The cold metallic walls cast long, flickering shadows that danced menacingly in the dim light. Their breaths were ragged and tense, the air around them thick with palpable unease.

"Ethan, wait, there's someone up ahead," Aria whispered, pressing herself into a corner of the wall, her voice tinged with alarm.

The figure ahead moved quickly toward them, his presence drawing near with each step. The sound of his footsteps echoed ominously in the vast, empty space. The air seemed to tighten around Ethan and Aria as the stranger's approach became increasingly imminent.

"Ethan, he’s getting closer," Aria murmured, scanning the floor for any potential defense. Her eyes settled on a fire extinguisher, and she grabbed it, readying herself for any possible confrontation.

Ethan peered around the edge of the wall, his gaze fixed on the approaching figure. Tall and lean, the figure's silhouette was familiar. As Ethan focused, he recognized him—it was Leander.

"Aria, put that down. It’s Leander," Ethan said, his voice softening with relief.

Leander approached, a key in hand that he must have taken from Butter. He was clearly tracking their movements; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so informed about their whereabouts.

“You’ve been following us?” Ethan asked, his brow furrowing in suspicion.

“Shh, I’m not following. I was just concerned about Aria,” Leander replied smoothly, a disingenuous charm in his voice. Ethan rolled his eyes in frustration, finding Leander’s attempt to placate Aria insincere.

“Listen, guys, this isn’t the time for chit-chat. We need to move to the ventilation shaft and find a way out,” Aria interjected decisively, cutting off the conversation.

The trio moved cautiously along the wall towards the ventilation shaft entrance, every step a careful maneuver to avoid detection by the Phoenix Guard. Ethan led the way with practiced ease, while Leander brought up the rear, covering their tracks. Time was running out; Butter would soon realize the key was missing and would undoubtedly start a thorough search. They quickly reached the shaft entrance.

A gruff voice suddenly shattered the silence. "What are you three doing?!" The shout echoed through the empty corridor, freezing them in their tracks.

Ethan whipped around, his face paling. “It’s William’s crew! They’ve spotted us…”

William and his men marched forward with determined strides. At William's side was a burly figure, a metal rod strapped to his waist, a malicious grin plastered on his face. William’s voice dripped with a menacing tone.

“Well, well, well, where are you off to so late, Ethan?” William’s voice was laced with an ominous threat.

Ignoring the threat, Ethan grabbed the key Butter had left behind, shoved it into the lock, and signaled Aria and Leander with a quick glance.

“Trying to run, huh? You might dodge me now, but you won’t escape my grasp. Get them!” William’s orders prompted his henchmen to charge forward, their intent clear and violent.

The door swung open, and Ethan, pulling Aria along, sprinted into the darkness of the ventilation shaft. The corridor behind them filled with the pounding of footsteps as their pursuers closed in. The shaft was pitch black, the air thick with dampness and decay, making it almost impossible to breathe. Ethan relied on his memory and ran desperately forward.

William’s men activated several spotlights, casting their beams down the ventilation shaft. The previously impenetrable darkness was pierced by the harsh light, and the hidden figures of Ethan and his companions were soon exposed. William’s men grinned in satisfaction, quickening their pace.

“This isn’t good; they’re closing in on us. We need to move faster!” Ethan shouted urgently, his heart pounding. He glanced back at the approaching lights and then turned to follow the trail of scratches he had made earlier.

Finally, they reached the access cover. Dim light filtered through the metal grates, casting faint shadows on their faces and clothing. Their breaths echoed in the narrow space, blending with the creaking and groaning of the metal structure.

“I’ll go first. You two, follow quickly. We have only one chance to get this right,” Ethan instructed quietly, swinging the hatch open and climbing out. Smith helped Aria up the shaft, then followed effortlessly.

“Boss, they’ve made it up!” one of William’s henchmen called out.

Ethan looked down at the two below, his mind racing. The image of the explosive package Victor had given him flashed in his mind. His heartbeat quickened, and he took a deep breath, pulling out his lighter. He ignited the fuse and tossed the package into the shaft.

Time seemed to freeze as Ethan watched the package descend. Counting each heartbeat.

“3, 2, 1…”

At the final count, the ground shook violently several times before falling eerily still once more.

“Nice job, Ethan,” Leander said with a satisfied smile.

“We need to move quickly; that noise will definitely attract the Phoenix Guard’s attention. We’re out of time,” Ethan said urgently, rising to his feet. The three of them hurried into the janitor’s room.

The air was filled with the familiar scent of cleaning supplies. Ethan and Leander each grabbed a set of janitorial uniforms and changed swiftly. Aria signaled for the men to turn around and changed into her own uniform. Though Ethan’s intentions were good, he couldn’t help but sneak a glance through his fingers.

“Her figure is really impressive,” he thought to himself.

Dressed and ready, they began to discuss their next steps.

“We need to split up to find the exit. We can’t risk being caught all together,” Ethan said calmly.

“Let’s meet back here in two hours,” Aria agreed, understanding the urgency of the situation.

Leander nodded in agreement, adding, “If we get separated, stick to the plan. We’ll find each other again.”

Ethan carefully opened the door, scanning for any signs of danger.

“Alright, let’s go,” he whispered.

They each headed in different directions—Ethan to the left, Aria straight ahead, and Leander to the right. The corridor resembled a labyrinth, with walls and doors of identical white. Each step was cautious and deliberate.

Ethan quickly found himself back in the familiar surgical room. Finding no useful leads, he continued his search for the exit.

Meanwhile, Aria pretended to clean as she moved through the corridors, opening every door she passed. Most doors led to storage rooms or empty labs, but none offered new information. When she reached the conference room Ethan had mentioned, she was shocked to see a person who looked exactly like her.

“That must be the clone Victor mentioned… It really looks just like me,” she thought.

She stood frozen in the corner, her heart racing as if it might leap out of her chest. Her blood felt like ice, her limbs numb, and her breathing rapid. She stared, unable to tear her eyes away from the identical face.

Ethan arrived just in time to grab Aria’s arm and pull her away.

“Ethan, I saw her…the one who looks just like me,” Aria said, her voice trembling with fear.

Ethan patted Aria’s shoulder. “Maybe that’s why you were selected for the ‘special treatment’,” he said.

On the other side, Leander seemed to have a better grasp of their surroundings. He remained composed, a strange smile playing on his lips. He had been here before and was familiar with the layout. Soon, he found Ethan and Aria.

“I found it,” Leander said calmly.

“Follow me.”