Perdition of Reality

Chapter Three: Shadows of the Past

Lev felt the weight of Tom's anxious stare as he stood rooted in place, his mind racing with possibilities. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, and he could feel time slipping away. With the gunman still focused on them, Lev needed a plan—quickly.

"Just take it easy," Lev said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We're not looking for trouble. We just stumbled in here."

The man tightened his grip on the gun, his expression inscrutable. "You shouldn't have come here, then. You have no idea what you're getting into."

Tom shifted nervously, his voice low. "Lev, let's just get out of here before we make things worse."

But Lev couldn't shake the urge to probe deeper. "What is this place? What are you doing here?"

The gunman hesitated, and for a fleeting moment, uncertainty flickered across his face. "That's none of your concern."

Lev's heart raced as he sensed a crack in the man's façade. If he could keep the conversation going, maybe they could find a way to turn the tables. "It is our concern if people are going missing. We got your messages; we're here to figure out what's going on."

The man's eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer, the gun steady. "You think you can play detective? You have no idea what's really happening here. You need to leave. Now."

Lev's instinct told him to keep pushing. "You can't just threaten us and expect us to walk away. If people are being hurt, we have to help."

The man's gaze flicked to Tom, then back to Lev. "You have no idea what you're asking for."

Before Lev could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor behind them. Lev's pulse quickened, and he exchanged a quick glance with Tom. The man's attention shifted, the gun still aimed at Lev but the tension in his body loosened slightly.

"Who's coming?" Lev asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

The man's eyes darted back to them, and in that moment of distraction, Lev felt a surge of adrenaline. "We have to make a run for it," he whispered urgently to Tom.

Tom nodded, fear etched on his face. "On three?"

"Yeah. One... two... three!"

They both turned and bolted toward the door, but the gunman shouted after them, "Stop! I'll shoot!"

Lev's heart raced as they sprinted through the loading dock and into the hall, the sound of pounding footsteps behind them. They navigated the maze of dark corridors, adrenaline pushing them forward as they dodged debris and rubble. Lev's mind raced with thoughts of escape. He could feel the man's presence behind them, the heavy thud of his footsteps growing closer.

"Where do we go?" Tom panted, desperation in his voice.

"I don't know!" Lev replied, scanning their surroundings. He spotted a staircase at the end of the hall, leading to a dark upper floor. "Up there! Come on!"

They raced up the steps, each footfall echoing in the silence. The upper floor was a long, narrow expanse filled with more broken machinery and stacks of rusted metal. Lev glanced back, expecting to see the gunman at any moment. They were running out of time.

"Lev!" Tom called, his breath coming in sharp gasps. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know! Just keep moving!" Lev shouted, his mind working frantically. They reached the far end of the floor, but the only option was to jump down to a lower level. "We have to go down!"

"Are you crazy?" Tom shouted, peering over the edge. "It's a long way!"

"There's no other choice!" Lev insisted. "We can't let him catch us!"