The tunnels were quiet, not even the ambiance of the water surrounding the Vault echoed through the walls of the Vault. The base felt deserted...emptiness ruled the halls. The sound of Reed's feet patting against the floor was eerily loud in the apparent silence, making her cringe with every echo she produced. She couldn't hear anything, not even the team "fixing" the wiring around the storage. The Vault felt dead even though all of them were still breathing... but not for long...

How does one break the news that no one is going to save them? That no one is looking for them? That the broadcast they have all mistaken for the rescue party was in fact just some of the other survivors desperately reaching out to whoever was out there...

The news weighed heavy on her shoulders, a profound sense of failure nipping at her hills like a rabid hound. She knew she had no control over it... She couldn't have changed the outcome of the message or whoever remained on the surface and yet the tears stung her eyes. She'd always felt like a failure, only forgetting about it for mere moments... Through years of therapy, she knew that her attitude was most likely an outcome of a traumatic childhood, and she did often blame Diane for the way she was brought up... But the emotional part of her brain still responded like a wounded child, fearing what others might say to her when she brought up the news.

She stopped in her tracks, eyes gazing down the dark hallway. She couldn't force herself to move, her body taking the next turn towards the storage.

Her mouth was dry from stress, she needed a drink... Soon she reached the filtration machine, grabbing one of the cups before pressing a button. The mug filled up with water, the liquid tasting sweet on her parched tongue. She coughed, the water going down the wrong track. She leaned over the machine, coughing violently. She kept her forehead against the cool surface of the filter, staring down at her feet.

What was she going to tell them? There was no point... There was no point to anything anymore...Their food was gone...Their chance of rescue was gone... Was it even worth it to tell everybody that nobody was coming for them? What if everybody gives up? Was that what Ryan felt when he discovered the transmitters couldn't be fixed?

No...She had to tell them... That was the honest thing to do and besides, Reed wasn't as good of a liar as anybody else... They would see right through her...

Reed left the storage, heading once again towards the Observatory feeling like she would collapse any second. The weight of the news was crushing, and she was about to make it worse...

However, upon entering the Observatory she was greeted by rather disheartening scenery. Everyone else seemed to be gathered in the room, silently sitting around the flashlight. Alex and Ryan sat next to each other, elbows resting on their knees each wearing a sombre expression. Isabella sat opposite them, her face pale and her eyes staring into nothingness. Aksel's head rested hidden in his arms, the man curled up against the wall in the back of the room.

"We couldn't fix the storage..." Ryan muttered quietly.

But you already know it...

"We are going to starve..." Aksel's muffled whisper felt loud in the silence infesting the Observatory.

"We are going to starve..."

Reed's eyes slid across the faces of the gathered, her fingers twitching.

"Um...I..."

The faces turned to her, inquiring eyes tearing through her body and soul. She struggled to speak, words weighing her down. Her throat felt tight.

"The broadcast..." she started, but the noise of Isabella standing up. The woman marched to her, arms grabbing for Reed's shoulders, previously unseen desperation marking her features. Her sclera shone in the darkness, making her eyes appear bigger than they actually were.

"What about the broadcast? What did they say?" her whisper was barely audible but enough to send chills down her spine. She could feel everybody's eyes on her, waiting... Begging for good news. She gulped, her thumbs scratching over her knuckles in an attempt to distract herself from the feeling of exposure. She took her final inhale, words cramming in her mouth until she couldn't hold them anymore.

"The broadcast we've heard was an SOS signal from a British Submarine...It wasn't GOI..."

The silence was excruciating, the whole room was enveloped by a veil of sorrow. The air seemed to vibrate from the sheer tension, ringing in Reed's ears while she stared into Isabella's eyes. Her manicured hands slid down Reed's shoulders eventually sliding off before hanging limply along Isabella's torso. Her eyes were blank and unmoving, gazing into Reed's green irises in a daze.

A choked sob ripped out from Aksel's throat, the man curling up into himself while muttering something in rapid Danish.

"Are you sure?" Alex stood up, approaching Reed.

"That's what the woman said... They are an Oxford submarine stuck on a reef so most likely..." she didn't need to finish.

Most likely they are stuck here with us...

"Did they say anything else? Where they are? Coordinates?"

"No, the signal-"

"How do you know if they are stuck with us here? Or that nobody is looking for us? The broadcast we heard last time might have been different."

"I didn't say nobody is-"

But everybody knows they aren't...

"You don't know if they are in here with us! You cannot know that-"

"Alex, listen-"

"No! You can't just say something so fucked up and-"

"It's the Oxford Submarine! Why do you think they would send them anywhere near our range if not for investigating that goddamn-" Reed's mouth snapped shut at the sound of scraping above them. All heads snapped up, fearful eyes following the sound of an enormous creature dragging itself over the roof. Aksel was heaving, his hands clutching his ears trying to block the noise. A startled cry escaped his throat at yet another sound of something above them grinding against the metal.

