Chapter 808: The Pool [1]

"We need to move."

Adrian’s voice pulled my attention away from the equipment.

Water washed over another step, forcing Marcus to adjust the barrier in front of him. His light pointed towards the passage, but there wasn’t much to see beyond the first turn.

"Crow. Stay here and watch the equipment."

I looked towards Adrian.

"Keep the spare breathing sets ready. Move the cases higher if the water reaches them."

"Alright."

I shrugged and stepped towards the equipment.

He was already turning away.

I guess I was going to be left behind.

"Vera, lead us through. Marcus, stay behind Tessa."

The scout picked up an extra bag and secured it to his harness. After checking the line one last time, he followed Vera down the steps.

Her light slipped beneath the surface.

Then Tessa’s.

Marcus lowered his barrier as Adrian placed his hand against the wall again. The water settled just long enough for them to enter without being pushed back against the steps.

I watched their lights move through the passage.

One disappeared around the turn.

The others followed.

Adrian was the last to leave.

For a moment, his light remained visible beneath the water. Then it moved farther away, leaving me standing beside the equipment.

Alone.

"....."

I looked around.

"I want to say something stupid, but there’s no one here. It kind of defeats the purpose."

I scratched the side of my neck.

The fact that I couldn’t say something stupid really irked me.

That aside, the place was looking rather creepy.

The light near the cases reached the steps and part of the wall. Beyond that, the water was black. Occasionally, a small ripple caught the beam, only to disappear before I could properly follow it.

I picked up one of the spare lights and pointed it towards the passage.

There was nothing particularly interesting.

Just water.

Quite a lot of it.

?Marcus, I’m moving forward.

Vera’s voice came through my earpiece.

?Go. I’ve got the line.

A quiet splash followed.

My neck itched again. What if I used the comms to say some nonsense...?

"No, I’m better than this."

I lowered the light and checked the cases. Everything seemed to be where it was supposed to be.

Breathing sets.

Harnesses.

Several other things I wasn’t particularly interested in touching without knowing what they did.

I moved the nearest case up another step before looking towards the water again.

?...Adrian, where are you?

?Behind you. Keep moving.

Their voices sounded close through the earpiece.

Looking at the passage, it was difficult to believe they were actually not that far from me.

I couldn’t see a single light anymore.

"Hmm."

I tilted my head.

A small wave washed against the lowest case.

I pulled it back.

Then I moved the light higher too.

There wasn’t much else to do.

*

Time passed rather slowly.

From time to time, the comms broke the silence, giving me a brief idea of what was happening.

?The line is clear.

?Watch the railing on your right.

?I see it.

I looked down at the steps.

There were fewer of them now.

Not because they were disappearing, naturally.

I just couldn’t see them anymore.

The water was slowly covering everything.

A faint scraping sound came from somewhere in the passage.

I lifted the light.

Something pale drifted into view beneath the surface, moving along the wall.

My hand stopped.

Then I recognised the small floats.

Another lane rope.

It caught against the edge of a step before the water lifted it free.

"....."

I watched it drift away.

’Who would’ve thought a pool would be this creepy?’

?Targets located. All seven.

I looked up.

That was Vera’s voice.

?We’re at the gallery.

Another voice came through shortly afterwards.

?Two can’t walk. Bring the frame up.

Tessa.

At least they were there.

I rested my hand against one of the cases and listened while they started moving people around. There was a voice in the background, followed by Tessa telling someone to keep breathing normally.

They sounded rather busy.

I felt a little sorry for them.

This was supposed to be a rescue mission. Go inside, collect the people, and bring them back out.

The increase in rank made things a little more troublesome, but since they weren’t trying to clear the Gate, all good, right?

’Right, they only need to leave.’

With their Orders and all the equipment they brought, that should still be possible.

?The water is rising even faster!

I looked down.

A thin layer of water spread across the step beneath my boots.

"...Oh."

I moved back.

Then I dragged the nearest case after me.

Alright.

Perhaps a little more than troublesome.

Still, as far as I knew, there wasn’t a scary monster waiting to attack them. The scouts said that the only issue was the rising water. They didn’t detect any anomalies.

That was all.

’At least we don’t have to worry about something swimming around down there.’

I looked towards the passage again.

Yes.

That was good.

Good...

?Ukh—!

A sharp cry burst through my earpiece.

My fingers stopped against the case.

?Tess?

There was a splash.

A much louder one.

?Tess! Where are you?

"....."

I slapped my lips.

’Fucking jinxed it.’

Several voices started speaking at once.

?She was right here.

?Move them away from the edge!

?Tess, answer me!

Something struck the microphone. The sound was loud enough that I pulled my head slightly away, although that really was stupid since the noise was coming from my ear.

?I’ve got her!

Marcus’s voice followed a moment later.

For a moment, the voices quietened.

But it wasn’t for long...

?Her harness. I’ve got her harness.

?Shit! Pull her up.

?I’m trying!

I looked at the water. It seemed to have become ever darker than before.

?Something’s caught her leg!

?The railing?

There was a short pause.

Then a hoarse voice followed.

?Something moved!

My lips slowly pressed together.

Right.

Of course it did.

?Adrian, beneath the stairs!

?Keep hold of her.

?Tess! Tess—!

The voices overlapped again. Someone was shouting for the civilians to move back, while another kept calling Tessa’s name.

I could hear water splashing through the microphone.

I could also hear it from the passage in front of me. It was faint, but I could hear it.

That made me pause.

The gallery was not far from where I was. The splashing in front of me sounded closer.

I lifted my light.

The beam moved across the surface, catching the wall before settling on the empty passage.

There was nothing ahead of me. Only darkness as a small wave travelled towards the steps.

Then another.

Neither was particularly large.

I watched them reach my boots before looking farther out.

?Don’t let go!

A shout cracked against my ear.

I pulled the earpiece out.

’Right, that’s too loud.’

For a moment, I held it between my fingers while several people continued speaking through it. I couldn’t make out a proper sentence anymore.

That was becoming rather troublesome.

I brought it closer to my ear as the darkness enclosed me from all directions.

Without the voices directly in my ear, the sound of the water seemed considerably louder. It washed against the steps, struck the wall, and occasionally splashed somewhere I couldn’t see.

I reached into my pocket.

Then I took out my sunglasses and put them on.

"Right, right."

I let out a slow breath.

’I really should stop going into Gates if things turn out like this every time.’

My attention returned to the water for another moment before lowering towards my wrist.

Or, to be precise, towards my bracelet.

’You’re not to use your nodes. For any reason.’

The doctor’s words echoed inside of my mind.

I remembered his words very well.

But...

I touched the bracelet.

"Might as well, you know?"

I switched the bracelet off.

A faint pressure started gathering behind my eyes. I remained still until it calmed down, then rolled my shoulder and looked towards the spare equipment.

There was something I wanted to try.

My newest node.

I was rather curious about it, actually.

With everything happening recently, I was yet to properly figure out what it could do.

This seemed like a good opportunity.

Not the one I would’ve chosen.

But a good opportunity nonetheless. Even if it did put a strain on my nodes, it wasn’t like I wasn’t used to such situations.

I popped a pill in my mouth and secured one of the breathing sets and attached the light to my harness. Then I pulled the remaining case farther from the edge.

I took a few more things with me in case it would help.

Splash!

Another splash came from the passage.

I looked towards it.

For a moment, the water went still.

Then the extraction line pulled tight.

"....."

I fitted the mouthpiece and stepped down.

The first step was still there.

So was the second as I moved down the steps.

Beyond that, my light disappeared into the water.

I leaned forward.

Splash!