(Malek's POV)
The cold, sterile corridors of the Syndicate facility seemed endless. Malek led the group of survivors through the twisting passageways, moving as quickly as possible. The sound of Syndicate boots echoed behind them, growing closer by the second. Every twist and turn brought the looming threat of being overtaken. His rifle felt heavier with each step, but his focus remained razor-sharp.
Ahead, the facility exit glimmered like a distant beacon. They were almost there. But even as they ran, Malek couldn't shake the nagging thought that Ethan was still trapped somewhere inside, likely fighting for his life against Raeth's forces. He had tried to establish communication with Ethan, but their comms had been jammed for what felt like hours.
"Move, move!" Malek barked, urging the survivors to keep up the pace.
Behind him, a female survivor named Khera stumbled, and her partner, Arrox, stopped to help her up. Their desperation was palpable. Malek's heart clenched, he could feel their exhaustion, their fear, and the overwhelming weight of loss hanging in the air.
Suddenly, blaster fire erupted from behind them. The unmistakable hum of energy weapons reverberated through the corridor, followed by the sound of Arrox crying out in pain.
"No!" Khera screamed, watching in horror as her partner fell. Arrox clutched his side, blood pouring from the wound, his face contorted in agony.
Malek turned just in time to see Arrox weakly motion for them to keep moving. "Go... I'll hold them off," Arrox rasped. His trembling hand reached for a broken pipe on the ground, a desperate weapon against the Syndicate soldiers closing in on them.
"Arrox, don't!" Khera sobbed, but it was too late. Arrox had already made his decision.
He staggered to his feet and, with one final scream, charged toward the approaching soldiers. It was a hopeless act of defiance, but it bought them precious seconds. Malek grabbed Khera, pulling her forward even as tears streamed down her face.
"Keep moving!" Malek urged, his voice gruff as he forced himself not to look back. Arrox's sacrifice burned in his mind, but he couldn't let it be in vain.
They rounded a corner and reached the facility's exit. Relief flooded Malek's chest, but as they approached, a chilling sight greeted them: outside, a squad of Syndicate soldiers was already waiting for them, weapons raised and ready to fire.
They were trapped. Again.
The survivors huddled close behind Malek, their despair weighing down the air. Khera's sobs grew quieter as she clung to one of the other survivors. Malek's mind raced, searching for any possible way out, but the odds were stacked against them. Outnumbered and surrounded, the end seemed inevitable.
The lead Syndicate soldier stepped forward, his voice a cold, mechanical hiss through the helmet. "Surrender now, and we'll make it quick."
Malek clenched his jaw, raising his rifle slightly, though he knew it was futile. He couldn't fight them all. Not with the survivors to protect. His grip tightened, his mind searching for options, but the soldiers closed in, ready to pull the trigger.
Then, just as hope seemed lost, a sudden burst of gunfire echoed through the air from outside the facility. Confusion rippled through the Syndicate forces as blaster fire rained down upon them from behind.
"Take cover!" Malek shouted to the survivors as Syndicate soldiers scrambled to regroup, caught off guard by the unexpected attack.
Through the chaos, Malek spotted movement. A group of armed figures advancing through the dust. Their shots were precise, cutting down Syndicate soldiers one by one. The guards from the outpost! And leading them was Derek, the man Ethan and Malek had left behind earlier. His face was set with grim determination as he guided the outpost guards forward.
Malek's heart leaped. Derek had brought help.
Derek rushed to Malek's side, ducking behind cover as he caught his breath. "We couldn't leave you hanging," he said, a faint smile crossing his face despite the tension in the air. "Ethan's still in there, right?"
Malek nodded, his thoughts immediately flashing to Ethan, still battling through the facility. "Yeah. We have to go back for him."
The guards continued their assault, pushing back the remaining Syndicate soldiers. In moments, the courtyard outside the facility was clear, though more reinforcements could arrive at any moment.
Derek looked at the group of survivors, and his expression softened. "We can get these people to safety, but you and I… we've got to get Ethan out of there."
Malek's jaw tightened. "Let's move."
With the courtyard secured, Malek and Derek led the survivors to a safe point just beyond the facility's perimeter. Khera, still shaken by the loss of Arrox, looked at Malek with red-rimmed eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
Malek nodded, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He wished he could have done more.
"Stay with the guards," Derek said to the survivors. "We'll bring Ethan back."
As Malek and Derek prepared to head back inside, a sudden, ominous rumble echoed from within the facility. Malek's gut tightened. Something was happening inside, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.
They had to get Ethan, and fast.