Right there and then, an eardrum-rapturing cacophony of high-pitched cries echoed through the Vault, the world around them shaking violently. Reed's lip trembled, tears falling down her face at the monstrous sound, hands desperately covering her ears to protect them from the whaling. Reed was sure, that if hell existed, it would sound exactly like the creature outside... A collection of hundreds of voices screaming in anguish... Women...Men...Children... The terrifying screech stole the breath from her lungs, blurred her vision and made her stomach turn.

"Stop...Please stop..." she could only utter. Another raw cry spilt out of Aksel's lips, the man shaking like a leaf.

"Quiet! Be Quiet!" Alex hissed, his eyes jumping between the crew and the Dane in the corner. The walls groaned under pressure, making the cowering scientist press further against the wall.

"¡Dios mío, nos va a matar!*" Isabella gasped, hands pressing against her mouth. An audible sound of clawing vibrated through the room, cartilage scraping against the wall Aksel had been pressing against. It took mere seconds for Alex to snap, leaping over to Aksel.

"Nej...Nej...Nej...Nej...*" Aksel's mantra flowed through the air, gaining volume with every word he said. Alex's burly arms tightened around the hem of Aksel's t-shirt, yanking him away from the wall.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" He attempted to drag the trembling man up to his feet, shaking him by the shoulders. Aksel attempted to scramble away from Alex, the blonde demonstrating an astonishing fit of strength by pulling the man backwards. A scream ripped out of Aksel's chest, but before it could gain volume, Alex's fist connected with the other's face sending him straight to the floor. The Dane fell to his knees, spitting out blood but before anybody could react Alex hoisted him up once again, gripping him by the front of the collar.

"Shut the fuck up..." he gritted out.

All stood frozen, listening to the gradually fading sounds of the creature. The screaming finally stopped, leaving their ears ringing. Reed's head was spinning, the contents of her stomach threatening to escape. She didn't feel tired, but rather jittery and from what she could see the others weren't faring much better. Ryan's hands hung motionless along his torso, face pale as a sheet with his eyes not leaving the ceiling. Alex was shaking, his grip loosening and letting Aksel's knees make contact with the floor with a thud.

"I...I-I...I...I have to go to the Lab..." Isabella muttered, nails digging into her forearms. She made a move to leave, reminding Reed more of a ghost than the head-strong scientist Reed had met a mere two weeks prior.

"No..." Alex's whisper echoed in the silence. Isabell made no move to stop, seemingly her body moving on autopilot. Before she could go out of Alex's reach, his hand shot up and grabbed her forearm, successfully stilling her.

"No..." he said more forcefully. His fingers tightened around her thin arm, Isabella's head hanging low with hair escaping from her neat bun.

"Nobody..." he pulled her back.

"Nobody is fucking leaving until we figure this out..."

He detached his hand from Isabella's forearm, red fingerprints staining the white coat lab she'd been wearing the whole day...

"This is Rowan Reed, on behalf of the GOI... We have been swallowed by an unidentified creature we have been studying. Our coordinates are 60,94 and -15,22. We have no food reserves. Please send help if you hear this..." she paused, eyes looking at the radio expectantly. Minutes passed, yet no answer came from the speaker.

"I repeat, this is an SOS signal. Our coordinates are 60,94 and -15,22. Please send help."

Nothing...There was nothing... not even a crackle of static. She pressed the button again, her heart heavy in her chest.

"Anybody? We are going to starve here...please..."

But no answer came, the room remained silent as always. She couldn't take it. Her bandaged knuckles ached from having made contact with the console perhaps too many times.

"Fucking piece of shit..." she cried out, frustration pouring out.

"We are going to starve...We all are going to starve..."

It's been three days since they found out about Oxford...Or at least she thought so...The days blurred with the night, having no indication what time it was outside. The spirits were lower than ever and with Alex taking over the tension in the air made it hard to breathe. Reed had been confined to the Radio Room ever since the argument, even giving up on returning to the Observatory for the night... She was desperate...Desperate for somebody to hear them.

It'd been over a week since the cold storage completely thawed, the humidity only speeding up the process of decomposition. It was yesterday that they had officially run out of food, the smell of rot so pungent and gut-turning that the doors had to be sealed. It's been over 48 hours since any of them ate... Reed's stomach grumbled, reminding her exactly why she needed to keep going. She wiped the tears with her sleeve, reaching for the button yet again.

"My name is Rowan... I..." her voice trembled.

"I...If anybody hears this...Can you contact my mum and...and my sister...My-my mother's name is Diane Reed and her phone number... +353* 516 12...4..." She couldn't hold the sob at the memory of the little song she made up to remember the exact numbers. She didn't even say a proper goodbye...How could she just roll her eyes at Ruth when she dropped her off? Why didn't she wake up Diane to say goodbye? Why didn't she message any of them?

