The Last Timeline : Reborn for the spire

Chapter 8: The Safehouse

"Don't move, Lukas," a voice hissed.

The blade bit into the skin of his neck. Lukas froze. He did not need to turn around to recognize the silhouette cast against the moonlight. It was Zaint, the brute from Vell’s inner circle. Zaint had survived the electrical surge back at the storage room, and he looked worse for the wear. His clothes were scorched, and a nasty burn ran along the side of his face.

Serena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. She froze in place, her eyes locked on the jagged knife pressed against Lukas’s throat.

Lukas slowly tilted his head, feeling the sharp edge prick his skin. He shifted his weight, testing his balance. "You followed us," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Zaint let out a wet, raspy laugh. "Vell said you were a rat. He told me to track the smell of blood. You left a trail a child could follow, hero."

Lukas closed his eyes for a split second, searching his System interface. His health was at twelve percent. His stamina was depleted. He had nothing left to fight with. He felt the cold pressure of the knife move closer.

"Give me the core," Zaint growled. "Or I carve your heart out right here."

Lukas kept his hands raised. He could see Vell and the armored beast moving through the lobby ruins in the distance, heading toward the parking structure. They were less than a hundred yards away. If he gave up the core, Zaint would kill them anyway. If he resisted, they died now.

"The core is gone," Lukas said, his tone flat. "I used it to blow the lobby."

Zaint’s grip tightened. "Liar!"

Serena took a small, shaky step forward. Her eyes were fixed on the knife. "He is telling the truth. We threw it at the rift to escape."

Zaint sneered. He pushed the blade harder into Lukas’s neck, drawing a thin line of blood. "Then you are both useless. Vell won't mind if I bring him your heads instead."

Lukas felt his pulse racing. He needed to act, but his muscles were screaming in protest. He looked at the concrete pillar beside them. A loose rebar hung from the corner, jagged and rusted. If he could force Zaint to swing, he might be able to create a gap.

"You think Vell will reward you?" Lukas asked, forcing his voice to stay steady. "He will just use you as bait like he did with Sofia. He does not care if you live or die. You are just a tool to him."

Zaint hesitated for a fraction of a second. The anger in his eyes flickered, replaced by a momentary flash of doubt. It was the only opening Lukas needed.

Lukas dropped his knees, throwing his entire body weight backward into Zaint’s chest. The knife skittered across his collarbone, leaving a shallow, stinging cut, but the blade missed his throat. Zaint grunted as the air was knocked out of him, his grip on Lukas’s shirt slipping.

"Serena, run!" Lukas roared.

Serena didn't hesitate. She lunged, throwing the heavy fire extinguisher with both hands. It slammed into the side of Zaint’s head with a sickening thud. The brute collapsed, stumbling backward, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He hit the concrete, his knife clattering away into the dark.

Lukas scrambled up, his hands shaking. He looked down at the unconscious man. There was no time to finish him. He could hear the heavy, rhythmic clanking of the armored beast getting closer.

"We have to move," Lukas panted, grabbing Serena’s arm.

They sprinted toward the back exit of the parking structure, hoping for a way into the alleyways. They emerged into a rain-slicked street. The city was a maze of shadows and debris. In the distance, the violet glow of the rifts cast long, distorted shadows across the asphalt.

"Where are we going?" Serena asked, her breathing ragged.

Lukas scanned the area. He saw a reinforced warehouse a few blocks away. It was a sturdy-looking structure, with metal shutters and a narrow loading dock. "The warehouse! It's the only place we can hold a position."

They ran as the sounds of pursuit echoed behind them. Vell’s voice drifted through the cold air, barking orders to his men.

"Search every corner! They cannot be far!"

Lukas felt his strength waning. Every step was a fight against gravity. They reached the warehouse, Lukas slamming his shoulder against the side door. It was locked. He smashed the window with his elbow, reached through, and threw the bolt. They tumbled inside, gasping for air.

The interior was pitch black, smelling of damp dust and old oil. Lukas immediately began dragging heavy crates toward the door, piling them against the frame to block any entry.

"Help me!" he yelled at Serena.

She pushed a heavy pallet across the floor, her face pale in the faint light. They worked in frantic silence, building a barricade of metal, wood, and stone. Lukas stood back, his chest heaving, listening to the silence of the warehouse.

"We are safe for now," Serena whispered, leaning against a rusted shelf.

Lukas shook his head. He stared at the entrance. "No. This place is compromised."

He pointed to the corner. The wall had been clawed open from the inside. There were scratches on the concrete, deep and jagged. This wasn't a safehouse. It was a nest.

A low, guttural chittering sound began to rise from the rafters above them. Lukas looked up and saw dozens of red eyes blinking in the darkness. The shadows weren't just in the city. They were in here, waiting for fresh meat.

He felt the vibration in the floor. A massive horde was moving toward the warehouse, drawn by the scent of blood and their frantic struggle. The walls began to shake as the weight of the incoming monsters pressed against the exterior.

"Lukas," Serena whispered, her voice trembling. "What is that?"

The warehouse doors started to buckle. The metal screamed as the horde hammered against their barricade, the sound of tearing steel filling the room as the monsters forced their way inside.