To Be A Hero

Chapter 32: Down Down

"Veronica? Five? Sound off, guys. Where are you?" Sam asks. His voice is tinged with worry, but he's keeping himself stable, calm. It makes me feel calm, knowing that he's not worrying too much, even as we wander around in the dark.

"I'm with Five, Sam," Veronica says in a low whisper. "And the Minister. But... I don't know where we are."

"Down here, fellas. Past this corridor," One of the Deadlocks says. I curse under my breath.

"Okay, okay," Sam breathes out. "So, you're in an underground vault controlled by the Deadlocks. It's dark. The Deadlocks have night vision goggles." He winces as a zombie moans from behind us. "And one of them's turned into a zom. You have to get out of there."

"This way," The Minister says.

"Which way?"

"I think I feel fresh air coming from this direction."

"Take my hand," Veronica says. "You too, Five."

I grab onto her hand, my other one still holding onto the Viking metalwork. I haven't had the time to put it in my bag, not with the zombie and those Deadlocks chasing us. Plus it made a pretty handy weapon against that one guy.

"Oh, thank God. I'm finally into their system," Sam says, and I all but sigh in relief. "There's uh, there's like, emergency lighting. If I can access it... I just need to-oh, come on! Come on, Sam, come on."

"Calm down, Mr. Yao," Janine says. "Take your time."

The zombie moans again. My shoulders tense. It's closer now.

"They haven't got any time!"

"Veronica, my dear, it is vital that you make it out of here," The Minister says. "Your work is too important. You're too important. Now, I've cut myself. That way, I can make sure the wretched zom follows me and not you. Now go!"

"Oh," Janine says, a small gasp in her voice. "That's-"

"We're not leaving you," Veronica insists.

"You most certainly are. Take her arm, Five, and go. Run!"

"Wh-Five, stop! Let go of me!" Veronica cries, wiggling and twisting in attempt to get out of my grasp. I don't let up, and I continue to pull her along as I hear the Minister's retreating footsteps, and the zombie's fading moans.

"Keep your voice down," I say in a harsh whisper. "They may have night vision goggles, but we shouldn't just lead them right to us."

"I don't understand. You don't let people just leave! Not you. Especially you."

"I couldn't force her to stay, and she's right. You're top priority. We need you alive, and I don't think Milo would ever forgive me if I let something happen to you." I wince, knowing I've said too much.

"What does Milo have to do with any of this?"

"Nothing. Nothing. Just forget it. The Minister made her choice. I couldn't stop her even if I tried. She cut herself and I can't see. It would've been impossibly to-ow! Veronica!"

"Sorry," She says, while I adjust the metalwork under my arm so I can rub my face and watering eyes from Veronica's elbow to the face. "I was trying to see just how close you were, and how close you were to the wall."

I huff, thinking maybe she's just saying that, but she sounds sincere enough. "Do you need me to move over?"

"No, I'm okay. I can just feel the wall brushing up against my arm... I don't hear footsteps anymore."

I hum, going silent. The only footsteps I hear are my own and Veronica's. "Let's keep moving, just to be safe."

Thankfully Veronica doesn't argue, and we continue to briskly run down the halls, holding onto each other and using our free hands (well, my sort of free hand since I still have the metalwork) to feel out the walls. I try to keep a keen ear out for any Deadlocks, or that zombie, but there's nothing.