Their steps echoed deeper into the basement, lights bounced throughout the stairway, faintly reaching the floor as Ema grinned slightly.

  “Is this the first floor?” Jayden questioned with uncertainty, slowly doubting if they were walking towards the right direction.

  “Clearly not.” Counting each step they had taken, it was clear to him that the possibility of the floor's current presence being the first was near impossible. However, being wary of a space warping Versile was better than assuming there wasn’t.

  Before long their eyes laid upon the ground, coldness radiating from every direction as the floor barely reflected enough lights to reach their gaze.

  Eridanus sighed lightly. As if he didn’t have enough of the hallway above, another one was already presenting itself before him, a dark and ominous hallway that spelt despair.

  Extending out to the end of the hallway were rows of cells. Packed tightly in a cramped room, containing two people each, chained by their wrist to the wall. The heavy chains restricted almost all of their movement, and it wasn’t only to people that were worthy of such captivation. People with bodies that seem to almost break at a single touch, their ribcage protruding through the skin didn’t get special treatment from the people that trapped them.

  Maybe they were initially packed with muscles and fat, only later starving inside the cell due to only being fed the minimum requirement for staying alive. Whatever it was, Eridanus didn’t ponder any longer as he squeezed his hands tightly before throwing a glance at Ema. More importantly, the camera in his hand.

  They had enough evidence now and reporting to the organization would only take around 3 to 4 days for them to take action.

  After making sure that the camera was on and active, he pressed his hand on the bars that barriered them and the ‘prisoner’ in the cells. The rough force broke the bottom and top part of the bar with a snap.

  The metal holding the bar snapped violently as it flung across the hallway, swiftly passing the people behind as it barely missed them.

  He entered the cell through the tight entrance he had made. As his hands extended to the fragile skins of them, he gently pressed against their neck with one hand still on the arm.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The almost silent heartbeat assured their life was safe. Even if it was threatening to stop at any moment.

  Eridanus turned back to the group of people that stood outside the cell, quietly observing without any intent to interfere as he stood up from his crouched position before approaching the group.

  Only silence echoed as they exchanged glances, the camera aimed at all of the cells as he nodded the confirmation of the images.

  With every inch of evidence taken, now was the time to leave and report. This place clearly wasn't safe and Eridanus wasn't planning on finding out.

  After storing the storage unit in Jayden, who was undoubtedly the sneakiest one in the group, Eridanus snapped his head to the entrance.

  ‘I hope he's not present up there.’

  “Hey?” A calming voice called out from behind, Eridanus's eyes widened as he swiftly turned in one motion with his fingers tightly wrapped around the handle.

  Before he had the time to find the source, a hand extended between bars, waving? as they revealed themselves.

  “The police?” Eridanus watched as he pushed the others back excluding Jayden before he took another step to examine the person inside.

  They stared at him and Jayden, tilting their head slightly before their body visibly tensed up.

  “You're not them.” The silver eyes glowed in the cell, observing both of them as if they were a threat.

  Jayden nodded before replying.

  “Are you trapped? If you want us to call the officials then tell me everything.” She bargained as both of them locked eyes.

  Jayden was clearly cautious enough to not trust her lightly, and the woman inside the cell wasn't going to trust them either. However, an exchange of information would benefit them, the risk of danger in this aspect was zero to none and she had nothing to lose here.

  After all, if Jayden and Eridanus were the people behind her captivity then they would know everything and if not then it would only help her own escape.

  Finally coming to a decision, her chest puffed up, taking the air into her lungs.

  “I'm a worker contracted by an organization that specialises in time domain and a few days ago I figured out something I shouldn't have in the organization and got locked here. Tomorrow there'll be a massive project that'll presumably affect everyone in Ashnafal and maybe even the neighbouring city which I'm not too sure about. There's someone beside me that broke out of the cell somehow and ran away to get help. Is that enough?”

  Nodding again for confirmation, they exchanged glances.

  “We'll get you out of there in a bit.” Eridanus reassured them as he rushed towards the stairway as the others followed suit.

  Jayden was taken aback by the sudden bolting as she stared at the woman inside the cell before her eyes landed on the melted cell bars right beside.

  “Wait a few hours.”

  Jayden said as she followed suit.

  ***

  She watched as the others bolted out of the room, desperately praying that they would come again to save them from the situation that is the cell.

  “They'll come back right?” A small and fragile voice rang out behind her as she turned to hug the child.

  “Yeah yeah they'll come back.”