The Safe Zone - Reckoning (Book 2)

Chapter 5: Into the Shadows

Lena:

The tunnels were darker than I expected. I could barely make out the crumbling walls on either side, their edges sharp and uneven in the dim glow of the old lanterns strung along the corridor. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of exhaustion pulling at me, but I forced myself to keep moving. There was no room for weakness out here—not now, not ever.

We were heading deeper into the underground network beneath the city, following Zara through a maze of tunnels that seemed to stretch forever. Our footsteps echoed faintly, reminding us how alone we were down here. There was no sunlight, no fresh air, just the cold, damp earth pressing in on all sides.

Ethan walked beside me, silent as ever, his expression stern. He was on edge; I could feel it. Every muscle in his body was tense, his eyes constantly scanning the shadows for threats. It was how he'd always been—always alert, always ready for the worst. It had kept us alive more than once. But now, as we ventured further into this underground world, I wondered how much longer we could keep it up.

We didn't trust Zara. Not fully. She'd brought us here to this hidden resistance base, but everything about her screamed caution. She knew too much and moved too quickly through these tunnels. And the people she had introduced us to—Callum and his group of survivors—were just as wary. They hadn't welcomed us with open arms. They hadn't trusted us. We were still outsiders, no matter what we'd shared about the Directive.

But that was the thing about trust out here—it was fragile and quickly shattered. And I wasn't sure we had done enough to earn it.

"We're almost there," Zara said, her voice low, cutting through the silence.

I glanced at her, watching as she moved with a kind of fluid grace, her steps quick and purposeful. She led us to the heart of the resistance's base, which she promised was hidden even deeper within the city's ruins—where we would meet Callum again and discuss what came next.

My stomach churned with unease. I wouldn't say I liked the idea of going deeper into the earth. The air was too thick, too heavy down here, and the thought of being surrounded by so much darkness made my skin crawl. But we had no choice. We had nowhere else to go, and we needed allies if we were going to survive the fight that was coming.

"Stay close," Ethan murmured, his voice soft but firm. I nodded, even though I didn't need the reminder.

As we walked, the faint sound of voices filtered through the darkness. At first, I thought it was just the wind or maybe the sound of water dripping from somewhere far above us. But as we got closer, the voices grew louder and more distinct. We were getting close to the central part of the base.

I felt a strange mixture of relief and anxiety settle over me. I was relieved that we were finally getting somewhere, finally moving toward action. But I was anxious because I still didn't know if these people—this so-called resistance—could be trusted.

Ethan and I made it this far by relying on each other and keeping our circle small and tight. Now, we were stepping into a world where we had to rely on strangers. It felt like walking into a trap.

Ethan:

I wouldn't say I liked it.

Every instinct I had was screaming at me that this was wrong, that going deeper into these tunnels was a mistake. The walls felt too close, the air too stale, and the darkness too thick. My hand hovered near the grip of my rifle, fingers twitching now and then as my eyes scanned the shadows. I didn't trust these tunnels. I didn't trust the people who lived down here.

And I sure as hell didn't trust Zara.

She moved too quickly through this underground world as if it were second nature. Every step she took seemed deliberate and calculated. There was something about her that set my teeth on edge. She knew more than she was letting on, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being led into something we couldn't control.