"Why...Why didn't you hug her you fucking idiot..."Reed gritted out through her teeth, hands travelling into her hair before clamping on the ginger curls. Diane was a hard-to-impress woman with a narcissistic streak, who hurt her continuously throughout her youth, while Ruth could behave like a spoiled, self-centred brat sometimes and yet... and yet Reed would give just about anything to see them again. To wake up in her old bed, in her old room and just... and just be there... It was quite funny ...Before the GOI Reed couldn't stand being in that house for too long... Her life... All of her life was...

Her eyes widened at the realisation, her heart practically stopping...All of her life was...wasted. There was not a single meaningful thing that she left behind... Her books were worthless trash she wrote to appease Bell while still in college, sacrificing friendships, dating and overall using the time she had on her hands in hopes of achieving something great...And she was robbed of that greatness... She didn't have anybody...No friends...No significant other...

She let out a humourless chuckle, tasting the salty tears on her tongue.

She was so alone, she was missing her mother...The person she harboured so much hurt towards...

"Pathetic..." Reed whispered.

You are pathetic...

Nobody is listening...

Nobody is out there...

The radio suddenly turned on, a strange sort of echo spilling out of the speakers before a male voice answered.

"I...I don't know if it's appropriate but...I am really sorry it happened to you guys..."

Reed jumped in surprise, not expecting an actual response... She didn't recognise the male voice, a spark of hope igniting through her body. Somebody...Somebody heard her broadcast! They wouldn't have to follow through with the plan...

"Hello? I am Rowan Reed, can you hear me? We are trapped here and-"

"I know..." The sombre tone of the man on the other side made Reed's stomach drop.

"You've made contact with us before...You know, Oxford?"

The stranger successfully snuffled any spark of hope that might have been coursing through her body. She slumped back into her chair, her eyes stinging from shedding tears so often.

"I...I am sorry, I am not who you expected..."

"No, it's...Alright...I don't think I even expected anybody..." She couldn't hold the disappointment from her voice.

"Yeah..." The man agreed awkwardly. They sat in silence, only the crackling of the open channel filling the void growing between them.

"My name is Laine... Laine Melia..."

For a second Reed hesitated, not seeing the point of exchanging pleasantries with the man, but after some consideration, she responded back.

"Rowan Reed..."

"Nice to meet you, Rowan... Are we on the first name basis even?"

Something about his question made her lip quirk up.

"Ummm...I don't mind but I prefer you call me Reed...Nobody calls me Rowan except my mother."

"Ah, I understand...In that case, nice to meet you, Reed..."

She wasn't sure what to say or how to respond, having grown so used to interacting with the crew of the Vault, not to mention she'd never been a people person.

"Nice to meet you too...Laine..." a subtle shade of pink colouring her features.

"Did...Did you hear all of that?"

Laine released an awkward chuckle.

"Yeah, I...I kind of did... Couldn't just leave you like that on the call..."

"Yeah, Of course..." Reed muttered, too ashamed of her outburst especially in front of somebody who seemed to be handling the situation well enough to be concerned about a stranger.

"I take it that you guys didn't receive any news from the surface?"

Reed shook her head, before remembering Laine couldn't actually see her.

"No...Still waiting..."

Don't let him see how desperate you are... How bad it is... Be civil...

"Yeah, but I am sure somebody will come for us...I know they will...I bet somebody is looking for us even right now..." Although his tone didn't waver, Reed felt his confidence crumbling.

"Oh...I have to go...I...I am really glad I could talk with you, haven't had contact with anybody else ever since..."

"Yeah, I-I get that..."

"Well, I'll keep you updated if we catch the signal from anybody. You have my word."

The broadcast went silent, Laine disconnecting from the Radio, leaving Reed alone in the room again. She wasn't sure what to feel, the man seemed certainly quirky but sincere. Although hearing Laine's voice through the speakers brought little relief, knowing that there was someone out there wanting to talk...To be there...It brought a sad smile to her face... She couldn't make any assumptions about him yet, but her desperate for comfort heart appreciated the man answering her call.

"Laine, huh?" she muttered to herself, a twinge of guilt stinging deep inside of her. She was grateful for the comfort he offered... but disappointed...

These weren't meant for you...

She leaned back into the chair, thumbs rubbing against each other...

Don't think about it...Just don't think about it... Don't think about...

How fucked we all are... How all of us are going to die... Starve...Or worse...

But she was thinking about it... and also them. The pills were right there, waiting...Calling. She could escape, even if just for a little bit.

Don't do it...

Don't think about it...

You want to prove them right? You want to prove HIM right?

Only it didn't matter...It didn't matter what others thought...Not anymore...

