Page 198 of Psycho Pack

"There!" Thane points to a heavy metal door set into the wall. "Plague, can you?—"

But Whiskey's already there, his shoulder slamming into the door with devastating force. The lock gives way with a shriek of metal and we tumble inside just as more bullets pepper the wall where we were standing.

The tunnel stretches before us, lit by flickering emergency lights.

"Which way?" I gasp, trying to catch my breath. The air is thick with the smell of mold and stagnant water.

"North," Plague says firmly. "There's a junction about half a mile ahead that connects to the old subway system. We can lose them in the maze and get back to our train."

We run, our footsteps echoing off the curved walls. The unconscious omega bounces limply on Wraith's shoulder, but hedoesn't slow down. Behind us, I can hear our pursuers entering the tunnel.

"They're going to follow our trail," Valek says, his voice tight. "The water marks from our shoes?—"

"Then we'll have to be faster," Thane growls.

We push ourselves harder, ignoring the burning in our lungs. The junction Plague mentioned appears ahead. A nexus of tunnels branching off in different directions.

Thane takes the lead and we follow him through the twisting tunnels, my ruined dress dragging and soggy from the filthy water. Wraith offers to carry me, too, but I shake my head, murmuring a thanks. I'm too on edge. Every shadow makes me tense, expecting more guards to materialize at any moment.

But the sounds of pursuit have faded to nothing, replaced by our labored breathing and the splash of our footsteps. My heart still pounds against my ribs, adrenaline making everything sharper, clearer. The flickering emergency lights cast strange shadows on the curved walls, making the tunnels feel alive somehow.

Like we're moving through the belly of some giant beast.

"Almost there," Thane pants, his white mask gleaming in the dim light. "Two more turns and we'll reach the maintenance shaft that leads to the station."

Wraith growls in acknowledgment, the unconscious omega still draped over his massive shoulder. She hasn't stirred since I choked her out, but her steady breathing tells me she's alive. I'm still not sure if taking her was the right call, but she's our only leverage now that Monty escaped.

The maintenance shaft turns out to be a rusty ladder leading up to a heavy grate. Whiskey climbs first, those huge arms flexing as he pushes the grate aside. The sound of trains rumbling overhead filters down to us.

"Clear," he calls down quietly.

We emerge one by one into what looks like an abandoned storage room. Crates and old equipment gather dust in the corners, and the only light comes from a grimy window high up on one wall. The room smells like oil and rust and decades of neglect.

"The platform is just through there," Plague says, gesturing to a door partially hidden behind some shelving.

"What if it's not?" Valek mutters.

"Then we're fucked," Whiskey replies cheerfully.

But when we slip out onto the platform, trying to look casual despite our bloodstained formal wear, I spot the station and the familiar white and gold of the Surhiiran train. The sight of it fills me with relief so intense, I get dizzy.

Movement catches my eye. A group of station guards lurks in a shadowy alley across the tracks, their weapons gleaming dully in the station lights. My breath catches in my throat as I grab Thane's arm to warn him.

"I see them," he murmurs, his voice tight. "Just keep walking."

The guards watch us with obvious tension, but they don't move to interrogate us. Maybe it's the crisp white uniforms of the train's security detail that give them pause. Judging from what I know now, I'm sure they've heard stories about what happens to people who interfere with Surhiiran business.

Either way, they stay put as we board the train, though I can feel their eyes burning into us until the doors slide shut with a soft hiss.

The familiar opulent interior of the train car feels surreal after everything we've just been through. The plush seats and gleaming fixtures are exactly as we left them, like we're stepping back into another world entirely.

Holy shit.

We made it.

And while we may have lost Monty, we have his omega.

Chapter

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