Chapter 59
Shadows in the Dark
The SUV’s tires screeched against the damp concrete as Mateo maneuvered into the tunnel, plunging them into near-total darkness. The sudden shift from the open road to the confined underground space sent a shiver down Elena’s spine.
Only the faint glow of the dashboard lights illuminated the interior, casting shadows across their tense faces.
“Jordan, do we have a way out?” Elena asked, her voice tight.
Jordan’s voice crackled through her earpiece. “You’re in an old drainage tunnel that runs under the valley. It exits near an abandoned quarry about two miles east—but I don’t know if it’s still clear.”
Amira shifted in her seat, keeping her rifle ready. “If it’s not?”
Naomi smirked. “Then we improvise.”
Richard, still catching his breath from the chase, ran a hand through his hair. “You all talk about danger like it’s a game.”
Amira shrugged. “Because if you hesitate, you lose.”
Ahead, Mateo eased off the gas, letting the SUV roll forward at a cautious pace. The tunnel walls, lined with old concrete, glistened with moisture. The air was thick, carrying the stale scent of damp earth and rust.
Suddenly, a flicker of movement appeared in Elena’s peripheral vision.
She tensed. “Stop the car.”
Mateo hit the brakes, and the SUV skidded to a halt. Silence engulfed them.
Elena’s hand hovered over her sidearm. “Did anyone else see that?”
Naomi’s gaze darted to the left wall. “Yeah. Something moved.”
Richard swallowed hard. “You think Vincent’s men beat us here?”
Elena’s gut told her no. Vincent’s crew wasn’t subtle—they came in guns blazing. Whatever was in this tunnel wasn’t them.
Amira clicked on a tactical flashlight and aimed it toward the movement. The beam sliced through the darkness, revealing…
Nothing.
Just damp walls and pools of stagnant water.
Elena exhaled slowly. “Let’s keep moving. But stay sharp.”
Mateo pressed the gas, and the SUV inched forward. Every creak of the tires against the wet ground sent echoes bouncing through the tunnel, making it sound like something—or someone—was following them.
Then came the sound.
A slow, deliberate scrape against concrete.
Everyone froze.
Richard whispered, “Tell me that was one of you.”
No one answered.
Amira swung her flashlight toward the right side of the tunnel just as a shadow darted out of view.
“Contact!” she snapped, raising her weapon.
Mateo cursed and slammed on the gas. The SUV surged forward, tires spinning against the slick ground.
The tunnel suddenly widened into an open chamber, revealing rusted catwalks and forgotten maintenance equipment. Pipes lined the ceiling, some dripping water onto the floor below.
Jordan’s voice crackled in again. “You should be coming up on a maintenance door. If it still works, it might get you topside.”
Naomi spotted it first. “There!”
Mateo brought the SUV to a stop near a rusted metal door embedded in the tunnel wall. Amira jumped out first, yanking on the handle. It groaned in protest but didn’t budge.
“Locked,” she growled.
Elena turned to Richard. “Think you can crack it?”
Richard, still jittery, grabbed his lockpicking kit and got to work. “Give me a minute.”
A new sound filled the tunnel.
Footsteps. Slow. Uneven.
Elena turned, gun raised. “Move faster.”
Richard’s fingers flew over the lock. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The footsteps grew louder.
Amira’s flashlight flickered. A malfunction—or something else?
Then, a whisper.
Low, guttural, and impossible to trace.
Richard’s hands trembled. “Almost got it…”
A shadow flickered across the far wall, and Naomi inhaled sharply. “We are not alone.”
Click.
The lock released.
“Go!” Richard yelled.
Amira yanked the door open, revealing a narrow stairwell leading up into darkness.
One by one, they disappeared inside—just as a shadow moved at the tunnel’s edge.
Elena was the last to step through.
And just before she closed the door behind her, she caught a glimpse of something watching them.
Something that wasn’t human.
