4. Kali

The tunnel we were in was dark. The only reason I wasn't tripping over my feet was because my hand was clasped tightly in Zan's. When I'd told him to bring a flashlight, he ignored me, and I had a feeling he'd done it just to have an excuse to keep me close. We'd been walking for what felt like forever, the sound of Viggo's and Pax's footsteps proving they were still in front of Zan and me.

"You can all walk in the sun. There's no reason to be underground," I muttered.

"No one but you and Gia knows that," Viggo replied from ahead of me. "We don't need vampires getting peeks of us. Once we're out of the city, then we're good."

"Some of these tunnels were already here," Zan added. "We built the rest for us to get around during the day, and for a quick escape in case PARA raids us."

"How long have you lived here?" I asked.

"Over a year."

"What's in Project Hope that your father wants?"

Zan chuckled, and I wished I could see his face. "So many questions, Kali. We'll talk about it later. Watch yourself. We're about to go up steps."

I slowed down and nudged the first step with my foot. Zan's hold tightened on my hand, and we climbed the steep steps. Light suddenly blinded me, and I squinted as my eyes took time to adjust. Pax had opened some sort of door above us, and the sun was high in the sky.

Zan reluctantly released my hand when I pulled away from him. I darted up the last few steps, my heart swelling when I realized where we were. Viggo and Pax were talking quietly, and I stared at them for a moment. I still wasn't used to seeing them in the sun. The sound of running water pulled my attention away from them.

"Just like your tattoo," Zan murmured, stepping up beside me.

A lump grew in my throat when the memory of my first time outside Project Hope popped into my head. The roaring of the river calmed me even now. It was still my favorite place to be. With the ocean being a close second now that I'd experienced it.

"When I joined the Clovers and found out that I'd be able to leave Project Hope, I was so excited." I walked forward, pushing through some bushes until I was close to the river's edge. I could hear Zan following me. "Standing here for the first time was when I felt free. I decided in that moment that I couldn't live my entire life in that one city."

"You won't be stuck in that city ever again," Zan said quietly.

"No," I said bitterly. "I'm just trapped in a different one."

"Don't worry, Kali," Viggo called from behind us. "We don't stay in one place long. A few more months, and we'll go somewhere else. You might be trapped, but at least you'll travel."

"Viggo," Zan snapped. "Stop."

"We're on a timeline," Pax said. "We need to stay on schedule. We're still a half-hour walk from the entrance."

With a sigh, I spun around, bumping into Zan with how close he was. He took advantage of my closeness, wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging me into him.

"Don't wander off when we get inside," he warned. "Stay close to me. PARA will be everywhere."

"I know the inside of those walls better than any of you," I retorted. "You're the ones who shouldn't get lost."

He smiled wickedly. "I'll make sure to stay close."

"Come on," Pax said impatiently, glancing at his watch. "We're running behind."

Peeling Zan's arm off me, I hurried away from the river, my confidence higher now that I was in an area I was familiar with. I knew this forest probably better than Zan and his brothers. Even though they could hear someone coming before I could, my head was still on a swivel, searching for PARA members on instinct.

We moved quickly, and I pushed away my nagging memories. These woods made me think of Warner. Of Helena and Lisa. Every time I'd been out here, I was with at least one of them. My chest tightened, and I upped my pace, trying to only think about what we were doing next. I couldn't afford to be distracted once we got into Project Hope.

We didn't run into anyone as we went through the thick forest, and by the time we got to the tunnel entrance, the sun was still high.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Just past noon," Pax answered.

I nodded. "The next check will be at one. We'll be good."

"I still don't like this," Viggo muttered, shooting me a dark look. "We didn't plan this with her coming."

"Feel free to try it without me," I tossed back. "I mean, with you being able to walk in the sun, you could walk through the front gates. Oh wait—you wouldn't pass the temperature check, would you?"

Vampires ran colder than humans, which was why no one could enter or exit cities without getting their temperature checked. If it wasn't for that, Zan and his brothers would have been able to stroll right into whatever safe city they wanted.

"Enough." Zan's hand landed on my back, and he led me forward. "Let's go."

I spotted the tunnel entrance, and I rushed forward, brushing the leaves and debris off it. Pax came up beside me and rolled the lid to the side, revealing the tunnel I'd traveled through so many times.

"Does it feel like you're coming home?" Viggo asked, cocking his head.

"No," I answered honestly. "Project Hope never felt like a true home."

I dropped into the tunnel, landed hard on my feet, and then moved forward. Zan jumped down next, followed by Viggo and Pax, who all landed much more gracefully than I did. Without waiting, I ran my fingertips along the wall as I strode through the narrow passage. After a couple of minutes, I hit the end and reached around, trying to find the rope so I could haul myself up.

"How the hell do you get up there by yourself?" Viggo asked. "That can't be easy with human strength."

"Usually there's a Clover up there, waiting to help. But in a pinch, we can open it," I said, my stomach knotting painfully. It was the ultimate betrayal that I was talking Clover business with vampires.

"I'll go first." Zan's voice came from right next to me, and then he moved away. I couldn't see anything, but I heard him as he climbed up the rope. A few moments later, a crack of light appeared as he pushed open the lid. He peered through the small space before heaving it off the rest of the way. Viggo handed me the rope, and I gripped it, hauling myself up. The rope bit into my palms, and once I neared the top, Zan's hand came into sight. His fingers wrapped around my wrist, and he pulled me up the rest of the way.

"Zan," I hissed when he didn't let go, and I fell on top of him once I was out of the hole. He ignored my struggles when I attempted to untangle myself from him. "We need to get out of sight. Now isn't the time to mess around."

He chuckled. "No one's around. I'm listening."

