Rebel Heart

"It's how people like us get away from people like you. It's a series of bunkers connected by tunnels, set up by the PMF to protect the people during the East-West War."

"Ours ran under the major cities. People have expanded them since then," Brady added.

"Let's see where it goes," Dan said.

"This is why the city looks abandoned," Elise mused. "It's gotta be huge to contain all those people."

"A lot of them are," Brady agreed. He shifted and lowered himself feet first into the hole. "It runs parallel to the river."

Dan dropped beside him, followed by Elise and the other members of their team. Emergency fracture-snaps lay to Brady's right. He picked one up then looked down the tunnel.

"The kid went this way," he said.

"You really want to follow?" Elise asked. "What if the entire city is down there? They're not going to welcome us with open arms, and I don't have much ammo."

"Live a little, Elise," Dan said with a smile. "This is what we call fun. Right, Brady?"

"Right," Brady agreed and started down the tunnel.

They walked for two hours without running into any tunnels branching off from the main one.

"We're about to walk under the next town," Elise said with a glance at her micro.

"Is there an emerops facility here?" Brady asked. The tunnel widened, and his pace slowed as he saw another tunnel intersect it.

"No. Next town."

"What is this?" Dan murmured.

Brady reached the intersection and saw the tunnel running perpendicular opened into a crowded underground city. Four-story buildings had been built to the ceiling, flanking a narrow pathway and canal of water, siphoned from the Mississippi. The buildings held lights and people, and the canal curved to the left, hiding the size of the city.

"We don't have anything this elaborate where we are from," Dan said. "This is a bunker city."

Brady stepped into the bustling world. By the level of activity and sophistication, he judged this place had been used for longer than the past few weeks. He was more intrigued by the sight of soldiers in PMF grays as well as those in the regular military's black uniforms. He slung his weapon over his shoulder as they walked deeper into the underground city. They received some curious looks from the inhabitants. None approached, until one of the PMF soldiers caught his eye.