Cain's boots crunched against the coarse, gray soil of Exo-9, a sickly wind whispering through the canyons that stretched endlessly before them. The air tasted metallic through his helmet's filtration system, laced with something bitter that made his throat tighten. His HUD displayed fluctuating atmospheric readings—low oxygen levels, high radiation spikes, and an ever-present warning blinking in the corner of his visor:
CAUTION: UNKNOWN BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENTS DETECTED.
Sasha Rourke moved in tight formation beside him, her rifle sweeping left to right with mechanical precision. "This place feels dead," she murmured over the comms, her voice crackling slightly through the interference.
Cain scanned the horizon, eyes tracing the jagged rock formations rising like broken teeth from the earth. "Maybe it wants us to think that," he said, keeping his tone neutral but alert.
Commander Ryker's voice cut through the comms, cold and sharp. "Stay focused. We move ten meters at a time—no stragglers. Reyes, any updates on drone telemetry?"
Reyes, further back with the equipment pack slung over his shoulder, grunted in response. "Getting static interference. The signal's bouncing back weird... like there's something scrambling the feed." He paused, tapping at his wrist display. "Could be magnetic anomalies, or... something else."
Cain didn't like the way Reyes said "something else." He didn't like anything about this mission so far.
The terrain underfoot was loose and unstable, a fine layer of ash covering the surface. Cain crouched briefly, running his gloved fingers through the dust. It was too fine, too uniform—almost artificial. He muttered to himself, "This isn't natural."
Dr. Elara Monroe, kneeling nearby with a handheld scanner, nodded without looking up. "It's not," she confirmed. "These particles contain traces of complex carbon structures... possibly remnants of organic material."
Cain straightened. "You mean something lived here?"
Elara hesitated. "Maybe." Her eyes flickered across the scanner readout, her brow furrowing. "Or still does."
A silence fell over the team, heavy and oppressive.
Ryker didn't allow it to linger. "We stick to the mission. Move out."
Cain fell back into formation, his grip on his rifle tightening. Each step felt heavier as they advanced deeper into the alien landscape. The towering rock formations closed in around them, creating narrow passageways that swallowed their small team in shadow. Overhead, dark clouds churned like an angry sea, lightning flickering in the distance.
"This canyon's too quiet," Sasha muttered, scanning the jagged walls. "Too... clean."
Cain knew what she meant. There were no signs of natural erosion—no scattered debris, no signs of life. It was like the landscape had been deliberately shaped, almost sculpted.
"Eyes up," Ryker warned. "We're not alone out here."
Cain's heart pounded a little harder.
Reyes chuckled nervously. "You sure about that, boss? Because I don't see jack—"
A sudden noise cut through the wind.
A low, resonating hum.
Cain froze mid-step. "Hold."
The entire team came to an immediate stop, weapons raised, breaths held. The sound echoed through the canyon walls, reverberating deep into their bones. It was unlike anything Cain had ever heard—an eerie vibration that seemed to crawl under his skin, rattling his teeth.
"Jesus," Reyes whispered. "What the hell was that?"
Elara checked her instruments frantically. "I'm... I'm not picking up any movement. But the sound is real. It's coming from beneath us."
Cain felt the ground beneath his feet, that same uneasy sensation gnawing at his gut. "How deep?"
Elara's eyes flickered with something close to fear. "I don't know. But it's... vast."
Ryker took a step forward, his gaze steely. "We keep moving. Whatever it is, we deal with it when it becomes a threat."
Cain muttered under his breath, "Feels like it already is."
Sasha took point, leading them through the narrowing passageway. The canyon walls closed in tighter, pressing against their flanks like a coffin made of stone. The oppressive silence returned, broken only by their own breathing and the occasional crunch of their boots on the brittle soil.
Then Cain felt it—
A presence.
It wasn't something he could explain logically. It was a cold sensation creeping along his spine, an instinct screaming that they were being watched. His eyes darted across the jagged formations towering above, searching for movement, but there was nothing.
"Anybody else feel that?" he asked quietly.
Sasha nodded without turning. "Yeah."
"Eyes on," Ryker ordered, his tone tight. "Keep it together."
Cain's grip tightened around his weapon, every nerve on high alert. The humming sound returned, this time louder. Rhythmic. Almost... purposeful.
"We need to move," Elara said, her voice taut.
Cain glanced at Reyes, who looked paler than usual. The tech specialist swallowed hard. "Yeah. Fast."
The team pushed forward, their pace quickening. Every instinct in Cain's body screamed at him to run, but years of training kept him in check. He kept his weapon raised, scanning every crevice, every shadow.
Then—
A flicker of movement.
Cain whipped his rifle around, heart hammering in his chest. "Contact—two o'clock!"
Sasha reacted instantly, aiming at the direction he pointed. But there was nothing there. Just empty rock and the swirling mist.
Ryker's voice was sharp. "False alarm?"
Cain wasn't sure. His breathing was heavy inside his helmet. "I saw something. Just for a second."
Reyes exhaled shakily. "Yeah, you and your damn gut feelings, man."
But Cain wasn't convinced. Something was out there. Watching. Waiting.
Ryker gave a curt nod. "Keep moving. Stay sharp."
As they advanced further, Cain couldn't shake the feeling that the landscape itself was watching them, studying their every move. The oppressive weight in the air thickened with every step.
Whatever was here, it wasn't happy about their presence.
And Cain had a gut feeling—
They were walking straight into its trap.