Chapter 16: A Simple Escape

“Everyone thinks that the maintenance tunnels are the best way between districts,” Aijin told her as they walked. “They’re below ground, closed to the public, and they go pretty much everywhere. But actually, that’s kind of a trap.”

“What do you mean?”

“The access grates, like that one right over there, are pretty spread out. Like, there’s a quarter of a mile between each one, in any direction. You kind of commit yourself to a tunnel that had no cover, no turns, and no other escapes.”

“I can see that being dangerous,” Megan said.

“And makes it pretty easy for security patrols to stop anyone from sneaking their way across the city zones.”

“So why are we going this way?”

“Because I figured out, during an earlier quest, that the very thing that makes it a trap is also our way through.”

Megan gave her a look.