She stood up, the chair rolling away from her with a groan. Her mind was screaming, begging for her not to do it, but her body filled up with liquid heat...The burning sensation of unquenchable want she could only alleviate with the sweet numbness.

They are right there...They are right there... And I just need to take them...

It felt as if she was watching herself from a third-person perspective, a ghostly figure of a woman swaying while she walked, gentle hands unlocking the door to the Radio Room.

She wanted to scream, to beg for the miserable creature before her eyes to stop, but all that came out from her mouth was...

"Keep Going..."

Despite feeling like the time slowed down, she made it to her room fast, her seemingly graceful steps more rushed and clumsier than she believed. The doors slid open, revealing her room in complete disarray. She'd been here only to change clothes before, her resolve way stronger than now. The light shone over the room, her untouched laptop, sketchbooks and the photos of her family. She quickly turned her light away from the smiling faces, a part of her ashamed to face them even on a printed piece of paper. She practically floated through the room, ignoring the fact that her clothes were practically all dragged onto the floor... She slid the door open, her greedy fingers immediately reaching for the duffle bag stashed behind the toilet bowl. Reed ripped the bag from behind the cold porcelain, prying open the zippers before her hands plunged into the darkness, her phone between her teeth while she searched...

Despite how long she rummaged through the bag, the familiar rattle of prescription bottles wouldn't come. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead, limbs trembled with anxiety.

Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?

She almost tore the bag in half, her hands rough with the cheap material. She looked around, crazed eyes scanning the surroundings as her heart pounded. Reed jumped to her feet, tearing open the small cabinet, her toiletries spilling into the sink and the floor. The shampoo bottle was uncapped upon impact, squirting the coconut-scented liquid all over the floor. She practically ran out of the bathroom, grappling with the door to her closet before tearing it open. The clothes were flying, the mattress was pulled off of the bedstead.

Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Where is it? No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!

She searched through every nook and cranny, tearing through the room like a tornado, destructive and uncaring of her surroundings. She could feel the tears of frustration spill down her face, the burning craving overwhelming her senses.

The pills were gone, nowhere to be found. She backed away, dropping onto the chair, still clutching some t-shirt. The pills were gone...but she didn't take them. She didn't take or move them, so somebody must have snuck in here, go through her things and take them...That was the only other option. She would never misplace them...Never.... She needed them, the memory of the phantom hands in the dark still haunting her... And she had the exact person in mind that could have done this...

Hot, white rage coursed through her veins.

That lying son of a bitch...That goddamn traitor...

She stomped out of the room, dead set on finding a certain engineer. If it weren't for the lack of shoes on her feet, the Vault would be echoing with the rushed steps of an enraged beast, crazed with hunger. Her stomach grumbled, not having tasted food in the past few days, head ached as the violet thoughts tumbled around her head. She felt like a wild animal, ready to pounce at any moment...

She finally made it to the Communal, taking a sharp turn towards the Emergency... She could hear the quiet buzzing, Ryan and Alex working on unsealing the floodgate to the emergency. She could see the two melt the previously installed seals, the corridor filled with the subtle smell of smoke from their torches.

"Ryan? Can I talk to you for a moment?" her voice echoed through the steel walls, catching the attention of two men. Both turned around, sliding the wielding masks off to reveal their confused faces. They exchanged looks, both sensing the unease oozing from the newcomer.

"In private?" she hissed, earning a raised eyebrow from Alex. Ryan glanced at his companion, silently asking permission. Alex swatted his hand at him, telling him to go before he slid the mask back on. Ryan rose to his feet with a grunt, wiping the soot from his hands against his pants before following Reed out of earshot.

"Reed..." he tried, but the woman raised her hand, shutting him up instantly. To say she was angry was an understatement.

"Tell me Ryan, just who the fuck do you think you are?" she hissed. Ryan backed away in surprise, the animosity in her voice making him immediately assume defence.

"What do you mean? I didn't-"

"Where did you hide them, huh?"

"What?"

"Oh, don't be fucking clever with me..." She looked around, making sure that they weren't being listened to...

"Where is my medication, Ryan?"

His face fell slightly, eyes going dark as if he'd suffered a major disappointment. He leaned backwards, supporting himself against the wall before crossing his arms.

"I am honestly disappointed, I thought that maybe... Maybe you came here to talk about...what happened between us..."

Reed snorted.

"As if...I have nothing to talk to you about..." she glared at him.

"Where are the meds, Ryan? Can we please wrap this up so I don't have to look at you any longer than I need to?"

"You know you can't avoid me forever-"

"Meds, Ryan!"

The man sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I haven't been anywhere near your glorified tranquilisers, but on second thought, whoever had done this deserves a fucking badge of honour. Are you serious? Getting high while we fight for our lives? Jesus, I can't believe this..."

"They are not for getting high! I have a condition-"

"You mean addiction? Have you been taking them this whole time?"

