Ciphered Desires

chapter IX

Astrid crawled forward, her elbows scraping against the jagged metal walls of the vent as she followed Orion. The vent was cramped, dirty, and getting worse with every inch they moved. The air was thick with dust and the lingering smell of rust, and the floor felt slick with grime beneath her hands. The hum of the air system, once a distant white noise, now felt too loud in the narrow space, and each shift of her body echoed through the duct.

Orion was ahead of her, his wrist projected map glowing faintly in the dim light, guiding them toward the sewer. The only sound now, aside from their breathing, was the soft thud of their bodies pressing against the metal as they moved.

Astrid gritted her teeth, her legs aching as she shuffled behind him. The space was narrow, the walls pressing uncomfortably against her sides, and she could hear Orion's every breath, his movements too close for comfort.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath, shifting again. Her movements were slow, deliberate, as she tried not to make too much noise. "If you'd just hurry up—"

Orion's voice came back, slightly muffled but still sharp. "I'm not the one taking up all the space," he grumbled, his tone thick with irritation.

Astrid barely suppressed a roll of her eyes. "I'm half your size, Orion," she shot back, voice barely above a whisper. "How the hell am I taking up all the room?"

He responded with a roll of his eyes.

Astrid gritted her teeth again. "I'm not the one leading us through this tiny vent, am I?"

Silence fell between them for a moment, both of them crawling forward, their breathing the only sound. Astrid could feel the tension in the air, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. The Lunar Festival explosion had thrown everything into chaos, and now they were just trying to get out of the immediate area to avoid being caught by the Synthopolis officers.

The tension had only worsened as they worked their way through the vent system, both of them trying to push forward without causing any more noise.

They could hear the faint sounds of the officers' distant shouts and the heavier footsteps of the synth-controlled drones patrolling the area. They weren't far behind. They didn't have much time.

Orion's map flickered, casting an eerie blue light on the walls of the vent. "We're almost there," he said quietly, though there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "Just a little further."

Astrid didn't respond immediately, focusing on pushing forward as quietly as possible. They were getting close to the sewer, but they still had to be careful. The closer they got to their destination, the more likely they were to be detected if they weren't careful.

After a few more moments, the soft whir of the vent system began to fade. The air grew thicker, more putrid. The smell of the sewer reached them, the damp, foul scent clinging to everything. It made Astrid gag, but there was no time to focus on that. They had to keep moving.

The map flickered again. Orion cursed under his breath. "The hatch should be right ahead."

Astrid nodded, though she wasn't sure if Orion could see it. She was ready to be out of this cramped space. Her legs were stiff, and her back was aching from the awkward angles she'd been forced into. They had to move quickly.

She saw it ahead, the hatch, barely visible in the gloom of the vent. Her breath caught as she scrambled forward, eager to get out.

Orion reached the hatch first, his hand on the rusted metal handle. It gave a loud creak as he twisted it, and Astrid winced. Any sound now would draw attention.

Before either of them could react, the hatch gave way beneath them with an unexpected drop. There was a moment of weightlessness, the air rushing past them before they tumbled through, landing with a heavy thud on the slick, muddy floor of the sewer.