Chapter 4: The Betrayal

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When the first rays of sunlight began to streak across the horizon, Lucious and his team arose and readied themselves. As the Hummer sped forward, the sun's warm embrace gradually unveiled the vast desert landscape.

In the distance, a massive dune rose like an impenetrable fortress. Jack couldn't help but voice his doubts, questioning their arrival at the designated spot, "Boss, we are here as mentioned on the map, but there is nothing here except sand."

Lucious, however, remained resolute, his gaze locked on the colossal dune. With unwavering determination, he walked directly toward it, his feet making steady imprints in the soft desert sand. At the base of the dune, he began to chant in a mysterious, ancient language, Which he got to know from the villagers when the military raided an ancient village to get this map, 'worth talking to that dying guy' he mused as the chanting reverberated through the air.

The earth beneath them trembled, sending ripples of shock through the desert. A low rumble emanated from deep within the dune, and to the astonishment of all, the massive sand structure began to shift and tremble. The dune was swept away as if by an invisible hand, revealing a hidden marvel beneath.

In its place, a grand staircase, hewn into the earth, extended downward into an expansive underground tunnel. Sophie couldn't contain her elation and whispered, "That's my Lucious for you."

"Yes! That's our boss." Jack and Tom also praised him in synchronization.

Seeing that Lucious chuckles "Well, it seems I have outdone myself yet another time..." "But, let's not get too excited, the path ahead will be the real deal." He continued.

With a deep breath, Lucious and his team entered the underground passage, lighting their lamps and powerful torches 'borrowed' from the military camp. The narrow tunnel swallowed them as they descended the grand staircase, their torches illuminating the ancient, weathered walls of the tunnel.

*Tap-Tap * *Tap-Tap * * Clater- tap *

The sound of the boots was the only thing that could be heard.

For nearly 30 minutes, they descended into the depths, the staircase leading them deeper into the subterranean labyrinth. The air grew cooler, and a sense of foreboding hung heavy in the shadows. 

 The passage was a winding journey through the earth, and the walls bore the scars of time, etched with ancient carvings and inscriptions. "B-Boss, can you see the base of the stairs now...?" Tom who was positioned at the last asked.

"Wanna go ahead and see for yourself? huh?" Jack said with a mocking tone. Everybody knew that, even if Tom was a great soldier he was afraid of the dark, and Jack knew that at this time Tom was scared shitless.

"N-No.. I-I am fine here" Tom said 

"Can you two quite down a bit? I can see the ground, I think" Sophie barked at the duo.

'As lively as ever, heh' Lucious just chuckled without paying much attention.

At long last, they reached the final step, and the tunnel opened into a vast, ominous chamber. The path ahead was swallowed by darkness, giving no indication of what lay beyond. One could see a path made of stone lay ahead.

Lucious, with authority, warned his team with a stern tone, "Be cautious, everyone. The path ahead is treacherous. Do not step on the stone path, slightly elevated from the ground. It may trigger a trap."

The team exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of anxiety and resolve. They carefully skirted the elevated stone path, their torches casting long shadows on the chamber's walls. Each step was measured and deliberate, and the tension in the air was palpable as they ventured deeper into the darkness.

Lucious, at the forefront, took the lead, his torch casting an ethereal glow on the path before him. The team followed his every move, knowing that their leader's intuition and experience were their best hope in navigating the mysteries and dangers of this underground world.

Lucious led the way, Sophie following closely behind, with Jack and Tom in tow. The torches illuminated the eerie underground chamber as they proceeded cautiously, their eyes scanning for any signs of danger.

Suddenly, Jack's eyes fell on Sophie's plump butt, her ass giggling up and down. In the midst of the tense atmosphere, he couldn't help but find a moment of levity. But that momentary lapse of focus proved costly.

As Jack stepped on a slightly elevated stone slab, it triggered a concealed mechanism. In an instant, the chamber erupted with a barrage of arrows, seemingly coming from all directions. The team was caught off guard, and they scrambled for cover.

*Shoooo* *Swooo*

Arrows whizzed through the air, some narrowly missing their targets while others embedded themselves in the walls.

"Move, move, move!!" Lucious shouted hard while running forward, The team moved quickly, doing their best to protect vital areas as they sought refuge from the onslaught.

With adrenaline pumping, they sprinted out of the range of the deadly arrows, their hearts pounding as they huffed and gasped for breath. The chamber remained silent once more, and they exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of relief and fear.

"That son of a bitch!... The arrows nearly got us" Tom said as he turned behind and looked at the arrow traps while shaking his head. As he was afraid of the darkness, he was the most scared of them all, he thought he was a sure goner but he somehow survived 

And yet-

One of the faulty arrow traps, where an arrow was stuck, suddenly malfunctioned. With a sickening thud, the arrow shot toward Tom, hitting his left eye and piercing his brain in an instant.

 With no time to react or even comprehend what had happened, Tom's lifeless body stood briefly, suspended in a moment frozen by the cruel hand of fate. Then, with a lifeless thud, he fell to the ground, leaving a haunting silence in the chamber.

