“D*mn it," Mia muttered under her breath as she stuck another key into the keyhole, taking quick glances in between each try to see if someone was coming.

“Why are you doing this?" Chloe asked, impatience in her voice as her grip on the bars tightened.

“Why are you helping me?" Mia remained silent, ignoring her question as she mumbled some words to herself. Just as she was about to slot another key into the keyhole, Chloe grabbed her by the shirt, pulling her fast so that she slammed her head onto the bars.

“Chloe,” Mia cursed under her breath as she began rubbing her now swelling forehead.

"I am not letting you go until you tell me why you're doing this," Chloe growled as she slammed Mia's face onto the bar again.

“Why are you letting me go? What did Caleb tell you to do?"

“Caleb didn't tell me anything," Mia answered curtly as she placed her hands on the bar and pulled herself out of Chloe's grip.

“I am letting you go because I… I didn't know this was going to happen.” The whole corridor was drenched in silence, the soft tap of the water droplets nearby occasionally cutting through the tension that had filled the air.

Chloe kept her gaze on Mia, running through everything she had just heard in her mind.

“And how am I sure that I can trust you? How am I sure you're not just leading me still to Rico or Caleb?” Chloe asked as she took a few steps away from the gate.

“How am I sure that you won't double cross me like you did earlier?”

“I… I didn't double cross you, Chloe ," Mia muttered before letting out a soft sigh.

“You can trust me because I am trying to make up for the mistake I made in trusting him.”

She paused, biting down on her lower lip. "You can trust me, Chloe.” After some moment of hesitation and reasoning, Chloe let out a loud sigh before nodding. Smiling softly, Mia dropped down to her knees and continued from where she stopped, shoving one of the keys into the keyhole.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for her to find the right key. Right on her second try after their talk, the gate clicked softly. Chloe didn't waste a moment questioning. As soon as the door creaked open, she bolted out, her fingers wrapping tightly around Mia's wrist.

"How did you get the keys?" she asked forcefully as they walked quickly through the shadowy corridor, doing their best to steer clear of every movement.

“I'm guessing Caleb didn't just hand it to you." "No, I stole them from one of Caleb's guards when I was pretending to clean his room," Mia replied quietly and shaking. She paused, looking down at the keys in her hands as she shook her head.

"I didn't know he'd go that far, Chloe."

She looked up at Chloe. "I swear, I didn't know." Chloe didn't respond. The look of disgust and anger that she had on her face said enough, and Mia knew not to press. The lump she had on her forehead was still throbbing hard.

“Come on," Chloe whispered and they continued on. Chloe had been blindfolded as she was brought to her cell but from the moist air and wet walls, she could tell that the corridor they were in was under the building she had met Caleb at. She wanted to ask Mia, to confirm if that was true, but decided against it. She still was mad at what she did and didn't want to talk to her, at least until they were out of here.

“Stop," Chloe suddenly said, raising her hands. Mia gasped, halting in her steps just as she was about crossing the dark corner of the corridor they were at, into the light.

“W-what’s that–” “Shush," Chloe whispered as she placed her index finger over her lips. Mia kept quiet and leaned against the wall, pressing heard into the darkness just as Chloe had done. Her back hit the wet moss on the wall and she made a gagging motion as its water seeped into her dress and just as she was about speaking, a shadow flashes by them. Mia stuck her head out, looking over the corner to see two of Caleb's masked men walk past, their guns slung behind them. Quickly closing her eyes tight, she pressed her back hard against the wall, trying her best to ignore the water dripping from the back of her clothes.

Chloe hissed under her breath as she watched the masked man walk by. If she really wanted to stand a chance, she had to get herself one of those guns. With careful steps and quiet precision, the duo managed to evade every masked guard until they finally reached a fork in the hallway.

“This way to the armory," Mia said, pointing to the left.

"We can probably find weapons. Maybe even an exit in the back." Chloe paused, her eyes scanning the long hallways stretching before her. Her gaze traveled to Mia who had that innocent look on her face, the same that she had seen back at her house. She wanted to say no, to tell her to turn right but then decided against it. She had to trust her-she had to trust somebody. Sucking in a deep breath, Chloe gave Mia a slow nod. "Alright, then. Take us there." Mia returned Chloe's word with a smile before turning down the hallway she had pointed to.

After ten minutes of hiding and sneaking, they finally reached a long hallway with flickering fluorescent lights and rows of rusting doors. Mia walked the hallway as though she knew it like the back of her hands, taking sharp twists and turns.

They finally arrived at a door with a sign at the top reading, ‘armory’. “Help me," Mia muttered as she walked towards the door, grabbing the wheel handle. Chloe walked up to her and grabbed the handle too as they both began to turn.

Surprisingly, it opened way easier than they both thought it would, but not before creaking loudly, the sharp sound echoing across the hallway. Chloe muttered a curse word under her breath as she pushed the heavy door open. She knew it wasn't going to be long before Caleb's men would come barging.

She had to pack up fast. As they walked into the room, the stench of gunpowder and old metal hit them hard, causing Mia to cough. Without any hesitation, Mia grabbed two pistols and handed one to Chloe. Chloe examined the clip-it was full. “Another," Chloe muttered just as Mia was about to turn towards the door.

“Huh?" she mumbled, turning to face Chloe.

"You need another gun," Chloe answered as she grabbed two more glocks from a nearby shelf and tossed one to Mia. After checking the clip of the new gun and confirming that it was, Chloe tucked the gun into her belt and made it walk out when she heard a low groan erupt from inside the room. Her senses on high alert, Chloe turned, her hands immediately reaching for the gun.

“Did you hear that?" Chloe asked as she took a few steps deeper into the room. Her gaze remained on the dark part of the room, the area where the soft light of the fluorescent bulb refused to touch.

Mia who was already standing outside, frowned as she bit her lips impatiently. “You're just hearing things, Chloe," she shouted softly.

“We need to get out of here now. Caleb's men might be coming." Chloe turned to Mia, gun in hand as she shook her head.

“There is someone here and–” Just before she could complete her words, something leaped out of the shadows and onto her back. Mia let out a loud scream as she watched the being tackle Chloe to the ground, pinning her down.

"LET GO OF HER!!!" Mia screamed as she pulled out her gun and pointed it at the figure. Just as her fingers were about pressing the trigger, he lifted up his face to Mia's.

“Rico?" "Mia?” Rico called out between loud pants. He looked down at the person he was tackling and smiled painfully.

“And Chloe.” He looked back up at Mia and she realized his left eye was already swollen shut.

“You took your sweet time,” he croaked, his voice dry and bitter. Chloe pushed him over, hands trembling as she pointed her gun at him. “Why the heck did you attack me?"

"Because I thought you were one of Caleb's guards,” Rick answered, remaining still as he stared down the barrel of Chloe's gun.

"They locked me up and kept on coming to taunt and insult me. I thought I could give them a surprise attack.”

Chloe scoffed as she brought down her gun, clicked its safety and tucked it behind her again.

"You're lucky I didn't blow your head off.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have come back for me,” Rico said, wincing as he slowly stood to his feet.

“You’ll get yourself killed.”

"Too late," Mia growled, cocking her pistol as she raced back into the room.

Gunfire erupted in the hallway out of nowhere as alarms blared through the hallway. Caleb's men had tracked them down.

"No more talking," Chloe snapped. "Let's go!"