The Seventh | A Dark Matter Fanfiction | Two (Portia Lin)

Chapter 46

Two stood over Corso, her eyes narrowed with a steely determination as she pointed the gun directly at him. Corso, still on the ground where she'd overpowered him, looked up at her with a mixture of fear and defiance.

"Are you sure this is the only way out?" Two demanded, her voice low and threatening.

Corso nodded, swallowing hard. "Afraid so."

"Then start digging," Two ordered, her gun never wavering.

Corso hesitated, his eyes darting around the confined space of the tunnel. "If I dig us out, you'll just kill me when I'm done. Why should I bother?"

Two's expression hardened. "You'll do whatever you can to stay alive as long as you can, because somewhere in that little weasel brain of yours, you're thinking there might still be a way out for you. As long as you're digging, you're still breathing."

Corso stared at her for a moment, weighing his options. The look in Two's eyes told him she meant every word. With a resigned sigh, he began to claw at the debris blocking their escape.

"That's right," Two said, her tone cold. "You'll dig."

The sound of shifting rocks and dirt filled the air as Corso worked to clear the blockage. Two kept her gun trained on him, her mind racing with worry about the rest of her team. She had to trust that Three, Four, and Seven were okay and would find a way to reach her.

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Seven huffed as he dusted debris off his clothes, the dust settling around him like a fine mist. His hands instinctively went to his ears, activating his comms.

"Two? Three? Four? Nyx? Anyone read me?" he called out, his voice echoing in the now eerily silent tunnel.

The only response was a deafening silence. He sighed, the explosion must have caused interference, blocking the comms signals from going through properly.

Seven glanced around the partially collapsed tunnel, assessing his surroundings. The dim emergency lights cast long shadows, making the space feel even more claustrophobic. He knew he couldn't stay put and wait for help. The rest of the team could be injured or trapped, and every second counted.

With determination in his steps, Seven began to navigate through the debris, careful to avoid any unstable sections of the tunnel. As he moved forward, he occasionally tried his comms again, hoping for any sign of his crew. "Two? Three? Four? Nyx?" Still, there was no answer.

The tunnel stretched ahead, dark and foreboding. Seven steeled himself, He tightened his grip on his weapon and pressed on, determined to find his way through the darkness and reconnect with his team.

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Four woke up coughing, the thick dust settling around him as he realized he was trapped under rubble, unable to move. He reached for his comms, but they were just out of reach, lying on the ground a few feet away. Desperation surged through him as he scrambled, trying to push himself out and reach for his comms.

A voice broke through the silence, calm yet authoritative. "Easy there. I'd say, 'Don't move,' but it's pretty obvious you're not going anywhere."

Four strained to see through the dim light and debris. "Who are you?"

The figure moved closer, revealing a uniform. "Chief Inspector Kierken, Galactic Authority. You're under arrest. Don't struggle. It'll just make things worse."

Kierken studied Four, his gaze unwavering. "When my men get here, they'll dig you out."

Four's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think they'll find us down here?"