Chapter 23: Echoes of the Dark

Constant creaks, groans, and metallic clinks echo throughout the chamber, adding an eerie feeling to the gang's cautious movements. Piles of broken machinery, cogs, gears, and trash littered the entryway, forming heaps that climbed higher than the kids. Puddles of stagnant water or chemicals reflected the dull, green light of flickering chemtech lighting.

Looking up, he saw beams crisscrossing with ancient, rusted gears, dimly illuminated by the sporadic ground lights. Beyond that was only darkness, where grinding gears or the occasion thud hinted at the vast unseen machinery of the Old Hungry.

"Wow!" Powder exclaimed, her eyes dancing from the floor to the piles of trash. Vi didn't get the chance to warn her as she dove at the nearest pile, her hands clawing at gadgets and boxes.

"Powder! Be careful!" Vi hissed, her voice sharp with urgency. "We don't know who- or what- is lurking around." Her gaze swept the room, her expression tense and focused.

"This place is a dump." Claggor muttered, beating Mylo to the punch with a disappointed sigh. "What was all the fuss about?"

Mylo shrugged, eyes were drifting over the piles of rubbish. "Beats me- maybe its deeper inside?"

Orion tilted his head, his gaze sweeping the room as he added, "Looks like people have been dumping trash down here for years." His eyes observed some rusted metal dented from a heavy impact, his brow furrowing with concern.

Screeeeech

The gang jumped as the piercing squeal of metal echoed through the room. A cascade of clattering metal objects followed, crashing loudly to the floor. Powder stood frozen, guilt written on her face as she clutched what looked like a metallic torch in her hands.

"Nice going, Powder!" Mylo snapped, throwing his arms up. "Now everyone knows we're here!"

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, but Orion's attention shifted to Vi. Her wide eyes and shallow breaths betrayed her nerves, though she quickly shook her head and squared her shoulders upon Orion's gaze. Straightening her posture, she forced her tone into something more commanding. "Alright, let's keep moving. Keep quiet this time," she growled.

Powder shot Orion a sheepish look before slipping the torch into her bag. The others silently returned to scanning the dim room, their movements slower, more cautious now as they ventured deeper into the room.

A faint flicker of movement caught Orion's eye, snapping his head around as his gaze searched the shadows. He spotted nothing beyond the piles of junk, but unease lingered.

The group pressed on, making it's way to the end of the chamber. Before them stood a heavy door, its surface coated in rust, and a set of metal stairs bolted to the wall, spiraling upward into the depths of the clocktower.

Orion glanced to Vi, whose gaze alternated between the door and the stairs. It was her call-

"Let's climb the tower," Vi declared decisively. Orion sharply cut in with a firm tone. "No."

"What?" Vi snapped, spinning around to face him. "I'm sorry, are you the lead-"

Orion interrupted again, his tone steady but firm. "Don't you care about their safety? Look around. Look at the stairs!" He gestured sharply toward the rusted, unstable structure of the stairs, clinging to the wall. The bolts, corroded and uneven, barely seemed secure.

"We aren't leaving without something good," Vi hissed, her tone sharp with defiance. Spite crept into her voice as she placed a hand on her hip, the other gesturing dismissively at him. "You may not care- after all, you've got Vander's ear. You've even got you're own jobs!"

While the argument simmered, Powder stood closer to Claggor, the two exchanging uneasy glances. Mylo, on the other hand, arched a brow as he studied the door. Inconspicuously moving toward it, his hand slipped into his pouch with practiced ease.

Orion sighed deeply, catching Mylo's movement out of the corner of his eye. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaustion creeping into his tone. "Vi, can we just-"

"What," Vi snapped, her voice filled with irritation. "Do you think you're better than me?"

"No, that's not- look, that has nothing to do with-" Orion stopped mid-sentence, his words cut short by the sound that followed.

Cla-clink.

The metallic click of a lock disengaging cut through the tension like a blade. All heads turned to Mylo, who crouched next the door slightly ajar, a smug grin plastered on his face. His dismissive, mock-innocent tone followed.

"What? You two were taking too long. I want a good haul too."

Vi glared one last time at Orion before turning abruptly. She stormed over and smacked Mylo across the head. "Ow!" he yelped, clutching his head as she continued. Without a second thought, she yanked open the door with no regard for safety or subtlety and strode inside.

The others follow suit. Claggor and Powder shook their heads with disappointment as they passed Mylo, who remained crouched, his expression shifting to one of sheer disbelief. He stood and turned sharply to Orion, who exhaled sharply and shrugged, gesturing toward the door with an open hand before trailing after him.

