The maintenance tunnels stretched on like veins through the city’s underbelly, the air thick with dampness and a faint metallic scent. Rian led the group with Leah right behind him, the beam of her flashlight sweeping the cracked tiles and rusted support beams. Marcus trailed slightly, his attention divided between the map in his hands and the faint humming of his handheld transmitter. He had stayed near the tunnel entrance earlier, monitoring for signs of pursuit. Now, his eyes remained wary, always scanning the horizon.

Leah spoke softly, her voice carrying just enough to reach Rian. “We used these tunnels to move supplies when the roads became too dangerous. They run under most of the grid area.”

Rian nodded, keeping his tone low. “Any chance they’re mapped out?”

Leah sighed. “Mostly in our heads. A few of the old utility workers tried keeping track, but a lot of the tunnels collapsed during the first surge.”

Milo glanced at a junction where the passage split three ways. “How do we know we’re heading the right way?”

Zara pointed to a faded marker on the wall — a red arrow drawn with spray paint. “These markers. Someone’s been guiding the way.”

Leah nodded. “That’s our doing. We left signs when we started using this path. Should lead to the east exit, near the ridge.”

They moved cautiously, stopping when the tunnel widened into a small maintenance bay. Leah gestured to the makeshift camp set up there — a few crates, empty cans, and a tarp strung up as a makeshift barrier.

Rian checked the perimeter. “You used this as a fallback?”

Leah nodded. “For scouts mostly. Haven’t been back here in a while. We should be safe for a bit.”

Devika settled on one of the crates, exhaling slowly. “Feels less suffocating down here than in the city. Almost peaceful.”

Zara remained near the entrance, her spear resting against her shoulder. “Peaceful’s relative. I still don’t like being boxed in.”

Lucky curled up near Milo, who pulled out a scrap of dried meat from his pack and offered it. The dog sniffed cautiously before taking it, chewing quietly.

Marcus was adjusting his transmitter, muttering, “Signal’s too weak. Must be interference from the grid or the surge itself.”

Leah glanced at the transmitter, then addressed the group. “We’ve seen the altered get stuck like that before — caught in some kind of loop. It’s like their bodies want to move, but their minds can’t catch up. Whatever’s changing them, it’s not just physical.”

Milo frowned. “You think they feel pain?”

Leah hesitated, then replied, “Maybe fragments of memory. They’re not just monsters — they’re people who got caught in something they couldn’t control.”

Rian glanced at Marcus. “Any chance the grid malfunctioned because of an external trigger?”

Marcus adjusted a dial, his expression tense. “That’s been bothering me. Feels like something set it off — like a signal from outside the city.”

Zara raised an eyebrow. “You think someone did this on purpose?”

Marcus didn’t answer directly. “All I know is the surge wasn’t random. Power doesn’t just bend reality on its own.”

As they moved deeper, they found a collapsed section of the tunnel, dust swirling unnaturally. A gaunt figure was hunched over, scratching at the dirt with twisted fingers. Leah stopped them, whispering, “We’ve seen this kind before. Gets stuck trying to complete whatever motion it was doing before it changed.”

Devika watched the creature, empathy clear in her eyes. “It’s like it’s trying to dig its way out, but it doesn’t know why.”

They skirted around it, careful not to make noise. Milo whispered, “Is it really still human?”

Leah glanced back, her face hard. “Hard to say. Sometimes they remember just enough to make it worse.”

Moving cautiously, they reached a ladder leading to a surface grate. Leah motioned them up. “This will put us closer to the ridge. If the convoy’s moving, we need to catch up.”

As they climbed out, the sky above was muted and gray, the air thicker than before. Leah pointed north. “Not far now. We just have to move quietly.”

Marcus adjusted his transmitter once more, muttering, “If we’re lucky, they haven’t pushed too far ahead.”

As they moved through the brush, Lucky gave a soft whine, his ears twitching. Rian frowned, staying alert. “Let’s keep moving. Something feels off.”

Leah nodded, leading them forward with a sense of urgency. Whatever awaited them at the ridge, Rian knew it was better to face it with the convoy than risk staying exposed on the open road.

End of Chapter 13.