The corridors of Bunker 101 seemed to stretch on forever, endless stretches of rusted metal and flickering lights.
Ada's boots made muted sounds against the cold floor, her steps purposeful but cautious. Vega was close behind, her presence nearly as silent as the grave.
There was a tension in the air—one that Ada knew too well, the kind that settles in the bones when there's no telling what lies ahead.
The deeper they moved into the bunker, the more the sense of decay grew.
The stench of mildew clung to the walls, and the low hum of failing machinery vibrated beneath their feet. It was a place abandoned, then forgotten, now reawakened by something neither of them could yet name.
"Stay alert," Ada murmured, eyes scanning every shadow.
Vega didn't respond immediately, but Ada could feel her gaze sharp, calculating, just like before.
There was something about her that was unsettling, though not in the usual way.
It wasn't her quiet, controlled demeanor—it was the way she seemed to sense things, as if she already knew what was coming before it happened.
It was like she had been here before. Or somewhere like it.
A loud crash echoed from further down the hall.
Ada stopped in her tracks, her fingers curling instinctively around the hilt of her blade.
Vega's hand went to the crossbow, a practiced movement.
"Stay back," Ada ordered, but Vega was already stepping forward, the tension in her movements palpable.
"You don't know what's ahead," Ada added, her voice sharp but controlled.
Vega shot her a glance, her mouth twitching slightly. "Neither do you."
The words hung in the air for a moment before Ada responded with a grunt, moving past her and into the next room.
The metal door slid open with a reluctant screech.
They entered what appeared to be a storage facility, rows of empty shelves, old crates, and discarded equipment scattered haphazardly across the floor. The smell of oil and something metallic lingered in the air, faintly overpowering.
The sudden flash of movement caught Ada's eye.
She snapped her attention to it, hand instinctively reaching for her rifle.
A small, gaunt figure darted across the room—a child, no older than five, with wild eyes and dirt-streaked skin.
The child froze in place as they locked eyes, fear and confusion flashing in their gaze.
"Another one?" Vega muttered under her breath.
Ada nodded, her voice softening. "It's not the first time."
She advanced slowly, her presence more comforting than threatening. "It's okay," Ada said gently, her voice almost a whisper. "We're not here to hurt you."
The child didn't respond, but they didn't flee either. Instead, they stared, their hands clutching a piece of scrap metal like a weapon.
"Have you seen anyone else?" Ada asked, crouching low.
The child shook their head slowly, eyes never leaving Ada's face. Vega, standing a few steps back, watched with a detached interest, her arms crossed over her chest.
Ada reached out cautiously, trying to offer a semblance of reassurance. "Where are your parents?"
The child's lips trembled. "Gone." The word was a quiet rasp.
Ada closed her eyes for a moment, a brief but painful reminder of what the world had become.
She had no answer for this—no solution, no comfort. It was all she could do to acknowledge the child's pain without adding to it.
The sharp ping of the system pulled her out of her thoughts.
[Warning: Non-human entity detected. Designation: Unknown. Proximity: 50m.]
Ada's eyes snapped open, her gaze darting to the shadows beyond the storage room. Her hand gripped the handle of her blade.
Vega's crossbow was already raised, though she seemed unnervingly calm, almost like she was expecting it.
The child whimpered, taking a step back, clutching the scrap metal tighter.
Ada didn't have time to reassure them again. There was something else coming—something far more dangerous.
A low growl vibrated through the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps.
"Mutants," Ada muttered, her voice low and lethal.
Vega's eyes narrowed. "I can take care of them."
Ada shot her a quick look, but Vega was already moving toward the door, a sense of purpose in her every movement.
Ada hesitated for only a moment before following, her boots light but determined against the cold, cracked floor.
They needed to move fast.
The growls grew louder, closer, and then the first creature appeared in the doorway—a hulking, malformed thing, skin slick with decay, its eyes hollow and glowing faintly with an unnatural light.
Vega didn't hesitate. She fired.
The bolt hit its mark, striking the creature in the chest. It staggered back but didn't fall.
Another shot followed, this one aimed at its head. The creature let out a sharp, shrill scream, falling to the ground in a twisted heap.
Vega's expression didn't change, but Ada saw the flicker of something—something almost satisfied.
"They've been here longer than we thought," Vega said, reloading her crossbow.
Ada nodded, but she was already moving past her. "Keep moving," she said, her voice steady and commanding. "We can't waste time."
They made their way down the hallway, their pace quickening.
Ada's mind raced. The signal. The child. The mutants. It wasn't coincidence. Something was happening here, something bigger than they could've anticipated.
Behind them, the child's terrified voice called out, trembling but firm.
"Are you... coming back?"
Ada didn't answer immediately. Her eyes were locked forward, but there was a brief pause in her step.
Then she glanced back at Vega.
"Next time," she said quietly. "Next time, we bring them with us."
Vega's gaze lingered for a moment, before she gave a single nod. "Next time."
As they moved further into the depths of Bunker 101, the air grew colder.
The silence between them settled again, but now it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a silence of mutual understanding, of two people who knew they weren't just surviving.
They were beginning to rebuild something.
And the system chimed in, its cold voice cutting through the quiet:
[Binding Task Updated]
[Objective: Investigate Bunker 101. Discover the source of the signal.]
[Progress: 20%]
[Side Objective: Trust and Collaboration (Incomplete)]
The mission was far from over.