan shouted, pushing Malek into the steep descent. They slid down the rocky slope, the narrow ravine offering some cover from the incoming fire.
"We can't stay here!" Malek yelled, his voice barely audible over the sound of Syndicate gunfire.
"Iris, plot a route," Ethan commanded, his visor scanning the winding ravine for an escape.
"Route calculated," Iris responded. "Follow the path deeper into the ravine. It leads to a series of caves approximately 300 meters southeast. Likelihood of detection decreases significantly."
"Let's move," Ethan said, pulling Malek up once again.
They hurried deeper into the ravine, the sound of Syndicate vehicles growing distant as the rocks closed in around them. But something caught Ethan's eye, a heat signature ahead. Someone else was in the ravine.
"Iris," Ethan whispered, "analyze the heat signature."
"Unknown lifeform," Iris replied. "No Syndicate insignia detected. Approach with caution."
Ethan's grip tightened on his weapon. Was it Raeth? Or someone else entirely?
They rounded a bend, coming face to face with the figure. A man, dressed in tattered clothes, clearly not Syndicate. His face was pale, gaunt, his eyes wide with fear. One of the survivors?
Before Ethan could speak, the man raised his hands in surrender. "Please… don't shoot. I...I managed to escape. Raeth… he took the others. They're still alive."
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. The survivors weren't buried after all.