Chapter 8 - The Underworld
David dodged the initial knife thrust, feeling the cold steel slice the air mere inches from his throat.
He grabbed the mercenary’s wrist with both hands, twisting it violently until the man dropped the blade.
The massive soldier grunted in pain but quickly countered with a brutal knee to David’s ribs.
David stumbled backward, the breath knocked entirely out of his lungs.
The mercenary lunged forward to finish the job, his heavy hands reaching for David’s neck.
Using his own momentum, David dropped to the floor and kicked both of his boots squarely into the man’s kneecaps.
The mercenary collapsed with a sickening crunch, howling in agony as his legs gave out.
David did not hesitate for a second, diving headfirst into the dark maintenance tunnel just as more gunfire erupted above.
He slid down the rusty ladder, landing heavily on the damp concrete floor next to the terrified children.
The teacher quickly used a broken broom handle to jam the iron grate shut from the inside.
They were now completely submerged in the absolute darkness of the school’s underground plumbing network.
Julian used the flashlight app on his expensive smartwatch to illuminate the tight, claustrophobic space.
David ignored the bleeding from his shoulder, focusing entirely on navigating the maze of concrete tunnels.
He knew these pipes eventually connected to the city’s main storm drain system just past the football field.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours, their footsteps splashing softly in the shallow water.
Lily clung tightly to David’s uninjured arm, her small face pale but remarkably brave.
Suddenly, the narrow tunnel opened up into a massive underground water cistern.
Julian shined his light across the cavernous room, revealing a heavy iron gate blocking the only exit.
David walked up to the gate and realized it was secured by a massive, modern titanium padlock.
He tried to smash it with a loose brick, but the metal did not even dent.
From the dark tunnel behind them, the sound of splashing footsteps began to echo loudly.
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The principal and his men had finally found a way down into the tunnels, and they were closing in fast.
David turned around to face the darkness, realizing they had absolutely nowhere left to run.
