Chapter 3

3

A storm of furious curses erupted throughout the cabin.

"Travis Cole! Are you happy now?!"

The glasses-wearing man leaped to his feet, pointing out the window at the approaching rebel technicals. "Because we waited for that thief, every single one of us is going to die here!"

A young mother clutching a toddler broke into hysterical sobs. "My baby is only three years old… and we're going to be slaughtered because she wanted free makeup?!"

Hailey's eyes welled with tears instantly as she buried her face in Travis's chest.

"I didn't do it on purpose… I just wanted to bring some nice things back to donate to the orphanages…"

Travis wrapped his arms protectively around her, glaring at the passengers. "Exactly! Hailey has such a pure heart. What right do you cowards have to blame her?"

Chaos completely consumed the cabin. Some people wept with their heads in their hands, while others frantically typed final goodbyes on their phones.

The shouting of rebels and the crackle of close-range gunfire grew terrifyingly distinct.

I looked at the panicked crowd and lowered my voice. "The aircraft is too large a target. We need to evacuate to the underground air-raid shelter immediately."

The man with glasses asked anxiously, "How? The terminal is crawling with gunmen!"

I pointed toward the maintenance crawlspace beneath the central aisle. "This hatch leads straight down into the ground utility tunnel, which connects directly to the underground bunker."

I swiftly popped open the heavy maintenance latch. "Everyone follow me. Stay completely silent."

The passengers filed down into the shaft one by one. Only Hailey remained standing in the aisle, eyeing the dusty opening with utter disgust. "It's so filthy down there… what about my new dress?"

Travis immediately chimed in, "Don't worry, Hailey. I'll carry you on my back."

I cast a cold, detached glance at the pair before turning to lead the group into the subterranean tunnel.

Behind me came the weak, rattling cough of Dr. Miller. "Captain Cross… I'm afraid these old bones of mine won't make it…"

"Hang in there, Dr. Miller," I said softly, supporting his frail arm. "Your research is vital to our nation. I will get you home safely, no matter what."

The tunnel was damp and pitch-black, with the muffled roars of enemy combatants echoing faintly above our heads.

Holding our breath, we pressed forward through the darkness and finally reached the reinforced bunker.

"Everyone stay low and wait here. I have already sent an emergency distress signal to our military task force," I whispered.

"A rescue squad will arrive within two hours."

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room as people collapsed onto the concrete floor.

Suddenly, a suffocating cloud of floral perfume billowed through the confined space.

"What is that smell?" The glasses-wearing man looked up with sudden alarm.

There stood Hailey, generously spraying a bottle of Chanel perfume into the air with a self-satisfied pout. "It smells like raw sewage in here. What's wrong with freshening it up a bit?"

Dr. Miller suddenly began wheezing violently, his face turning ghostly white within seconds. "Stop… stop spraying… I'm severely allergic…"

I lunged forward and ripped the perfume bottle from her hands, but the damage was already done.

Dr. Miller was clutching his throat, his lips rapidly turning a deep shade of purple as he choked for air.

"You absolute moron!" The man with glasses roared in fury. "If anything happens to Dr. Miller, you are an enemy of the state!"