The team stood in stunned silence, unable to grasp the sudden and horrifying reality of their situation. Tom's unexpected and gruesome fate had sent shockwaves through their group, 

Sophie was the first one to speak "Who...WHO triggered ThE TrAp? " Sophie looked at Jack panicking "It was you right? RIGHT? You motherfucker, you nearly killed me-us, Tom is also dead becau-"

"I-I am sorry, I didn't mean to-" Jack apologized but Sophie cut his sentence in the middle, "Huh? You are sorry huh? "

Seeing all that Lucious let out a deep sigh "Forget it Sophie, What happened, happened..., we can not change the past and Tom was not a kid, he was a soldier. He knew there was a risk of death in his profession." "And Jack, don't dwell on your mistake too much and be alert from now on... once we get the treasure, we will take his body with us. Now on your feet" Lucious said as he looked at both of them.

The team had pressed forward, navigating the treacherous underground tunnel, all the while deflecting a multitude of traps that sought to impede their progress. Their journey had led them to a place where an ominous hill rose before them, with a perilous abyss waiting below. As they contemplated their next move and the tantalizing golden box perched at the hill's peak, 'Heh, finally'

 Lucious's keen senses suddenly detected a sound that made him frown hard. He raised his hand, signaling for the team to halt, and strained to listen.

The sound of countless footsteps reverberated through the chamber, growing louder with each passing moment.

As the unknown group drew closer, the voice of the bald high-ranking officer Vasco boomed from a loudspeaker, echoing through the underground chamber. His mocking tone carried a thinly veiled threat, commanding Lucious to surrender and refrain from opening fire.

'The military..? how they got here?' Lucious couldn't help but think as it was nearly impossible for anyone to come here this fast even if they had a map, It was all thanks to Lucious's intelligence that his team managed to find this place using the map.

Jack, burdened by the guilt of Tom's tragic demise, couldn't bear to see another member of their team fall. With a determined glint in his eyes, he turned to Lucious and said, "Boss, let me hold them off for some time. You quickly grab the treasure and come help me." He gripped his weapon tightly, determination etched across his face.

Without waiting for a response, Jack swiftly raised his gun and ran back in the direction they had come from. His footsteps echoed in the dimly lit chamber as he prepared to confront the approaching threat head-on, allowing Lucious the opportunity to secure the treasure and come to his aid.

As the echoing sound of Jack's footsteps faded into the distance, Lucious sprinted toward the treasure box. This was the first time he had been backed into a corner, and he knew that time was of the essence. He was well aware that the unknown group closing in on them was military, as the voice of the bald high-ranking officer Vasco had reached his ears through a loudspeaker.

Lucious reached the golden box, his hand poised to unlock its secrets. The anticipation and pressure were overwhelming, and his thoughts raced. However, in the midst of this suspense, a piercing sound cut through the air.

*splash*

Lucious's eyes darted down, and his blood ran cold. A gleaming machete had emerged from his stomach, its blade drenched in his own blood. The pain was excruciating, and a gasp of agony escaped his lips as he fell to his knees.

Lucious's mind blanked as he stared back, his gaze falling upon Sophie. she stood there with a serene, blissful smile on her face. Her expression was enigmatic, a stark contrast to the violence that had just unfolded.

Lucious knew her from their cadet days, Lucious never trusted anyone more than her, she had saved him many times, he trusted her more than he trusted Jack or Tom,

'Guess I should have never trusted anyone with my back, huh?' Lucious didn't have a sad face but a curious face as he asked Sophie in a hoarse voice "P-Pains like a bitch, y-you know that..?" With a curious glint, he tried to maintain his voice "Care to e-explain....w..hy..?"

Sophie's voice was filled with a mixture of sorrow and conviction as she uttered her revelation. "It was all Vasco's plan," she began, her words cutting through the suffocating tension in the chamber. "He knew that only you were the one who could find this damn place, so he let you do it. Meanwhile, I had a tracker device hidden away, and it was telling him our location all along. I was nothing more than a pawn in this twisted game."

Her eyes met Lucious's, and they were filled with a haunting blend of regret and determination. "If I were to grab the treasure with you, I'd have to run my entire life in hiding. But if I and Vasco take the treasure," she continued, her voice trembling with emotion, "we can paint a different story. We can say that you took it, then somehow disappeared through a secret path. I will act as if I were Vasco's spy all along, helping the Government by tracking you."

"A G-Good reason.. i-in..deed" Lucious commented.

After telling Lucious all that, she kicks Licious into the abyss "Sorry Luci, but it had to be done" she said while looking at his falling body.

 But she forgot who she was dealing with as he started falling, suddenly smirked. In a split of a second, he took out his gun, aimed at Sophie's head and 

*bang*

He shot Sophie in the head, 'Indeed... a good... reason for me .. to .. kill .. you' Lucious thought as he lost consciousness while free falling.....

/To be continued..../

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[A/N: Man is James Bond, and don't trust someone with your back boies.. ok? ]

[Man 2000 f*cking words, I am beat....]