Eric looked around the massive chamber.
Then answered.
"The entire section collapses."
Silence.
Andre blinked.
Kai blinked.
Eric blinked.
Nobody liked that answer.
"How much collapses?"
Kai asked.
Eric thought about it.
Then pointed vaguely.
"A lot."
"A lot?"
"A lot."
Andre looked around.
"Can we stop talking about collapsing things while standing underneath them?"
"Good idea."
The trio immediately moved on.
The tunnel narrowed again.
The atmosphere changed.
Something felt different.
Kai couldn't explain it.
But he could feel it.
The further they walked—
The more signs of human activity appeared.
Footprints.
Discarded food wrappers.
Boot prints.
Fresh torch marks.
People had been here recently.
Very recently.
Andre crouched.
Touched the ground.
Then pointed forward.
"They went that way."
Kai nodded.
The escaped cultist.
The hideout.
Everything was finally connecting.
The three followed the trail.
One turn.
Then another.
Then a third.
Eventually they reached an old maintenance corridor.
The lights were gone.
The walls were cracked.
The air felt heavier.
Nobody spoke.
Then Eric suddenly stopped.
"What now?"
Kai whispered.
Eric slowly pointed ahead.
The others followed his gaze.
Far in the darkness—
A faint orange glow flickered.
Light.
Not sewer light.
Not maintenance lamps.
A fire.
Or lanterns.
Someone was down there.
Andre grinned.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
Eric swallowed nervously.
At the end of the corridor—
They had finally found something.
Or perhaps—
Someone.
And none of them realized they were only a few steps away from uncovering something far larger than a stolen blueprint.