It all felt familiar.
As though he'd forgotten a chapter of his own life.
A distant crash interrupted his thoughts.
Then another.
Then another.
The battle was getting closer.
Much closer.
Eric suddenly froze.
"Oh."
Kai looked over.
"What now?"
The architect pointed at a support beam.
Then another.
Then another.
Kai followed his gaze.
Hairline cracks.
Fresh cracks.
Growing cracks.
Eric swallowed.
"We're out of time."
Far behind them—
Another explosion echoed.
This one louder than before.
The tunnel shook violently.
Small rocks fell from the ceiling.
Kai clenched his fists.
Andre was still down there.
Still fighting.
Still buying them time.
And Kai was running.
The thought burned.
Eric finally finished adjusting the mechanism.
"There."
Kai looked at him.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
A single metal lever sat beside the support system.
Old.
Rusty.
Simple.
Kai frowned.
"That tiny thing?"
"Engineering is beautiful."
"It looks stupid."
"It works."
Another impact.
Louder.
Closer.
Then—
A voice echoed through the tunnel.