A fucking junkie who got molested... Can't you see it, Ryan?

"Accusing me of lying? Unlike you, I have been fucking honest the entire-"

"Honest the entire time? You think I didn't know why you got so friendly with me? To use me?"

Reed could feel the heat travel to her cheeks. Ryan seemed positively enraged.

"You are a fucking hypocrite, Rowan...You tried to use me to cover up that you brought drugs disguised as medicine to the Vault and yet... And yet I have been nothing but kind to you-"

"Kind to me? You fucking slandered me to the entire Vault! Junkie? Molested? Is that how you see me?"

"I never said those things!"

"Oh, so how come everybody else knows about me using meds? Or about Aksel, huh?"

Ryan sucked the air in, throwing her a challenging look.

"You don't have a prescription on those, do you?"

His question stunned her, knuckles tightening as she stayed silent.

"If you had a prescription, this? The whole thing wouldn't be an issue, right?" he took a step forward.

"I didn't take your stupid fucking meds... but honestly? I wish I fucking did... You are like a child coming here. You thought you were subtle or something? Coming in with nervous ticks? Being reclusive? Do you think nobody heard the rattling? Everybody knows Reed...I didn't have to tell them shit... Don't pretend like you are anything but a self-destructive burnout..."

She stood there, too stunned to speak.

"We were in a competitive setting, of course, any weakness would be taken advantage of and yet you... Haven't you already been through something like this before? Do you ever learn from anything that happens to you? Do you ever just sit back at look at yourself?"

His green eyes bore the fury of thousands of storms.

"Before you judge me take a good hard look at yourself first, because Reed...If anybody here is dishonest here, it's you... I didn't take your meds and now, if you excuse me, I would like to prep the gate before tomorrow..."

Ryan turned around, marching angrily towards where he came from, leaving Reed in a sort of shocked daze. She stood there, watching him go and disappear in the darkness of the hallway...

A fucking hypocrite...

A fucking fraud...

He got her right where it hurt...

"Are you crazy? This is never going to work! I already told you, absolutely no-"

"Yes, and you got us wasting time trying to fix something beyond fixing."

"No...Nobody is going out there! I will not allow it."

"And remind me once again...Who exactly are you to forbid me from doing this?"

"I...The GOI-"

"The GOI is not here..."

"No! You cannot do this-"

"So, you would rather sentence us to death than listen to me?"

"Isn't there any other way?" Reed muttered, waiting for the screen to light up. Isabella sat beside her, silent fury oozing from her. The woman sat with her hands crossed, warily observing the flickering lights and buttons around her.

"You heard Alex...The UUV Dock is blocked by some debris from the Vault and the exo-suits aren't exactly easy on the body..."

"Yeah, I understand, but sending two at once? Shouldn't we just send one and-"

"No...We need as much food as possible and the two can carry more." Isabella answered coldly, her tone lowering in warning.

Let me be.

The monitor opened, the camera showing one of the exo-suits turned on revealing multiple angles, including Aksel's terrified face. Isabella leaned forward, pressing the radio button.

"Aksel do you copy?"

The man nodded, not saying a word. His eyes frantically jumped around the room, the sheen of sweat shining on his pale forehead. Unlike Alex, Aksel was forced to go with him instead of Ryan, the other man being way too valuable to risk his life outside of the Vault.

Another window opened on the screen as Alex's camera came to life. Although visibly nervous, Alex was smiling through the terror, releasing a nervous chuckle as the suit fully strapped around him. Reed could see Ryan through Alex's camera, the man walking back and forth between the two capsules, checking the parameters. He looked at the two men, raising his thumbs in a silent question. Both of the scientists raised their thumbs back, Ryan gracing them with a nervous smile.

"Let's go through the plan once again..." he said quietly, awkwardly stepping away from the pods.

"The emergency food storage should be about 150m South from here. You will go there on foot as quietly and quickly as possible. No lights. No talking or radioing if it's not necessary. The exo-suits have night vision, so you will be able to see about a few meters ahead of you." He paused, searching for any sign of confusion from the participant.

"The storage should look like a steel cube in the dark, with a darker shelf for depositing rations. To receive the rations, you will need to put in a four-number code on the keypad. I will tell you the code after the debrief so that you can focus on the plan. After punching in the code, hit the blue button at the bottom of the keypad and the shelf will open. The rations are stored in cubical, fridges. One fridge should last us about four to six days. Normally, we would have used the faster UUV to transport these, but since it's been put out of commission, you will have to load the fridges onto your backs, which means one box per person. After you are ready and loaded, you close the deposit shelf with the green button on the keypad and make your way back to the dock. Everything clear?"

"Find the cube, punch the code, load up and return. Roger that..." Alex gave Ryan a cheeky grin, fighting hard to mask his uncertainty. Ryan didn't find his attitude amusing, sighing quietly before his eyes locked with one of the cameras.

