“What’s the plan now, Assassin?” The Warchief grunted.

I raised my finger to my mouth, shushing the Warchief. “Sound travels within the vent,” I whispered. “Or they’ll know where we are!”

The Warchief grunted, snarling whilst he did so, but I ignored him. My eyes then drifted to Eltessa, whose face was in a permanent scowl.

As frustrated as I was that I had to lead the Warchief’s men through the vents, and had no way to escape them, despite my bluffs. I was still satisfied I had enough time to come up with a plan. Hopefully, I mused bitterly.

“Where to—“ The Warchief tried to say, but I raised my hand in annoyance. I pouted, telling him to move forward and he snarled for a few seconds before finally doing so.

I took deep a breath and mentally began trying to figure out how we were going to make out way through the base without getting shot.

An angry Doasian Warchief, in a vent, with six men trigger-happy? I was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A line pulsed into my cybernetic eye and began leading the Warchief and his bodyguards through the vents.

After a series of turns, we found ourselves in a maintenance room. The first maintenance room I found myself in, precisely.

The bodyguards hated how small it was, but I was happy they kept their lids shut so that we could sneak to another maintenance room without being caught, despite the heavy security.

Once we got into the second maintenance room, I scanned the exterior of the area with my Cybernetic eye.

Skeletal frames stalked the corridors, looking for intruders. No doubt, from Fellis’ disappearance, I mused bitterly.

Once the coast was clear, Nova notified me by pulsing the white line in my cybernetic eye again. I followed it, and thankfully avoided another squadron thanks to Nova pinging their comms, which only made the Warchief look at me suspiciously.

Sir, I’ve found a console. But to gain access to the console you will need the Doasians to provide a distraction for you. They are twenty-four men circling in a particular section within the bunker. A vent that leads to that section is sixty meters from our location. Once you’ve reached the vent and gained access to the console you can double back and flank them from the back, this would allow the Doasians a chance to push through.

“Understood,” I whispered.

“Warchief,” I said turning to him. “I’ve found a console that’ll help me find a way into Fellis’ lab.”

“Good, let’s go.”

The Warchief pushed himself off the wall, readying to take charge of his men but I shook my head, stopping him, which only made him snarl at me. “They’re too many men,” I said pointing around the corner.

“I don’t care. Our kin is right in front of us. You want us to…Wait!?” The Warchief said trailing into a hiss.

“No. I want you to trust me.” I said firmly, turning to him.

A subtle snap echoed from the Warchief’s jaw. His men turned to me, fingers hovering over the triggers of their assault rifles.

“I rather trust the shit leaking from my ass than trust an Assassin like you.”

“I don’t care for your shit. But if you want to save those kids. You’re going to have to trust me.”

“You should listen to what he has to say Warchief,” Eltessa finally said.

He snapped left, looking at Eltessa as she looked at me. Her eyes were cold, making it seem as though she wouldn’t trust me if he were her either.

She’s good, I thought, a spy at her finest…deceiving everyone around her. Even me, possibly.

The Warchief growled for the hundredth time, giving me time to finally explain my plan.

“The location of the console is around the corner. I’ve been able to backtrace the signal of the comms to a relay to a room in close vicinity. The feedback I’ve been receiving is louder than usual the further we get into the base, meaning, there’s a possibility of more men in this vicinity.”

“Warchief, we can take them.” A bodyguard said confidently.

“We can’t, ” He grunted, realising what I was trying to explain.

“But I can reach the console unnoticed. Once I reach the console I’ll be able to locate the kids. Once we find them, then we can leave this shitty bunker.” I said firmly.

The Warchief’s jawline protruded and a vein drew itself down his forehead. It was like he was trying to stop himself from dropping a wad in front of us. He sucked his teeth and growled. “Uren, hand him the submachine gun, his pack and a pistol.”

“But Warchief.”

“No buts, just do it. We have to rescue the kids and then get back topside.

The Doasians didn’t say anything, they did as they were told. I filled the side pockets of my flack jacket and clipped the submachine gun back in place. I checked the chamber of the pistol and holstered it.

I dig my hand into a pocket and pulled a comm free. I tossed it at the war chief and winked at him. “In case I need your help,” I grunted, then left him before he could change his mind.

◆◆◆

Twenty meters, not bad, but the patrols here are none-stop, I thought bitterly, I might not be able to get inside the vent itself.

Two more squadrons walked past me as I stood in the corner of the hallway, not moving an inch.

The light within the corridor was sufficient, but my Furtiven Suit mimicked the wall perfectly and the camounen solvent I applied to my face and hair matched the colour of my Furtiven Suit perfectly.

As I pressed my back up against the wall. I could feel the coldness of the wall despite my Furtiven Suit keeping my body warm.

Footsteps fluttered away and around me as I slowly made my way toward the vent Nova had highlighted for me. “Sir, the coast is Clear,” Nova said.

I crept out of cover and quickened my pace and came to the end of the corridor. I peeped around the corner, despite not seeing sound waves flutter within my eyes and sprinted down the hallway. “Sir, a new squadron activated their comms they approached the corner. You have eight seconds before they see you.”

“Fuck,” I huffed.

I darted the corridor, watching as the meters bleed away down to five. The moment the counter hit zero, I turned right and extended my left arm, snapping the clips free in one fluid motion. “Six Seconds Left Sir,” Nova said.

I grabbed the ledge of the vent, pulling myself free, trying not to strain myself, but thanked the fact that the majority of the vents were made of concrete, except the covers.

My spine cried each second I pulled myself up. It was like pulling concrete with a stick, but luckily the strain wasn’t too much for my body to handle.

“Two Seconds Sir.”

I pulled myself up, water dripping down my face and pulled the vent up as well. I activated the magnet attachment within my arm, shifting the latches of the vent back in place and watched as three men walked by, scowling at their surroundings. “That was too close,” I said softly, “Too fucking close.”

After the three-man squadron walked by, I turned and made my way down the vent, following the white directional line, that would take me to the console.

The line took me through a series of turns, which brought me deeper into the bunker itself. I kept in contact with the Warchief, so he wouldn’t think I abandoned him. And as expected, he threatened Eltessa whenever he had the chance to.

“We’re here,” Nova finally said. The line finally dissipated from my view.

“Where’s the console?” I asked.

“A few meters to your left.”

“I see.”

I stood within the vent, watching my surroundings and eventually pushed it open, sliding out as soundless as I possibly could.

The light blinded me for a second as I turned left, not realising I was so close. My eyes watered for a second and I whipped the tear away.

A few meters to my left, as Nova had instructed stood a brown steel door with a security panel which had a red blinking light. I stepped forward, expecting the door to slash open.

It didn’t.

“Slide your usin cable into the socket on the right side of the security panel Sir. I’ll get you in.” Nova said.

I unclipped my cybernetic arm and slowly pulled the usin cable free. Once I was satisfied, I slid it into the security panel and the door slashed open.

“That was quick,” I grunted happily.

“That wasn’t me Sir.”

“What the fuck you mean it wasn’t you!?” I huffed.

“Four comms came online Sir, emanating from the console room sir next to you. You have hostiles.”

Fuck…