Embers of Discontent

Liora’s POV

Liora pressed herself against the cold brick wall of the underground tunnel, heart hammering as the dim emergency lights flickered overhead. The echo of distant gunfire and shouted orders bounced off the corrugated metal doors that led to the old library basement. She steadied her breathing, guiding Echo by the shoulder. His small frame trembled, but his grip on the recorder was resolute.

They had just escaped the ambush at the docks—Torian and a handful of rebels had created a diversion, buying them precious minutes to slip into the tunnels. Now, they needed to reach the extraction point Aldren had carved out on the grid. Every step counted.

Liora checked her tablet: the green corridor snaked north, then east, skirting patrol zones. But the map pulsed with fresh red warnings—security brigades were rerouting, closing in from the west. She tapped the screen, adjusting the path. “We need to detour through the service conduit,” she murmured.

Echo tilted his head. “Will they follow us?”

She hesitated. “They’ll try. But this route is narrow—only two people at a time. It’ll slow them down.”

He nodded, stepping forward. Liora followed, activating the mic‑jammer. The drone’s searchlight above the tunnel entrance flickered and veered away.

They reached the service conduit door. Liora swiped her access chip; the lock clicked open. Inside, the corridor was narrow—barely three feet wide—with pipes and cables crisscrossing the ceiling. A low hum of electrical current filled the air.

Liora led the way, crouching under the pipes, careful not to snag her coat. Echo trailed just behind her, eyes wide in the dim glow. Every shadow seemed alive. Every drip of water, a potential ambush.

Halfway through, Liora paused. She held up a hand. Ahead, the corridor widened into a small chamber. Two armed guards stood at the far end, backs turned, scanning a tablet. They were distracted—studying a schematic of the tunnel network, no doubt hunting the same extraction route.

Liora’s pulse thundered. She glanced at Echo. “Stay close.”

They crept forward. Liora slipped her hand into her pocket, fingers closing around a flash‑bang. She calibrated the fuse with a flick, estimating two seconds.

At the chamber entrance, she dropped to one knee. The guards remained oblivious. Liora counted down silently—three… two…

She lobbed the device. It arced through the air, landing between the guards.

“Hey!” one guard shouted, just as the flash‑bang detonated in a blinding burst of light and concussive roar. The corridor shook. The guards staggered, eyes covered, weapons clattering to the floor.

Liora seized the moment. She grabbed Echo’s hand and bolted past the stunned guards into the next tunnel. Echo stumbled but kept pace, adrenaline surging.

They didn’t stop until they reached a junction where Torian waited, rifle lowered but eyes sharp. He led them into a hidden alcove—a maintenance hatch. Liora keyed the release; the panel slid open to reveal a vertical shaft.

“Climb,” Torian urged. “It spits out near the extraction point.”

Liora lifted Echo onto her hip and climbed the ladder, each rung sending vibrations through her arms. Echo pressed his face against her shoulder, silent tears dampening her coat.

At the top, they emerged into a dusty storeroom beneath an abandoned bookstore. Torian helped them through a side door into a narrow alley. Liora crouched, setting Echo down. He clutched the recorder, gaze darting.

“We’re almost there,” she whispered.

Torian checked his watch. “Five minutes.”

They moved swiftly, turning corners, ducking under scaffolding, following the green grid glowing on Liora’s tablet. The city above was restless—sirens, distant shouts, the hum of drones.

They reached a nondescript door marked “Service Entrance.” Torian swiped his access code; the door hissed open. Inside, Aldren waited by a console, holo‑map flickering.

Liora rushed forward. “We made it.”

Aldren exhaled. “Barely.” He tapped the console. “Extraction team is on its way. We have ten minutes before the brigades sweep this sector.”

Liora set Echo down gently. He looked up at her, exhaustion and relief in his eyes. “We did it,” she said softly.

He nodded, voice small but fierce: “We exist.”

Liora smiled, brushing his hair back. “Yes. And tonight, we survive.”

Behind them, the console’s holo‑map glowed, green corridors marking freedom. Liora glanced at the grid, resolve hardening. They had faced the Council’s eyes—and lived. Now, it was time to turn those eyes against the oppressors.