"If... The suit has a defence mechanism against any malicious life forms that you might encounter. There should be a button at the centre of the chest plate, which will activate an electro-shock wave to deter any assailant. Use it only when absolutely needed...The shock generator uses a lot of power from the battery. If you use it more than twice it might...shut down... or worse..."

Reed couldn't help but focus her eyes on Aksel, who seemed to be balancing on the verge of a panic attack. His breath was quick, and the pulse displayed by the small screen quickened the second time Ryan mentioned having to use the shocks. His face trembled, eyes glazing over.

"Maybe we should pull him out?" Reed muttered, glancing at Isabella. The other woman seemed to have been deep in thought, not reacting to Reed's comment in the slightest. Her face bore the kind of far-away stare that made a chill run up Reed's spine. It was only after Isabella felt Reed's eyes on her causing her to snap out of the strange trance and turn to the other scientist.

"What?"

"I think we should pull Aksel out...Look at him..." she pointed at the monitor. Isabella's eyes trailed the screen, a ghost of anger flashing through her eyes.

"No...That's the least he can do... You feel sorry for him?"

The thought of pitying Aksel made Reed's stomach turn.

"No, it's just...We need this to work and he..."

"It'll be fine..."

She looked back at the screen, Aksel's eyes squeezed shut as he tried to catch his breath.

"Aksel? You all right?" Ryan asked from above him, standing with his hand resting on the sliding glass door of the capsule. Aksel opened his eyes, taking a deep breath...and another...and another...

"Aksel... It's going to be all right, buddy..." Alex's voice echoed through the comm.

"We are going to be just fine, right? It's just a short walk..."

Alex's words seem to work, the man glancing sideways towards Alex's capsule.

"Yeah?" he breathed out, his voice small and unsure.

"Yeah..." Alex smiled to the camera.

"Tell you what, once we are back you can have the first pick from the fridge, huh?"

Reed couldn't help but feel saliva gather on her tongue at the mention of food. Her stomach wasn't even grumbling anymore, only sending waves of pain every now and then as her body demanded food.

The mention of food finally convinced Aksel, who, although hesitantly, nodded at Ryan.

"I...Let's do this..."

Ryan nodded, sliding Aksel's capsule shut before doing the exact same with Alex's. The locks clicked shut, the capsule secure and ready to be filled with water.

Reed slumped in her chair, anxiously tapping her feet against the floor. The hunger was getting more and more unbearable with every day, the sharp pain echoing through her body reminding her of needles piercing through her intestines. The hunger was getting to everybody, pushing each of the scientists to a new kind of edge they'd never known before... It was visible in the way they moved, talked...How their eyes became sunken, faces pale and skin dry. Even this morning, Reed had pulled out a clump of hair from her head, the thinned-out strands breaking in her hands.

It's been three days since they had eaten... and Reed didn't want to find out what actual starvation felt like.

Soon, Ryan had walked through the door, silently hovering above Reed with his eyes clearly telling her to move.

"Excuse me..." he muttered, Reed slipping onto the empty chair beside her, with now Ryan sitting between the women. She hated how easy it was for him to remove her from the seat, his words echoing through her head.

You are like a child...

She glanced at him only for a second, her eyes meeting and making her shudder. She looked away, unwilling or perhaps unable to hold his gaze, narrowly avoiding the flash of sadness in the deep green pools. She chose to keep her eyes on the screen, eyes following Alex's pulse before the night vision finally activated.

The screens erupted in a flurry of dark green, showing the steel inside of the chamber as it lowered itself down, bubbles going up with the new current. Suddenly, a dull thud echoed through the speakers, the platform both men were standing on twisted, locking in place before the hatch finally opened. Reed could feel the anticipation pool into her chest and stomach, making her muscles tingle from the tension. If anybody were to speak, she would surely jump in her seat.

Before the two men stretched through complete darkness, the abyss gazed back hungrily at the newcomers. The area around them weirdly reminded Reed of the desert, miles of sandy dunes spreading in all directions...At first glance dead and empty...but she knew better than to believe her eyes.

Ryan pressed the communicator, the crackling filling the room.

"From now on no talking. You can only press the communicator during an emergency. I will guide you towards the storage, okay?"

Alex roes his hand, showing Ryan an okay sign.

"All right, let's roll out...South is directly ahead of you. Just keep going forward."

Reed watched as a small cloud of dust rose from the ground, the men taking their very first step towards the unknown. Alex walked first, with Aksel close behind him as they traversed the bottom of the Ocean. It took a few minutes before Ryan was forced to press the communicator button once again.

"Aksel, follow Alex. The terrain isn't flat around here..."

"Yes...I-I am sorry..." the diver stuttered out making Ryan furrow his eyebrows.

