The tunnels were silent except for the distant dripping of water. Zara crouched low, her signal emitter pulsing faintly. The air was damp, and the metallic scent of rust lingered, mixing with the faint acrid tang of fear from the survivors lingering far behind.
Rowan kept his back to hers, his shotgun primed. "If this thing's as fast as they say, we might not get a second chance."
Zara's eyes scanned the darkness ahead. The crude map Marcus had provided indicated a choke point just a few meters away—a narrow passage where their plan had the best chance of succeeding. "We won't need one. Stay sharp and trust the timing."
Behind them, Marcus's team held their position at the perimeter, a mix of apprehension and desperation on their faces. Zara had seen that look before—people grasping at any sliver of hope, no matter how slim.
The plan was simple on paper but dangerous in execution. The creature was drawn to light and sound, but its intelligence made it unpredictable. Zara's emitter would lure it into the passage, where explosives set along the walls would collapse the tunnel and trap it. If it didn't kill the beast outright, it would at least give them enough time to regroup or escape.
But first, they had to survive long enough to bait it.
Rowan shifted, breaking the silence. "You hear that?"
Zara froze, her heartbeat steady but her senses heightened. A faint scraping sound echoed from the shadows ahead, like claws against stone. It was close.
"Stay ready," she whispered, tightening her grip on the emitter.
The sound grew louder, accompanied by an unsettling clicking noise. It wasn't the steady gait of a human or even a typical mutant—it was something more erratic, almost insect-like. Zara glanced at Rowan, who nodded, his knuckles white around his weapon.
A glint of light reflected off its sleek, chitinous body as the creature slithered into view. It moved on all fours, its limbs unnaturally long and jointed, with a head that swiveled unnervingly to track them. Its glowing eyes fixed on the emitter in Zara's hand, and a guttural growl rumbled from its throat.
"Now," Zara commanded, standing slowly to draw its attention fully.
The creature lunged, impossibly fast. Zara darted to the side, rolling into the narrow passage as Rowan fired a round into its flank. The shot barely slowed it, but it was enough to redirect its focus.
"Come on, you ugly thing," Zara muttered, sprinting deeper into the choke point. Behind her, the creature shrieked, its talons scraping against the walls as it pursued.
At the end of the passage, Zara skidded to a stop and slammed her hand against the detonator Marcus had provided.
The explosion rocked the tunnel, a deafening roar that sent dust and debris flying. The creature's shriek was cut off abruptly as the walls caved in, sealing it beneath tons of rubble.
Zara coughed, waving away the settling dust. Rowan stumbled up beside her, his face pale but determined.
"Think it's dead?" he asked.
Zara stared at the rubble, her jaw tight. "Dead or not, it's not our problem anymore. Let's move."