Chapter Three - Even Underground Burns

The entrance to the emergency cache was hidden behind an abandoned municipal parking structure, disguised as a service hatch. Nad's hand shook so badly at the scanner he missed the reader twice before the third pass finally opened it. The door swung inward and released a damp mix of machine oil, mold, and cold condensation that made it feel, for one brief second, like they had actually escaped into a different world. "Move," Nad said. "The door only stays open fifteen seconds. Backup battery's almost dead." They slipped inside and the door shut behind them with a steel finality that made everyone exhale at once. The heat outside vanished, replaced by a dim underground corridor lit by weak amber strips.