"Aksel, keep quiet...I told you not to respond on the radio unless it's necessary."

The man opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, before promptly closing it. He was sweating, the tiny droplets shining in the camera.

The men made their way forward, Reed's eyes scanning the surrounding area curiously. It made her reminiscent of the "Sound Maria" expedition, where she watched the UUV dive deep into the arctic waters to locate the source of the unknown sound. But unlike the Maria expedition, the depths were pitch black, the plains around them sandy and dark, with no trace of life beyond an occasional fish swimming just on the edge of their peripheral.

The men walked steadily, keeping as close to each other, the only noise spilling through the speaker being their ragged breath and the ambience of the outside.

"Wait..." Alex came to a complete halt outstretching his hand to stop his companion from bumping into him. Reed leaned over the table, eyes focusing on the little white dot swimming just on the edge of their vision.

"What is that?" Ryan muttered, nose scrunching. Reed could feel her pulse quicken at the sight of the strange large fish drifting in the tide. It was about a few meters long, its thick white trunk pearly white. Reed had seen that shape somewhere before, the creature, although very different seemed to look awfully like...

"Is that...A tuna fish?" The faces of the others told her she wasn't the only one seeing the resemblance. The fish swam closer, proving to be much bigger than originally thought. Now, that the creature was within the camera's reach, Reed could see the insides of the creature through the translucent skin. Although it truly looked like a Blue-finned Tuna* from its shape and features, its ghostly appearance sent shivers up her spine. The eyes of the creature were milky white, mouth opening and closing flashing the sharp pointy teeth. The fins were elongated, draping like a train of translucent fabric behind the creature as it slowly approached.

"Keep the pulse ready..." Ryan commanded, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the counter of the console. The ghostly fish inched closer, curiously peering at the men who had invaded its territory. There was something so unsettling about the behaviour of the creature, drifting from left to right as if assessing the newly arrived. Reed couldn't help but gasp as the fish suddenly turned around, swimming away from the men and back into the murky depths.

Alex let out a relieved sigh, his features relaxing ever so slightly. He turned to Aksel, waving his hand at the man behind him in a silent "let's go". He turned back around, taking only a mere step before a startled scream ripped out of her throat. She sat there, as it all happened, her mind only distantly aware of the horror of her companions. Just as Alex took his first step in the direction of the storage, a swarm of giant fish bolted out of the darkness finding themselves right in the crash course with the two scientists. The screams of the men echoed through Reed's ears as the ghostly tunas crashed into the two, dozens of thick scaly bodies slapping into the steel of their suits as they passed right through the pair. Alex managed to stand his ground, raising his hands to protect his face from the sharp fins of the creatures, however, his companion staggered backwards losing his footing as the school of fish carried him further away.

"Aksel? Aksel?!" Desperation dripped from Ryan's voice as he screamed through the radio. The camera was blurry, pale shapes moving across the lens with the speed of lighting. The only visible thing was Aksel's face contorting while he screamed, eyes squeezed shut.

"Fuck!" Alex hissed, the last strugglers crashing into him before the fish were gone, leaving him heaving and trembling from the impact. Aksel fell on his back, the cloud of sand rising around him.

Reed couldn't decipher his words, his cries clearly in his mother language. He struggled to stand up, arms and legs flailing uselessly.

"Aksel, calm down! Remember, the oxygen is-" Ryan tried, but Aksel's cries were too loud, too violent to be stopped. The man was hyperventilating, tears streaming down his face as he muttered one phrase over and over.

"Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø!*"

He tossed around, robotic fingers grasping for the water around him in search of leverage.

"Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø! Jeg skal dø!*"

"Alex, he is losing oxygen! Get him up!" Ryan shouted, prompting the other man to take action. Alex turned around, wobbling back to his partner. His face shone with sweat, grimacing with every movement.

"I...I think...My ribs..." He grunted, gripping one of his sides.

"The mission is done, take Aksel and come back..." Although Ryan's voice remained unwavering, the trembling of his hands betrayed his fear. Reed leaned back into the chair, her mind struggling to comprehend the situation. They needed food...They can't just turn back...They need the food... Her nails dug into her thighs, tears pushing themselves into her eyes. She wanted to scream for them to keep going, to push through but... But she didn't have it in her...She didn't have it in her to protest or to disagree...Ryan was right...She was weak...too weak to assert her position in the group...

"Turn back before you run out of power-"

"No!"

Reed's head snapped back to the screen. Alex was pale, sweating bullets but he continued to walk towards flailing Aksel.

"Alex! Turn Back right now! We cannot risk losing the-"

"Shut up... Shut the fuck up..." Alex finally reached Aksel, heaving from discomfort.

"Aksel...Aksel, it's all right, p-please-" he tried weakly, stretching his hands towards him in a placating manner, but Aksel continued writhing on the ground, almost kicking the man.

