Chapter 2 - The Labyrinth of the ForgottenThe descent into the underground tunnels felt like dropping into the gullet of a beast. Water dripped from rusted pipes overhead, creating a relentless, maddening soundtrack that amplified every drop. Viktor held a tactical flashlight in his left hand, its beam cutting through the thick, amber fog of the sewer main.
Shadow led the way, his tail low, nose twitching as he sampled the invisible chemical map of the underground. Behind him walked Lily, stepping lightly over puddles of industrial waste, completely unfazed by the oppressive dark.
"How do you live like this?" Viktor whispered over his shoulder, checking his corners every three steps.
"You don't live, Mr. Draven," Lily replied, her voice echoing down the damp brick tunnel. "You just stay ahead of the things that want to swallow you."
Viktor swallowed hard. The words hit uncomfortably close to home. He had spent his entire life building an empire designed to protect his family from the very underworld that now held his only child. He had bought politicians, bribed judges, and broken bones—yet a seven-year-old girl with a mangy dog was navigating the dark better than his elite, high-paid mercenaries.
After twenty minutes of winding through a maze of brick-lined drainage pipes, Shadow stopped at a heavy steel bulkhead door. It wasn't part of the municipal sewer system. This was reinforced, fitted with a modern electronic keypad and a heavy-duty deadbolt.
A faint, muffled sound drifted through the metal. A cough. Weak, rattling, but undeniably human.
May you like
"Leo!" Viktor surged forward, slamming his palm against the steel door. "Leo, can you hear me?!"
A faint scratch came from the other side. Then, a raspy, terrified voice: "Dad...?"
