Apocalypse Trade Monopoly

The moment her boots hit the floor, the air felt different.

Thicker. Heavier.

Ava inhaled through her nose, steadying herself.

Then—a thud.

Lucas had landed behind her, silent and smooth.

She didn't turn. Didn't need to.

Because she already knew he was grinning.

"See? That wasn't so bad."

Ava exhaled sharply.

Then—she started walking.

The tunnel stretched ahead, cold and endless, the air thick with damp metal and rot.

Behind her, Lucas followed, silent but watching. Always watching.

Ava didn't rely on memory this time.

Didn't trust the paths her mind tried to piece together.

Instead—she let the system lead.

[ MAPPING ROUTE… ]

[ Analyzing previous path… ]

[ Recalculating safest approach. ]

[ Guidance activated. ]

A faint overlay flickered in her vision.

Directional markers. Pathing indicators. Subtle flashes of warning where the ground was weak, where exposed wires hummed with hidden danger.

Ava's muscles relaxed slightly.

The system had gotten her out before.

Now? It would get her back in.

She adjusted her grip on her bag, stepping carefully over a fractured metal grate.

Lucas hummed lightly behind her. "Taking the scenic route?"

Ava didn't slow. Didn't look back.

"Taking the route that won't kill us."

Lucas chuckled. "Efficient. I approve."

The tunnels twisted and dipped, growing narrower, darker.

[ Approaching previous site. ]

[ Estimated distance: 200 meters. ]

Ava exhaled.

They were close.

The body was waiting.

And maybe—so was something else.

The tunnel stretched ahead, tightening, closing in.

Ava moved with precision, each step guided by the faint system markers flickering at the edge of her vision.

Lucas followed, silent but alert.

They were close. Too close.

Ava exhaled.

[ Previous site detected. ]

[ Distance: 50 meters. ]

Her fingers itched.

She knew what was waiting.

And yet—her stomach still twisted.

They turned a corner, boots skimming over rusted metal. The air thickened. The scent of stale blood and decay curled at the edges of her senses.

Lucas exhaled through his nose. "Charming."

Ava ignored him.

Because there it was.

The body.

Still slumped against the wall, exactly where she had left it.

Motionless. Rotting. Wrong.

Lucas crouched beside it, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. He reached out, gloved fingers skimming the corpse's shredded clothing.

Then—he lifted something.

Ava's stomach dropped.

A tag. Metal. Stamped with numbers.

Military issue.

Lucas clicked his tongue. "Well. That's interesting."

Ava's jaw tightened. "This wasn't a scavenger."

Lucas twirled the tag between his fingers. "No, Beauty."

His smirk was sharp. Knowing.

"This was a soldier."

Ava stared at the metal tag dangled between Lucas's fingers, catching what little light the tunnel offered.

Military issue.

Ava's pulse kicked up.

Her system flickered.

[ SCANNING IDENTIFICATION… ]

[ Data Corrupted – Partial Retrieval Possible. ]

[ Name: Sgt. Alex Wu ]

[ Status: Deceased ]

[ Last Recorded Deployment: CLASSIFIED ]

Ava's stomach tightened.

Lucas hummed, tapping the tag against his palm. "Military doesn't lose people. Not like this."

Ava exhaled sharply. "Unless they want to."

Lucas grinned. Sharp. Amused. "Now you're thinking like me."

Ava didn't rise to the bait. Her mind was already turning.

If the military had sent someone down here…

If they had buried the records…

Then that meant they already knew about the things crawling in the dark.

And they left him anyway.

Ava's breath steadied.

The body sat motionless, decaying, forgotten.

A soldier. Left behind.

Lucas twirled the metal tag once more between his fingers before slipping it into his coat. "Now the real question, Beauty—was he the only one?"

Ava exhaled sharply. "We both know the answer to that."

Lucas chuckled. "We do. But I like hearing you say it."

Ava ignored him.

Her system flickered.

[ ANALYZING ENVIRONMENT… ]

[ Residual Blood Traces Detected. ]

[ Matching Partial DNA Samples… ]

[ Warning: Multiple Identifiers Found. ]

Ava's pulse kicked up.

She stepped past the body, crouching near the cracked flooring, fingers ghosting over the dried stains.

Not one set of blood.

Many.

Lucas leaned in. Noticing. Calculating.

"Multiple?"

Ava nodded. "More than five. And that's just what's left."

Lucas hummed. "So our dear Sergeant wasn't alone when he came down here."

Ava's jaw tightened. "But he was alone when he died."

Lucas's golden eyes gleamed.

"Which means the rest of them?"

Ava stood.

Brushed dust from her gloves.

Didn't blink. Didn't hesitate.

"Either they made it out… or they didn't."

A long pause.

Then Lucas moved.

His golden eyes flicked across the rotting metal, the dried blood, the silent proof that something had happened here.

Something the military didn't want found.

Ava didn't say anything. Didn't care.

The moment she saw that look in his eyes—the calculating one, the one that meant he had decided something—or maybe it was his system working.

Then—he crouched.

Fingers brushing over a half-buried object near the corpse.

A small device, sleek and battered, caked in grime.

Lucas turned it over, thumb wiping the screen.

And for half a second—Ava saw it.

Military encryption.

Her system flickered.

[ SCANNING DEVICE… ]

[ Encrypted Data Log – Level 4 Security. ]

[ Partial Power Detected. ]

[ Last Accessed: UNKNOWN. ]

Lucas's smirk curled.

He stood, slipping the device into his coat.

"That's enough."

Ava's brow twitched. "You sure?"

Lucas turned, already walking. Decided. Done.

"We came for proof. We got it. No need to press our luck."

Ava exhaled.

Fine.

She didn't care either way.

Whatever secrets were buried here, they were staying buried.

She adjusted her bag, falling into step beside him.

Lucas glanced sideways. Amused. Relaxed.

"Disappointed?"

Ava snorted. "No. Just wondering why you always act like you're in control of things you barely understand."

Lucas grinned.

"Confidence, Beauty. It's a powerful thing."

Ava rolled her eyes and move. 

Lucas had what he wanted.

That was all that mattered.

The tunnel stretched ahead, leading back to the rusted maintenance ladder. The only way out.

Lucas reached it first, boots skimming over the loose gravel.

He glanced up. Exhaled.

Then—he turned to her.

"Ladies first?"

Ava snorted. "Not a chance."

Lucas smirked, gripping the ladder and pulling himself up.

She waited—listened.

The tunnel behind them was still silent.

The body sat rotting. Forgotten.

And whatever was down here? Whatever the military had left behind?

It could stay there.

Lucas reached the top. Pushed the hatch open.

A fresh rush of cool air hit them. The bunker above. The real world waiting.

Ava followed, gripping the cold metal rungs and climbing.

One step at a time. Out of the dark.

She pulled herself up. Rolled her shoulders.

Lucas was waiting, hands tucked into his pockets, golden eyes gleaming.