The explosion rattled the entire base, sending debris crashing down from the ceiling. The lights flickered, casting eerie shadows across the walls. Alarms blared, echoing through the tunnels as rebels scrambled to assess the situation.
Kaius's heart pounded as he jumped to his feet, his ears still ringing from the blast. He glanced around frantically, searching for Ella. She was already moving, her instincts sharp, pulling a few nearby rebels to their feet and shouting instructions.
"Everyone out! Get to the fallback points!" she yelled, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Kaius rushed over to her, dodging falling debris as the tunnel shook again.
"What the hell just happened?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
Ella shot him a grim look.
"CyberWatchers, most likely. We need to move, now."
Panic buzzed in the air as rebels sprinted toward the exits, the tension in the room palpable. Kaius could feel it too—the strings, pulsing brightly in his vision, guiding him away from the collapsing structure. His sixth sense screamed at him to move.
As they pushed through the crowd, Kaius and Ella found themselves caught in the middle of the chaos. A large chunk of ceiling collapsed behind them, cutting off one of the main exits. Rebels cursed and scrambled, their escape routes quickly narrowing.
"Come on!" Ella grabbed Kaius's arm, dragging him toward a smaller side tunnel.
Kaius's breath came in ragged gasps as they sprinted down the narrow corridor. His mind raced, his body thrumming with adrenaline. How did the CyberWatchers find us? He glanced over at Ella, who was moving with laser-focused precision. He admired how calm she stayed even in the middle of a crisis.
"Do you think they're going to hit us again?" Kaius asked, his voice breathless.
"Maybe," Ella replied, her expression tight.
"Depends on what they're after."
Kaius felt the familiar tug of the strings in his mind, pulling him in different directions, guiding him. He could see the faint outlines of red and purple strings around them, warnings flashing in the distance. They weren't out of the woods yet.
The tunnel opened into a larger space, one of the rebel fallback points. Several rebels had already gathered there, panting and covered in dust. Ella gave Kaius a quick glance, her eyes sharp.
"Check the perimeter. Make sure the exits aren't blocked."
Kaius nodded and moved quickly, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of the CyberWatchers. The tension in his body was unbearable, the strings pulsing brighter than ever. His mind felt like it was on the verge of cracking under the weight of it all.
As he finished his sweep of the perimeter, Kaius spotted something out of the corner of his eye—a faint shadow moving near one of the exits. His breath caught in his throat as the strings flared red. CyberWatchers.
Without thinking, Kaius sprinted back to Ella, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Ella! They're here! The CyberWatchers are here!" he shouted, his voice laced with urgency.
For a moment, the rebels around him went silent, staring at him as if he had gone mad. A few of them laughed nervously.
"Oh, come on. Not this again," one of them said, shaking his head.
"Kid's been watching too many movies."
Kaius's face flushed with frustration, but before he could say anything, Ella's sharp voice cut through the air. "Quiet!" She stepped forward, her expression serious.
"If Kaius says they're here, then they're here. Everyone, prepare to move out."
The rebels hesitated, but the authority in Ella's voice left no room for argument. Kaius felt a rush of gratitude toward her. She believed him—she always had his back, even when others doubted him.
Ella turned to Kaius, her voice lower now.
"Are you sure?"
Kaius nodded, his heartbeat thudding in his ears.
"I saw them. Near the exit."
Ella cursed under her breath, pulling out her communicator. She dialed a quick series of commands, her fingers moving rapidly over the screen.
As they stood there, waiting for her call to go through, Kaius noticed something else—Ella was watching him. Her gaze softened for a moment, a flicker of something more than concern passing through her eyes. But before he could say anything, there was a low rumble, and the ground shook beneath their feet.
A loud boom echoed through the tunnel, followed by the sound of crumbling stone. The lights flickered again, plunging the room into semi-darkness.
"Shit," Ella muttered.
"We need to move, now."
Kaius's heart raced as the walls of the tunnel seemed to close in around them. He could feel the CyberWatchers drawing closer, their presence almost tangible in the air. The strings pulsed violently in his vision, warning him of the impending danger.
Ella grabbed his arm again, pulling him toward one of the side tunnels.
"This way. We'll take the back route."
Kaius followed her, his mind buzzing with fear and uncertainty. As they moved, he couldn't help but glance at Ella. Despite the chaos, she still managed to maintain her usual composure, her sharp wit barely dulled by the situation. It was one of the things he admired most about her—her ability to find humor even in the worst moments.
"You ever gonna tell me why you like running into trouble so much?" Ella quipped, giving him a sideways glance as they moved through the tunnel.
Kaius grinned despite the tension.
"I'm starting to think it's genetic. Or maybe it's just bad luck."
"Definitely bad luck," she replied with a smirk.
"But hey, at least you're fun to have around."
Kaius's heart skipped a beat at her words, and he felt a strange warmth spread through his chest. Despite everything going on, there was something about Ella that made him feel grounded, like he wasn't completely alone in this mess.
As they ran, Kaius felt the strings pulling him again. They were guiding him, urging him to pay attention to the shadows lurking just out of sight. His sixth sense was on high alert, every nerve in his body buzzing with anticipation.
Just as they reached a small exit at the end of the tunnel, Kaius stopped, his breath catching in his throat. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he saw a faint red glow in the distance.
"Ella," he whispered.
"There's something down there."
Ella turned, her eyes following his gaze.
"We don't have time to find out."
Kaius hesitated, his mind torn between following the strings and following Ella. But the red glow was growing brighter, pulsing with an almost hypnotic intensity. His gut told him there was something important down there—something he needed to see.
Before he could make a decision, another explosion rocked the tunnel, and the ground beneath them shook violently.
"Come on!" Ella shouted, pulling him toward the exit.
"We have to go!"
Kaius's heart raced as he glanced one last time at the red glow, then turned and followed Ella. They sprinted through the narrow passage, the sounds of crumbling stone and distant shouts echoing behind them.
But the strings were still there, pulsing in the back of his mind, reminding him that the danger was far from over.