I stood there pondering Beto's whereabouts when a small voice behind me asked, "Who are you?"

  Turning, I found a little girl watching me curiously. "Hi, I'm Jason. Do you know where Beto is?"

  "Daddy's outside," she replied.

  "What's he doing?"

  "Daddy said he's going to the green statue."

  Suddenly, an alarm pierced the air. Red emergency lights began flashing, and panic erupted through the underground sanctuary. The girl vanished into the chaos. I spotted a vent in the wall, pried it open, and squeezed inside. The duct system led upward toward the ceiling.

  Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

  Finding a hole in the metal, I peered down at the scene below. People scattered in terror as the secret entrance exploded inward. Through the flames marched ten soldiers in uniform, followed by a limping figure in a leather trench coat and futuristic gas mask.

  "T?te sie alle," the masked man commanded. The soldiers raised their weapons and opened fire on the crowd.

  "Keine überlebenden!" he barked as his men spread out, methodically clearing each room with gunfire.

  "Hey, over here!" A familiar voice called from my right. Rellik crouched in the ductwork, gesturing urgently. "Follow me. The duct leads to the end of the sewers."

  We dropped down into the fetid tunnel and sprinted to a ladder. Climbing up, we emerged into a dark alley. Night had fallen while we were underground.

  "Where do we go now?" I asked.

  A phone rang in Rellik's pocket. He answered quickly. "Hello?"

  "?Oh mi Dios, todos están muertos!" Ayuda's panicked voice came through clearly.

  "Where are you?" Rellik demanded.

  "Hospital Presbiteriano. Date prisa, creo que me siguieron."

  "We have to get him," I said, already moving.