"Aksel, stop..."He tried to grab his foot with his free arm, earning a cry of protest from the other. Alex's fingers finally trapped Aksel's foot, keeping it in place. Alex kneeled, hissing in pain. His hand travelled to Aksel's chest, pressing on it firmly.

"Aksel...Aksel listen to me..." He gritted out. The man stilled, eyes bulging out of the sockets. He looked up at Alex's, lip trembling.

"Shhhh...It's fine...Look at me! Look at me... You have to slow down your breathing..." Although in pain, he still made a point of exaggerating his breathing.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Aksel followed hesitantly, shaky breath fogging up the glass.

"Yes, That's it...Yes..."

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

"Get up buddy..." Alex finally managed to calm the other down, extending his hand to help him get up. Aksel's fingers wrapped around his hand, pulling himself up until he was standing on his own two feet. His breathing steadied, Aksel leaning on his knees to catch his breath.

"It's going to be fine...Okay? Look at me." Alex commanded.

"It's going to be fine...We are almost there, right Ryan?" There was something harsh in his voice. Ryan bit the inside of his cheek, pressing the button to answer.

"You are injured...You should turn back..."

Aksel's head snapped to Ryan, a ghost of concern marking his features. Alex raised his hand, calming the man down.

"My ribs are just bruised...I can walk...How much more?"

Don't do this Ryan...

Ryan closed his eyes, his face coloured by grimace. He glanced at Isabella, then at Reed. Whatever he'd seen on Reed's face made him bite his lip, the dry skin breaking as small droplets of blood began collecting on his lower lip. He sighed, eyes not meeting Reed's gaze.

"50 more meters to go..."

"See? Just a little bit more." Alex smiled through the pain, urging Aksel to follow him. Reed couldn't help but wince at Alex's pained expression, the man gritting his teeth as he took small steps towards their destinations. One after another, Aksel followed close behind him.

"We should have never sent them out there..."Isabella whispered, her face white as a sheet. Her eyes were stuck on the screen, open wide with tears collecting at her waterline.

"We should have never..."

It took about a few minutes before the men reached the storage, a large cubical container emerging from the shadows in front of them. Reed breathed a sigh of relief, the journey having made her heart beat like a drum. Alex's was heaving, the journey taking a toll on him and yet he smiled, pointing at the structure. They approached the matt wall in front of them, the keypad, and the shelf, which were exactly where Ryan had said they would be.

"The code is 0605," Ryan informed, visibly tensing. Reed couldn't blame him. They were halfway to achieving their goal... Anything could go wrong at any moment. It scared her just how little it took for this to go south from that point on. They didn't know where the creature from before was and they didn't even need it to show up...The second one of them runs out of oxygen or power, the whole team at the Vault might as well be dead.

Alex punched in the code, pressing the blue button as instructed. The sound of buzzing vibrated through the water, the shelf opening to reveal the dimly lit inside. The inside of the storage glowed in a gentle shade of blue, with small glass-like cubes resting on the floor and a big GOI logo glaring at her from the back wall. She felt weary looking at the big dark-blue letters glaring at her, an unexplainable sense of discomfort overcoming her. She glanced at the gathering, taking note of Ryan apparently sharing her anxieties. Unlike Isabella or even Reed, the man was no longer looking at the screen, his eyes downcast to avoid the offending mural.

Alex pointed at the boxes, signalling Aksel to prepare to receive the pack, but the man shook his head.

"You are injured...We'll load you first..."

Alex sighed, most likely too tired and in pain to argue.

"Aksel, go inside and grab one of the supply boxes. Alex, stand with your back to him, Aksel is going to secure it on the hooks. Okay?"

The men reassumed their tasks, each listening to Ryan's instructions.

"Yes, that's it. Slide the box down, then slightly up against Alex's back. You should hear a little click when the hooks snap."

Soon, Alex was strapped in, looking more like an astronaut than a diver. He moved his arms, shoulders bumping against the plastic surface of the container. He winced, visibly uncomfortable with the new weight. He made his way to assume Aksel's position, switching with the man with a grunt. He bent down, a cry of pain escaping his lips. He lifted the box, carrying it toward Aksel. He lifted it, sliding it across his back.

"Damnit...The locks..." he tried again.

"Alex?" Ryan's voice echoed through the silence. Reed's body was trembling, the air feeling like needles across her skin.

"A-Alex...D-Don't move..."

-------------------------------------------------------

"¡Dios mío, nos va a matar!*"- (Spanish) for "Oh my God, he is going to get us killed"

"Nej...Nej...Nej...Nej...*"- (Danish) for „No"

... +353* 516 12...4..."- Irish Phone number prefix

Blue-finned Tuna*- One of the biggest species of tuna, found in the Atlantic Ocean.

! Jeg skal dø!*"- (Danish) for „I am going to die"