The air was heavy with smoke and dust, making it hard to breathe. The explosion had left a trail of destruction, and the once-imposing structure now lay in ruins. Beneath the rubble, survivors groaned, cried out for help, or remained eerily silent. The scene was chaotic, and amidst it all, Sana struggled to stay conscious. Her head throbbed, and the metallic taste of blood lingered in her mouth.
She tried to move, but her leg was pinned under a large chunk of debris. Panic surged through her as she realized how trapped she was. A faint light flickered through the cracks above, offering a sliver of hope. Sana reached for her communicator, praying it still worked.
"Rylan... Evelyn... anyone, can you hear me?" her voice cracked.
Static filled the line, but then a faint response came through. "Sana... stay put... we're coming..."
Rylan's voice was weak but determined. Relief washed over her for a moment before reality set in again. Time was running out. She could hear the creaking of unstable beams above her, threatening to collapse further at any moment.
Outside the rubble, Rylan and Zara worked frantically. They had barely escaped the explosion themselves, but they couldn't leave Sana behind. Evelyn, guilt-ridden after her earlier betrayal, had joined them. She wanted to prove she wasn't the enemy anymore, though trust was a fragile thing.
"She's in there," Rylan pointed toward the ruins, his face pale but resolute.
Zara nodded, her tech-savvy mind already calculating. "If we move the wrong piece, the whole thing will come down. We need a plan."
Evelyn stepped forward. "I can help. I know the building's structure. There's a safer way to reach her."
Rylan hesitated, but time wasn't on their side. "Fine. But if you're lying..."
"I'm not," Evelyn cut him off, her eyes fierce. "Let's go."
Beneath the rubble, Sana tried to stay calm. She focused on her breathing, refusing to let fear take over. She could hear faint voices above, and it gave her hope. But she also heard something else soft, scuttling sounds.
Her heart skipped a beat. Rats. She froze as a pair of glowing eyes stared at her from the darkness. With limited movement, she couldn't defend herself. The rat edged closer, sniffing the air. Sana kicked weakly with her free leg, and the creature scurried away, but the encounter left her shaken.
As if that wasn't enough, she felt the ground shift slightly beneath her. The debris was becoming more unstable. If they didn't reach her soon, it would be too late.
"Rylan... hurry," she whispered, clutching her communicator.
Outside, Evelyn led Rylan and Zara through the safest route she could think of, but it was anything but easy. Fires burned in some areas, and the air was thick with smoke. They had to crawl through narrow gaps, avoiding falling debris and sharp edges.
"She's right below us," Evelyn said, pointing to a particularly unstable section.
"We can't dig here it'll collapse," Zara argued, scanning the area with her handheld device. "There's a pocket of space just to the side. If we cut through there, we can reach her without bringing the whole thing down."
Rylan didn't wait for further discussion. "Do it."
With careful precision, Zara used her tools to carve out an opening. Every second felt like an eternity.
As the team worked above, Sana's mind raced. Being trapped gave her too much time to think, and the pieces of the puzzle started falling into place. The explosion hadn't been random. It was targeted. Someone had wanted them dead, and Sana had a sinking feeling she knew who.
"Orion," she whispered. The shadowy organization had always been one step ahead, but this attack felt personal.
Just as the realization hit her, a new sound filled the air a faint beeping. Her blood ran cold. A small device was embedded in the rubble nearby, its red light blinking ominously.
A bomb.
Rylan, Evelyn, and Zara finally broke through to where Sana was trapped. Relief flooded Rylan's face when he saw her, but it was short-lived.
"There's a bomb," Sana said urgently, pointing to the blinking light.
Zara's eyes widened as she assessed the situation. "We don't have time to get out and disarm it. The structure's too unstable to move quickly."
"Then what do we do?" Rylan demanded.
Evelyn stepped forward, her face grim. "I'll stay. I can disarm it while you get her out."
"No!" Sana protested. "We all get out together, or not at all."
"There's no time to argue," Evelyn snapped. "This is my mess to clean up. Go!"
Rylan hesitated, torn between saving Sana and leaving Evelyn behind. Zara grabbed his arm. "She's right. If she can disarm it, we have a chance. If not..."
The unspoken words hung in the air.
As they worked to free Sana, Evelyn knelt by the bomb, her hands steady despite the danger. She began to disarm it, her mind racing through everything she'd learned about such devices.
Sana was finally pulled free, her leg injured but intact. Rylan supported her as they hurried toward the exit, Zara leading the way.
Behind them, Evelyn stayed focused on the bomb. The beeping grew louder, and the light flashed faster. Sweat dripped down her face as she reached the final wire.
"Come on," she whispered, her hands trembling slightly.
Outside, Sana, Rylan, and Zara made it to safety, collapsing in exhaustion. But before they could catch their breath, a deafening explosion rocked the ground.
"No!" Sana screamed, turning back toward the rubble.
The dust settled slowly, revealing a scene of destruction. There was no sign of Evelyn.
Had she succeeded, or had she paid the ultimate price?
The answer remained hidden beneath the rubble, leaving the group and the reader on edge as they faced the next challenge in their fight against Orion.