Bright white floodlights exploded to life, killing the darkness and blinding them where they stood. Shouts began to overlap with several people giving different orders. There was a mix of threats, confusion, until one voice took control, causing the rest to go quiet.

  “Now that I’m the only one speaking,” the voice said, low and menacing, “you’ll follow my commands exactly, or we will kill you. Let's start with hands above heads. Then turn around slowly until I tell you to stop.”

  Ampelius and Nova obeyed, turning carefully as the lights snapped off again, plunging them into sudden blackness. When the voice told them to stop, several footsteps approached fast. Within seconds, cold metal clamped around their wrists, and they were forced to their knees.

  “Kneel down, and don’t move,” the closer voice commanded.

  The floodlights switched back on, revealing a group of Roman military police, all wearing night vision goggles that were attached to their gray helmets. After conducting a thorough search, emptying Ampelius and Nova’s pockets. Several concealed knives and shivs were found on Nova, who shrugged nonchalantly as they were confiscated.

  “What happened to ‘no weapons’? And where the hell did you get all those?” Ampelius asked, incredulous.

  Before Nova could respond, a soldier struck Ampelius in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle, demanding silence. When the search was complete, the soldiers debated whether to add extra security precautions.

  “Yeah, grab the foot shackles,” one soldier ordered.

  A short time later, both men had their feet shackled as well. “Take them to holding cell G. The Legion Legate wants a friendly chat with our guests. The rest of you, return to your posts and turn off that damn light!”

  The floodlights switched off again, and they were roughly shoved forward, stumbling as they tried to walk with shackled feet. The clinking of chains and the shuffling of feet were the only noises echoing within the tunnel. But after a few minutes of walking, the soldiers began a whispered conversation, but the words could still be heard, and Ampelius felt his blood run cold.

  “Have they decided what to do with that girl? I don’t get it. First, they treat her wounds, and then suddenly, she’s a traitor. Why waste medical supplies?” one soldier asked.

  “I don’t know. All I heard was that she was to be executed. We’ll dispose of her once these prisoners are settled,” another replied.

  Ampelius’s heart pounded. He knew exactly who they were talking about. Bella. He needed to escape and save her, no matter the cost. The thought of what they might do to her drove him into a cold rage, his last remnants of restraint slipping away.

  After minutes of walking, they were shoved into a dark, windowless room with concrete walls and a filthy mattress against one corner. As the reinforced metal door slammed shut, Ampelius seethed with anger, formulating a plan.

  “We’re getting out of here,” Ampelius said, his voice filled with determination. “We’re going to escape, kick some ass, save Bella, and leave this cursed city behind.”

  Nova’s skepticism was clear in his tone as he responded. “Yeah? And how exactly do you plan to do that?”

  A violent explosion on the surface shook the room, bringing down pieces of the ceiling and walls. Light filtered through the debris, and chaos erupted outside. Ampelius shielded his head with a smile spreading across his face as he looked at Nova.

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  “Is that a good enough answer for you? Hurry, find something sharp to get these shackles off,” Ampelius urged.

  “It’s still pretty dark in here, but I’ll do my best,” Nova replied, feeling his way through the debris.

  Suddenly, the door to the room fell inward with a loud crash, revealing the unconscious guard outside and a small torch that provided enough light for them to see. Ampelius quickly searched the guard’s body, finding a set of keys attached to his belt.

  He tried the first key on the shackles, but it didn’t fit. Frustration mounting, he tossed it aside and tried the second key with no success. Nova, growing impatient, picked up a double-barreled shotgun that had fallen near the guard.

  “Just use the shotgun. It’ll save time and arm us,” Nova suggested.

  Ampelius glanced at the rusted shackles on his ankles. “That’s not going to work.”

  Ignoring him, Nova checked the shotgun’s chamber, confirming it was loaded. With a loud boom, he shot the shackles off his own feet, a grin spreading across his face as his ears rang from the noise.

  “See? These shackles are weak. Whoever designed these must’ve been as smart as a rock. Stand up, and I’ll shoot yours off.”

  “You better not shoot my foot off—I’ve got some asses to kick,” Ampelius retorted.

  Nova aimed carefully and fired, the loud bang thundered in the narrow hallway. While the shackles fell off, freeing Ampelius, the guard regained consciousness with a sharp gasp.

  The empty shotgun was pointed toward their face as they realized his prisoners weren't restrained. But the soldier still inched his hand for a concealed sidearm. Ampelius saw this and lunged right as Nova did. The three collided in a violent tangle of limbs and steel, with the handgun twisting between their grips. Nova shoved the guard against the wall as the struggle turned brutal and desperate.

  After what felt like an eternity, Ampelius wrested the gun from the guard’s grip. The guard, now cornered and out of options, raised his hands in surrender.

  “Okay, I surrender! Please don’t shoot!” he pleaded.

  Ampelius and Nova stepped back, catching their breath as they kept the gun trained on the guard. Ampelius slightly racked the slide, confirming a round in the chamber and that the safety was off. Without hesitation, he aimed between the guard’s eyes and pulled the trigger.

  The guard crumpled to the floor, blood pooling from the new hole in his forehead.

  “You didn’t find any more shotgun shells, did you?” Nova asked, shaking his head.

  Ampelius shook his head. “No, and I didn’t even know he had a sidearm.”

  Nova thoroughly searched the guard’s pockets, coming up empty-handed. “You didn't see him reaching for the pistol? And it looks like those two shotgun shells were all he had. Probably meant to execute us with them.”

  “I knew that shotgun was empty, that was why I went at him. And this mag only has six bullets left in it. We need better weapons and more ammo if we’re going to stand a chance of escaping.”

  “I doubt we’ll get anywhere near their armory, so we’ll have to use stealth and whatever we can find,” Nova agreed.

  Gunfire followed by screaming echoed from the nearby stairwell, drawing their attention.

  “Looks like those stairs are our only way out. I doubt these other rooms lead anywhere useful,” Nova said.

  Ampelius smirked. “Maybe we could clean them to death. This is a maintenance corridor.”

  Nova rolled his eyes. “If only it were that easy. Since you’ve got the gun, you take point. The station must be under attack, so move carefully—I’ll be right behind you.”

  “Let’s find Bella and get out of here,” Ampelius said, leading the way.

  As they approached the stairwell, gunfire suddenly erupted, and a Roman soldier came tumbling down the stairs, landing at their feet. The soldier quickly recovered, raising his rifle toward the unseen threat above.

  Ampelius acted before the soldier could realize they were behind him, firing a single shot into the back of his head. The soldier slumped forward, dead before he hit the ground.

  “Grab his RIAR,” Ampelius ordered.

  Nova quickly looted the body, handing Ampelius two additional handgun magazines before taking point. As they cautiously ascended the stairs, the gunfire above abruptly ceased. Nova slowed his pace, muttering, “Slow is fast, fast is dead.”

  As Nova’s head cleared the stairwell, he froze, his voice barely a whisper. “What is it?” Ampelius asked.

  “Several bodies... mutilated. Some are mixed with that blue stuff. I think the Zavon are here.”

  “Keep moving. We need to find Bella,” Ampelius urged.

  Nova continued up the stairs as Ampelius kept glancing back down the stairwell, feeling a bit uneasy about leaving their exit unsecured. As they entered the station plaza, they detected movement to their left.

  They turned to see a massive Zavon, much larger than the ones they’d encountered before. Its midnight blue armor glinted ominously as it stared them down, holding a spear with a glowing blue tip.