The group pressed on through the maze of corridors, each step slower and quieter than the last. The taunts from the Ex-Marine still echoed in their minds, even though his voice had gone silent for now. It was as if he had deliberately given them space, letting them stew in their thoughts and fears.

Lex glanced at Sophie, who was still glued to her tablet, her fingers flying over the keys as she tried to make sense of the looping security footage. “Anything?” Lex asked, her voice low but firm.

“Nothing yet,” Sophie replied, shaking her head. “He’s still blocking the feeds, but I’m working on isolating the ones he’s looping. It’s like peeling back layers of noise—it’s slow, but I’ll find him.”

“Good,” Lex said, her tone steady, though inside, she felt the growing weight of unease. “We need to stay ahead of him. He’s trying to wear us down, but we won’t give him the chance.”

They turned a corner and entered a wide atrium, its skylights shattered, casting jagged shadows across the floor. The space felt eerily empty, the silence punctuated only by the faint rustle of debris underfoot. The friends spread out slightly, each scanning their surroundings for any sign of movement.

“We need to keep moving,” Damien muttered, his eyes darting toward the far end of the atrium. “This place is too open. If he’s going to hit us, it’ll be here.”

Brandon nodded, his grip tightening on his weapon. “It’s like we’re walking right into his sights. He’s gotta be somewhere close.”

As if in response, a sudden metallic clink echoed through the atrium, followed by a faint, steady beeping sound. Lex’s heart sank.

“Trap!” she shouted, and the group scattered just as a small, homemade explosive went off near the center of the room. The blast wasn’t large, but it sent a wave of heat and force through the atrium, knocking over debris and scattering the group.

Lex hit the ground hard, her ears ringing. She rolled onto her side, scanning for her friends. “Everyone okay?” she called out, her voice strained.

“I’m good!” Damien yelled from behind a toppled bench. “Maya?”

“Here!” Maya replied, coughing as she climbed out from behind a pile of rubble. Her arm was scraped, but she looked otherwise unharmed.

Sophie and Brandon emerged from the shadows, shaken but uninjured. Brandon’s face was tight with frustration. “He’s toying with us,” he muttered. “Setting off traps just to make us jump.”

Lex pulled herself to her feet, her gaze sweeping the atrium. “He’s testing us,” she said, her voice grim. “Trying to figure out how we react under pressure.”

“Yeah, well, it’s working,” Maya muttered, brushing dust off her jacket. “I don’t know how much longer we can keep playing this game.”

The PA system crackled to life again, the Ex-Marine’s voice dripping with amusement. “Not bad. You’ve got some reflexes, I’ll give you that. But you’re still just amateurs. You think you’re surviving? You’re barely holding on.”

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“Coward!” Damien shouted, his voice echoing through the atrium. “Why don’t you come out and face us?”

A low chuckle came through the speakers. “Oh, Damien… brave words from someone so easy to rattle. You want me to come out? Why don’t you come find me instead?”

The PA system cut off abruptly, leaving an oppressive silence in its wake. Lex felt her pulse quicken. She hated not knowing where he was, hated feeling like they were constantly one step behind.

Sophie broke the silence, her voice tight. “I’ve almost got a live feed on him,” she said, her fingers flying across the tablet’s screen. “If I can just—”

Another loud noise cut her off, this time the sharp clang of metal slamming shut. Lex spun around, her stomach sinking as she saw a heavy metal gate descending over the entrance they’d come through.

“He’s cutting us off!” Brandon yelled, sprinting toward the other side of the atrium, but another gate was already sliding down, trapping them inside.

Within seconds, all the exits were sealed, and the group stood in the center of the atrium, surrounded by towering walls of debris and glass. The air felt heavy, oppressive, as if the Ex-Marine was watching their every move from somewhere just out of sight.

Lex gritted her teeth, gripping her crossbow tightly. “He’s forcing us into a corner. We have to find another way out.”

“But what if that’s what he wants?” Maya asked, her voice trembling slightly. “What if he’s waiting for us to try something?”

Lex glanced at her, her expression softening. “We don’t have a choice. We can’t let him control the board.”

“Guys,” Sophie said suddenly, her eyes glued to the tablet. “I’ve got him. He’s in the ventilation system, two levels above us.”

“How do we get up there?” Brandon asked, scanning the room.

Before anyone could answer, a faint hissing sound filled the atrium, and Lex’s heart sank. She recognized that sound—it was gas.

“He’s flushing us out,” Damien growled, covering his mouth with his arm. “We need to move, now!”

Sophie pointed to a service elevator tucked into the corner of the atrium. “There! That’ll take us to the maintenance level.”

The group sprinted toward the elevator, coughing as the gas began to fill the air. Lex slammed the button repeatedly, willing the doors to open faster. As soon as they slid apart, they piled inside, gasping for breath as the doors closed behind them.

The elevator creaked and groaned as it ascended, the ancient machinery barely holding together. The friends stood in tense silence, their nerves raw from the encounter.

Finally, the elevator came to a halt, and the doors slid open to reveal a narrow maintenance corridor, lined with pipes and wires. It was dark and cramped, the perfect place for an ambush.

Lex stepped out first, her crossbow raised. “Stay close,” she whispered. “He’s up here somewhere.”

They moved cautiously through the corridor, their footsteps echoing faintly against the metal walls. Every corner felt like a potential trap, every shadow a possible hiding spot.

Then, from up ahead, they heard a faint clinking sound, followed by a low, muffled laugh. The Ex-Marine was close.

“Careful,” Lex whispered, motioning for the others to spread out. “He’s trying to draw us in.”

They advanced slowly, their weapons ready, their eyes scanning every inch of the corridor. The tension was thick, the air charged with anticipation.

And then, just as they turned the next corner, a sudden movement caught their attention. A flash of black, a flicker of motion, and then he was gone, disappearing into the shadows once again.

“Did you see that?” Maya whispered, her voice tight.

“Yeah,” Damien muttered, his grip tightening on his machete. “He’s playing with us.”

But Lex’s focus was razor-sharp, her mind racing as she pieced together his movements. She could feel the pressure mounting, the Ex-Marine’s strategy pressing in on all sides. He was an unseen enemy, always one step ahead—but not for long.

“We’re not done yet,” she said, her voice steady. “Let’s finish this.”