The dense, suffocating dark of the underground transit tunnels pressed heavily against the armored personnel transport vehicle as it jolted through the subterranean network. Inside the cramped steel cabin, the air was thick with the bitter stench of diesel exhaust, burnt wiring, and damp rust. The vehicle staggered violently over a warped section of the iron tracking, forcing its occupants to shift against the cold metal structures of their seats. A singular, low-voltage interior bulb flickered overhead, casting a sickly yellow pallor over the space and highlighting the absolute void of communication that had settled between the front row positions.
Erica sat rigidly on the opposite bench, completely ignoring the mechanical vibrations tearing through the chassis of the transport. Her fo
