Tension permeated the vent's air, making each breath more difficult than the previous. Akhaqia led the way as they slithered deeper into the labyrinthine ducts, followed by Huia and Adinim, their bodies rubbing up against the chilly metal walls. Doubt and uncertainty gnawed at Akhaqia as his thoughts raced, planning the next movements.
The first part of their plan had failed. Now, their entire success rested on the second phase.
Their breathing was deafening in the tight space. Akhaqia couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, even though he knew they had lost the soldiers.The sound of boots clanking had died away, but the eerie feeling persisted. He caught a glimpse of Huia's golden eye, which was dimly shining, as he looked over his shoulder. Unexpectedly, Huia was in his element, navigating the little vent with the ease of a natural. Adinim, however, seemed more like an animal trapped in a cage, his every movement sharp and frustrated. His breath came in quick bursts, barely contained.
"How far along are we?" Adinim muttered, his voice strained with tension.
Akhaqia didn't answer immediately. Just ahead stood the intersection Huia had described, and with it came their next choice: should they go left or right? Right had always been the way, and he had always followed his gut, but today something seemed different. A nagging feeling of uncertainty took the place of the conviction that had previously led him. He caught himself spiraling into doubt. Everyone had followed his instructions—at least they hadn't been caught yet—but they were far from out of danger. Adinim's relentless questions only deepened the discomfort gnawing at Akhaqia's mind. Still, he pressed forward.
"Keep moving," Akhaqia said, his voice steady even though his thoughts were a storm. "We're close."
The vent twisted sharply, forcing them into an awkward crawl. Each turn made it harder to breathe, the air growing thicker with every inch. Akhaqia had been in tight situations before, but this felt different. Every decision now carried more weight. Every second felt like it went on forever.
Behind him, he saw a slight difference. Then there was a whisper. "Akhaqia, do you think we're on the correct path?"
It was Huia, the strategic and cautious one. His voice carried a faint but discernible undertone of mistrust.
Akhaqia hesitated, his mind whirling. Huia had been reluctant from the beginning, and now that hesitation was seeping into the present. But the reality was there was no time for second-guessing. They had to trust the plan, or they'd have nothing.
"We don't have the luxury of time," Akhaqia replied, his voice tight. "We stick to the plan."
A sudden noise echoed behind them, a dull thud followed by a muffled shout. Akhaqia's stomach churned. The soldiers were closer than he'd thought.
"Shit," Adinim hissed, his voice sharp with panic. "They've found the panel. They're coming."
Akhaqia's pulse quickened. "Huia, is there an exit up ahead?"
Huia's golden eye flashed in the dim light. He paused, listening intently. His usual composure had shifted, replaced by a fidgeting paranoia. "There's a hatch up ahead... but it's locked."
"Can you open it?" Akhaqia asked, urgency thick in his voice.
"I'll try," Huia answered, already moving ahead.
Adinim shot a look at Akhaqia. "You sure this is the right way? The plan was supposed to be foolproof, but here we are, crawling through vents like rats."
Akhaqia snapped, his patience fraying. "We don't have a choice. When everything else fails, we improvise, or we die. There are things the plan didn't account for. We've been in worse situations before. Now keep moving."
The words hung in the air, a tense silence following them. No one spoke. The vent creaked as they crawled deeper. Then, Huia's voice broke the silence, soft but decisive.
"I got it."
A hiss of metal filled the air as Huia pried open the hatch. Akhaqia's heart skipped a beat.
Akhaqia and Adinim are nearing their goal as they enter a dim chamber filled with machinery and a faint red light, which Akhaqia believes is a critical step towards their goal. He studied every corner, trying to make sense of their surroundings, but when he failed, he grumbled, "This looks like a dead end."
Akhaqia's eyes flicked to the far corner. There, barely visible in the dim light, was a small panel embedded in the wall—just a computer terminal. If they could access it, they could override the security protocols and push forward with the plan.
He moved toward it quickly, but his thoughts lagged behind, caught in a web of uncertainty. What if they couldn't do it? What if the soldiers were waiting outside? And then there was Argent's plan—had it accounted for all of this? Was he really ready for this? The heist had been doomed from the start, hadn't it?
He shoved the doubts aside. Now wasn't the time for weakness. They had to keep moving, had to make it work.
"Huia, cover me," Akhaqia muttered as he knelt at the terminal. "Adinim, keep watch. No surprises."
The room fell into an uneasy silence. Akhaqia's fingers hovered over the terminal, his crest flaring as he activated it. Sweat trickled down his temple as the internal mechanism responded, and the tension in the air grew thick enough to suffocate. Every second that passed felt like an invisible countdown. One wrong move, one alert triggered, and it could all fall apart.
Adinim shifted uneasily by the door, his eyes darting to every shadow. "I don't like this," he muttered under his breath. "We've been at this too long. The odds are catching up to us."
Akhaqia's voice was low but firm. "We're almost there. Just a little longer."
Minutes passed, stretching into eternity. Footsteps echoed through the hall outside, getting louder. Akhaqia's heart skipped a beat.
Finally, the terminal screen flashed green. He exhaled sharply. "Done."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated the override, and the door slid open in front of them with a soft hiss.