Pax appeared next, and once I was free from Zan's hold, I glanced around. There were no windows facing this way, making it the perfect place for the tunnel. Viggo grumbled something under his breath as he situated the lid back over the hole.

"All right," Pax said in a low voice. "We'll meet back here in one hour."

My eyes snapped to him. "We're splitting up? Why?"

"You and I will find Tim and Jill," Viggo told me. "Zan and Pax have something else to do."

I whipped around to look at Zan. "You never said anything about something else."

"You didn't ask." Zan's face revealed nothing. "This is Kane business, Kali. Something you don't need to be involved with."

"Business against humans," I breathed out. "I won't be a part of it?—"

"You're not," Zan cut me off, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the closest building. "You're here to help with Tim and Jill. You want us to entrance them, right?"

I jerked a nod, not trusting my voice. Anger rushed through my veins, and I bristled when Viggo came to my side, and Zan didn't seem particularly pleased about it either. All three of them were Kanes, yet I felt more uneasy about being with Viggo than with Zan.

"The twins can't go together. They'll draw too much attention," Zan said gruffly, answering my silent question. "We'll meet back up soon."

Zan backed me up until I hit the rough brick wall, his palm landing next to my head, his other hand landing on my hip. I didn't move a muscle when he leaned in until his lips were a breath away from mine.

"I won't be long. Don't get yourself into trouble," he murmured.

I raised an eyebrow. "It's you three who are going to get into trouble. I could sneak around this city for days without raising suspicion."

He grinned. "Worried about me?"

"Of course not," I snapped.

Zan didn't respond, giving me a long look before he backed up and slunk away with Pax, going toward the middle of the city.

"Where are they going?" I asked Viggo as we began walking down the side street.

"They're not going to hurt anyone," he said with a sigh. "We're looking for something."

"For what?"

"I know where Tim and Jill live. You said that Tim worked in the cafeteria. Where is that?" he asked, fully ignoring my question.

I pointed to the left. "Two streets down. Jill helps with the daycare, but usually in the evenings. She'll probably be in the bunker right now. If they're even in the city."

"They are. We've had scouts watching the tunnel. No human has left in the last few days."

Fear jolted down my spine when two PARA members appeared down the street, marching our way. Viggo didn't acknowledge them, his demeanor not changing at all. I kept my eyes on the ground, something I would have done even if I wasn't a fugitive. No civilian wanted the attention of PARA when they patrolled.

They swept past us, not paying us any attention, and I sagged in relief. Viggo was staying close enough that his shoulder kept brushing mine with every step, and even though his face was a mask of indifference, his body was tight. Tense.

We didn't say a word as I led him toward the bunker. The streets were decently busy like they usually were at this time. People were on their break for lunch, and most hurried home to eat whatever they had because the food in the cafeteria was barely edible. This was why it was the perfect time to be here, when the streets were full. It kept us from standing out.

"Here," I muttered under my breath, halting in front of the apartment building. Glancing down the street, my heart seized when I spotted the library. Asami was the only person in this city that I'd love to see. Other than going there to get books, we'd barely spoken in years because she'd wanted to keep distance between us.

"Is this where you lived?" Viggo asked, scanning the crumbling structure with a frown.

"No. I lived in the one across the street."

"Fucking depressing," he muttered. "No wonder humans leave. Dee was right when she told me stories of these cities."

"It's not like we have a choice. Let's get this done."

Before I could reach for the door, Viggo snatched my arm, pulling me back. I let out a protest, shooting him a scathing glare.

"It's obvious you still have feelings for these people, even after what they were going to do to you." Threat dripped from every word he spoke. "I'm not Pax. Or Zan. I'm not going to allow you to get me killed or taken. Do not forget what I said about Warner."

"Let me go," I gritted out. "I'm not going to do anything."

"Good." With that, he released me and pulled open the door. I slipped inside, with him following close behind me. There were a couple of people inside, but none of them paid us any attention as I headed down the dimly lit hall. The insides of these buildings were just as dismal as the exterior.

"How do you know about the bunker?" Viggo whispered as we walked. "I'd guess this kind of place is pretty heavily guarded."

"It is," I replied tightly. "It's where I got my tattoo. The only place we didn't have to worry about getting interrupted."

Viggo snickered. "Oh, it's killing you to bring a vampire here, isn't it?"

It was, but since he already knew that, I didn't give him a response. About halfway down the hall, I stopped in front of the staircase. After making sure no one was around, I slipped under the rickety steps and quickly found the false wall panel. I pushed against it, and the other panel next to it popped open, revealing a small, narrow passageway that would be just big enough for Viggo to fit through.

I crawled through first, instructing Viggo to pull the panel back in place once he was through. He muttered curses under his breath, his shoulders scraping the dirt walls. Once he moved the panel, we were bathed in darkness. But just like the tunnel, I knew this path by heart. Staying on my hands and knees, I hurried forward, remembering the pathway like I'd been here yesterday.

Memories rushed through my head as I pushed ahead, climbing out of the small hole and landing on my feet in the open area. I could hear Viggo beside me, and I was sure he was surveying the room I couldn't see in the dark. But I'd seen it before, and there wasn't much. The walls and floor were dirt, and it was empty.

"There's nothing here," he said, his voice filled with suspicion.

I rolled my eyes, striding forward, keeping my hands in front of me until I hit the back wall. Following the packed dirt, I moved confidently, reaching the back corner in a few steps where there was another narrow pathway. I had to walk sideways to fit, and I didn't look back to see if Viggo was following. It wasn't long before I finally saw a dim light, and my heart pounded unevenly. The only time there was light was when someone was down here.

Once I reached the end, I paused for a moment before exiting the pathway. The second I stepped into the large room, a body slammed into me.