September 6, 2017

2:43 am, Cancun, Mexico

“Can you stop it?” Aviator asks.

“It is an automated process and...” Spectrum responds in while furiously typing, “Remote too.”

“Watched.” Shade says as she examines the camera.

The team looks at the little camera quietly sitting on the desk attached to the computer. Aviator swiftly uses the butt of his gun to smash the camera’s lens.

“Drone’s weapon system will be compromised within 2 minutes.” Spectrum says while still typing, “And I can’t stop it from here.”

“Let’s go then!” Aviator says.

“Not enough time to get to the surface.” Spectrum says.

“Tunnels.” Shade says.

“They do have tunnels!” Aviator exclaims, “That’ll have to do.”

Aviator lays his stack of papers on the desk and says, “Only choose vital intel.”

Aviator quickly selects a handful of documents with boldened titles from his pile of papers. Shade does the same. Spectrum quickly retrieves the hard drive of the communication system.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Let us make our exit.” Spectrum says as he rises up.

With Shade in the lead, the team races out of the office and the room into the hallway. They turn to the opposite end of the stairwell, which is further down the hall. In seconds, they arrive at the elevator. Right beside is an unmarked door. Shade pushes open the door, revealing a room with a dirt floor and hanging lightbulbs. In the room are two holes in opposite directions. One looks like a bottomless tunnel heading straight down. The other is a rising incline chute with lights. Rail tracks line both. There is a spacious rail car occupying the tracks of the upward tunnel.

Spectrum walks to the nearby controls, activating the rail car, while the rest of the team sits in.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The entire complex starts shaking. Spectrum jumps in just as the rail car climbs upwards. The tunnel behind the team begins collapsing but the rail car faithfully ascends. Within a minute, the team is brought up to a well-lit room.

“That was close!” Spectrum says getting out of the rail car, “Seems like we are in a basement.”

Aviator rises, helping Shade rise as well then dusting the loose earth off her before dusting himself off too. Spectrum shakes loose dirt that had fallen on him as well.

“Let’s move.” Aviator says, grabbing the hard drives and papers they had snagged from the now destroyed underground facility.

Spectrum, handgun in front, leads the team out. The team climbs a set of stairs. They arrive at the door. Inspecting the door, Spectrum realizes it is a false wall. He leads the team thru.

“This is the house beside the barn.” Spectrum says as he recognizes the furniture and some of the corpses they encounter. After all, he had been the one to kill them.

Soon, they are on the main floor’s exit. With a nod, Spectrum opens the door carefully. In the distance, he sees a mob standing in front of the smoky crater that was a barn just a few seconds prior. Spectrum scans the crowd for Quake and Wave when suddenly he hears a shout above the commotion.

"NO! NO! NO!" Quake shouts.

"Over here!" Spectrum shouts, waving his arms in the air.

Everyone turns to the trio that had emerged silently, completely unharmed. Spectrum, Aviator, and Shade make their way through the masses. They reconnect with Quake and Wave who are standing over Fire.

"But how?" Quake asks.

"Tunnels!" Wave answers with relief then asks Shade, “And the blood?”

“Abyss.” Shade says blankly.

Wave nods understandably.

"Our bird was compromised from the start." Aviator says in a low voice.

Quake's and Wave eyes widen.

"How's the Chief?" Spectrum asks.

"The Old Man is still out." Wave answers solemnly then asks, "Did you radio out?"

"The attack was imminent before I could." Spectrum says.

Suddenly, the unmistakable sound belonging to the twirling blades of helicopters getting closer steers everyone's eyes up into the night sky.