Staggered Retreat

Storage, boxes filledw ith files scattered around, the next room was filled with these boxes stacked on shelves making our path smaller and more cramped while we kept moving.

"It's a great thing that we found rescuers like you, i don't know how much more oxygen was left in that basement before we had to open the vents and try our luck." The survivor added.

"How long were you here for?" Sebastian asked. The survivor opened another door, leading to another hallway.

"Don't know, few hours probably." He replied.

Down the hall was another stairwell. How deep and large is this place?

Descending down and past another door, the survivor stopped. We stood face to face with a large metallic gate.

"Also doubled as a panic room, but since we didn't have any before all this we turned it into storage. Even has it's own power source." The survivor pulled out a card, placing it near a reader. After a few seconds, the red light on it turned green, letting out a beep.

The large doors began slowly opening, letting out a loud grinding noise, constantly creaking while it continued to open.

As they fully parted, the inside was revealed. Many survivors, all wearing formal outfits or business suits stood around or sitting down, staring at us.

"We found rescuers." The entire place roared in applause and shouts of joy. Very happy, almost felt like heroes.

Immediately, we all entered inside along with me. They all started standing up as we gave them medicine for any wounds and gas masks to wear.

The place was well lit, boxes were everywehre, turned over or stacked above each other. Papers and files were also scattered on the floor.

I started handing out masks with the rest, seeing them begin wearing it, i felt joyful, we found a large amount of survivors, survivors who will now have a chance in surviving and getting out. Alina knelt down to check on a few of them, checking for injuries.

My ammo box was empty, only a few medicine bottles were left in it as we gave it all to the survivors. Now donning masks, it was time for all of us to get out of this crumbling city.

"Marcel, how far are we from the tunnel." Sebastian asked.

"Were very near to the center of the zone, i'd say about 30 to 45 minutes." He replied.

"Let's get moving, or else we get another building collapsing above us." Stephen said.

"Alright, stay close together and make sure your masks are fastened tight." He spoke out to the others.

"Stay around the group, team." Sebastian relayed another order to us, now speaking in comms.

As he finished, the lights began flickering.

"Stay close to each other, we'll navigate all of you out to the safe area."

We started moving outside, moving with haste, now with a large amount of people to bring back safely, my mind felt more determined to move, these people survived, and they shall stay alive.

We got back out after a long trip up, the gas continued flowing. Now thicker. When will the gas just dissipate?

Outside, we formed up around the tight group of survivors, creating a ring around them. Tight together and making sure we can see each other clearly, with the gas we can't afford to lose anyone.

Our move began, as we traversed the disorderly road, passing by others who could've been saved. While we walked, i couldn't stop thinking about the subway. So much bodies, so much alliance civilians, killed just like that. Anger mixed with sadness overwhelmed my mind, but i continued staying determined on the task at hand. Saving the ones who can still be saved.

As we moved, more bits and pieces of rubble began falling. But while we moved, office furniture began raining down on us.

"Shit, everyone move faster and keep staying together!" Our pace hastened to a run, around me, chairs, computers, to even large chunks of concrete started falling around us.

Every second, more and more kept falling around us. Above, i couldn't even see anything, not even the sky now. We were in the blind, can't see where they're gonna fall. While we ran, i felt something strong slam into the visor of my suit, knocking me into the ground, staring upwards towards where the sky once was, witnessing clutter fall around. As quick as i fell, i attempted to get up. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. A large cracked formed on my visor. Whatever hit me cracked it. I stopped thinking aobut it for now, continuing to run with the group before i was left behind.

The rain of debris slowly stopped, returning to smaller pieces raining down, acting like rain. I can hear them as they clunked above my head.

"Is everyone alright?" Sebastian asked through the speaker.

"Anyone get hit?"

"My visor got cracked." I replied back, fear whooshed around, now without the danger of the rubble, i only thought of the fear of this broken visor.

Sebastian approached me while we continued moving, putting his hand on the visor, he sighed through his mask and suit.

"Seems like it didn't go all the way through, just partially, not all the way. But we'll move faster." My fear went lower from his words.

We kept on moving, ignoring everything around us, from searching to quickly trying to escape this destroyed city.

The blinding fumes slowly parted after moving for who knows how long, buildings around us were more visible, everything was more visible than before, the gas around now had a lighter color of green to it.

"Marcel how far are we?"

"About 15 minutes now, but were out of the deep area of this city." Relief washed over me, finally, out of that place.

The trip was halted as more debris began falling above us, this time though we can see where they're coming from. Our pace quickened as a result, i continued looking up, seeing as clutter kept on falling.

The run went on for a minute or two before we got out of the place.

"Everyone alright, Damon was your visor cracked again?" Sebastian asked. Using the other comms instead of the one for us only.

After speaking, the group opened up, surrounding one of their own. Now on his knees, hands trying to support him as he coughed violently through his mask.

"Shit, it's cracked." Alina, after taking a look notified.