Free Necropolis 2 by S. A. Lusher Page B

deal?” he managed.
    “ You fuck us over, you're the first to die. Got it?”
    “ Yeah...yeah, I got it. Shit.”
    Greg lowered the gun, and passed Campbell one of the spare pistols, a holster and a few magazines of ammo. Campbell frowned at them.
    “A pistol?”
    “ Yes. Count yourself lucky you get that,” Greg replied.
    Campbell sighed, but said nothing else, fixing the holster to his uniform and pocketing the magazines. Greg led his group back through the center.
    “I guess we can abandon the idea of using this as a command center.” He shook his head. This was a disappointment.
    “ You were going try and set up shop here? In the prison ?” Campbell asked.
    “ Yes, dipshit,” Kyra snapped.
    “ You guys have gotta work on your manners. I haven't actually done anything to any of you, you know?”
    “ You worked for Dark Ops. That's enough,” Billings replied.
    “ You guys straight up kidnapped and imprisoned me,” Holt threw in.
    Campbell heaved a weary sigh. “All right, fine, I'm so sorry on behalf on all of this Dark Ops cell.”
    “ Okay, we've found a secure channel.” Cage's voice suddenly sounded in Greg's ear. He paused where he was. They had just come into the antechamber. Greg waved his hand to quiet the others, who, after a few seconds, fell silent.
    “ So, what's happening?”
    “ Nothing good. Dark Ops and the Undead are really going at it. We're finally at the data network center. It's like a big security station. It should take you a lot less time to get here. We've managed to find a maintenance tunnel that will take you about three quarters of the way without much trouble.”
    “ Good. We've found another two survivors. One is a miner from the planet, another is Campbell. As in Starck's lackey. He was in prison.”
    “ I resent that,” Campbell murmured.
    “ Shut up,” Kyra advised.
    “ Fantastic. And you're taking him with us? I can hear it in your voice. Fine. Get to our position, quick as you can, Powell's got a plan together.”
    Cage fed him the instructions, and then logged off, leaving Greg alone with his thoughts.
    He turned to face the others. “All right, Cage just called. Gave me instructions. We're going to meet up with him and Powell and figure out our next step.”
    “ Who's Cage?” Campbell asked. “Or Powell, for that matter?”
    “ Shut up,” Kyra said.
     
    * * * * *
     
    They found the entrance to the maintenance tunnel five minutes later, one by one plunging into the narrow metal shaft that would take them to meet with Powell and Cage. Greg went first, making his way as quickly as he could down the ladder. Campbell was above him, as he was his responsibility. Billings followed Campbell. Greg knew the others were concerned. Campbell might be a lot of things...a liar he was not.
    Greg felt certain he wouldn't betray them.
    Even if he did, Greg would make sure he died.
    Reaching the end of the shaft, Greg hopped off and spun around, raising his weapon. There was nothing in the maintenance tunnel with him, at least as far as he could see. It stretched away from him for several dozen meters and inter-cut with other tunnels. The light was good, but still this was a shitty place to be.
    “Hey, move it, huh?” Campbell asked.
    “ Yeah, yeah, quit bitching.” Greg moved out of the way.
    He moved down the maintenance tunnel a few paces, listening for signs of life. Nothing but the quiet respiration of oxygen filtration and the soft hum of power. It would have to do. Greg glanced behind him. Everyone was down now.
    “All right, keep your eyes open, there could be anything down here,” he murmured.
    There was a general affirmative response and they set off, keeping up a brisk pace, eager to be free of the squalid confinement. Greg tossed quick glances down the other tunnels that intersected with his, trying to spy a hint of movement. Nothing. He swallowed, keeping his shotgun at ready, finger inside the trigger guard. Stupid, especially when one was nervous, but