The room, in stark contrast to the chaos outside, was significantly cleaner- albeit dusty and unkept. A faint chemlight at the back of the room illuminated the surfaces with a typical dull, green hue. At the center stood a sturdy desk with two worn visiting chairs while bookshelves lined the walls. Behind the desk, several hangers displayed what looked like old maintenance uniforms, faded and untouched.

Powder was already by the bookshelves, her fingers trailing the spines of books and boxes of filled with unique, seemingly less plundered items. Her wide eyes darted between the different gadgets, curiosity once again consuming her mind.

Orion spoke up, cutting through the stillness, and ignoring the potential ire he might draw from Vi, "This looks like the custodian's room." 

He wasn't wrong. Vi's head twitched at the remark, her irritation evident even if unspoken. Still, she strode toward the back of the room and dropped herself in the custodian's chair without heed for the grime. Smirking, she leaned back, her posture deliberately exaggerated like that of a chem boss.

Orion rolled his eyes, refusing to take the bait, his attention drifting to Powder and the bookshelves lining the wall.

A haughty huff broke the quiet, followed by the aggressive clatter of cupboards being wrenched open. Orion chose to ignore the noise for now, letting his eyes wander the titles. Brushing away the dust, he uncovered titles etched into the aging spines. How was he was able to read the language, he didn't know, but he could, and his fingers halted at one that said "Mechanical Introductions: Basics of Clockwork"

Carefully, Orion pulled it from the shelf and opened it, a cascade of dust and brittle dead insects spilled from the edges, pattering softly on the floor.

"Ew!" Powder squeaked from beside him, wrinkling her nose.

Orion chuckled, holding the book up for Powder to see. "What do you think? After we've cleaned it."

"Maybe," Powder's nose was still wrinkled, eyeing the title dismissively. "That looks like something little-man would like."

"Little-man?" Orion asked, tilting his head with feigned ignorance. "He likes mechanics too?"

"Yeah!" Powder's expression brightened as she begins to ramble. "He's about my age, and anything that ticks he can't help but tinker with. Benzo's shop has a clock, he's always fixing it. I think Benzo breaks it on purpose." She giggled, glancing up at Orion with a wide grin.

Orion smiled back and briefly ruffled her hair, earning a small squeak of protest before their lighthearted moment was interrupted.

A sudden metallic cascade echoed from outside the room. The sound froze everyone in place. Orion, being the closest to the door, snapped to attention and rushed over to peer out, his heart pounding.

A wet, gurgling sound echoed, the noise thick with rasps of damaged lungs. From the top of a junk heap, a deformed man tumbled down, landing with a sickening thud. His skin was a sickly, pale green, marred with bulbous pustules and tumors that deformed half of his upper body.

Wide, bloodshot eyes, locked onto their location- onto Orion, who was frozen, peering from the door.

Orion had only a split moment, catching the same glint of movement from before, to lunge for the door handle. Loud snarls and wet, fluid-filled barks erupted from the other side, followed by a powerful impact that slammed the door shut. The force sent Orion flying backward, landing hard on his back.

Thankfully Vi was right there. Without missing a beat, she grabbed the lock above the handle and twisted it into place, securing the door with a sharp click.

"What was it?" Vi demanded with a faint tremor of panic.

Orion quickly stood back up, brushing his clothes off. "A chem-hound and a ghoul," he replied flatly.

The group froze, despair settling like a heavy fog as they exchanged uneasy glances. More snarling erupted from the other side, followed by violent bangs that threatened to take the door off its hinges. Powder's breath hitched, fearful squeaks escaping her trembling lips as tears welled up in her wide, terrified eyes.

Orion knew this is where Vi shown. Without hesitation, she silently motions everyone to start searching the room. Then, she walked quickly to Powder, pulling her in for a tight hug and burying her Powder's face into her clothes.

"Don't worry, Powder." Vi murmurs, her voice steady and reassuring despite the chaos. "We'll make it out. I promise."

As she held Powder close, Vi's gaze snaps up to Orion, who stood there staring at the door. Her tone sharpened, "What are you waiting for? Search the ro-"

Orion cut her off by finally pulling the gun from his jacket. With practiced motion, he checked the chamber with a crisp click, ensuring the round was still firmly in place. Another click as he snapped it shut.

Sucking in air between his teeth, Orion turned his gaze back to the group. They were staring at him again in stunned silence, frozen in place.

Vi's expression wavered, surprise breaking through her hardened exterior. Powder peeked out from Vi's arms, her wide eyes locked onto the weapon. Even Mylo and Claggor, who were sifting through cupboards and drawers, froze in disbelief.

"Since when did you-" Vi began, her voice tinged with shock.

"Grab the valuables." Orion interrupted, his voice cold and steady. "Get ready to run."