Seth saves Pietro

The hallway was now less than half the width than it had been when Seth had started, and it kept getting narrower every moment. Seth still had a good way to go before passing the closing walls, and a quick glance back showed him that Pietro was on the floor. The old man tugged the weapon out of his thigh and tried to stand, but his leg buckled and he collapsed. Pietro tried to rise again and fell again, slipping on his own blood.

Seth paused, the walls grinding ever closer together. A big squish was coming for anything caught between them.

Tregain and Lomo looked back from beyond the moving walls. Obregon was already running ahead. After a moment, both men turned and chased Obregon.

Seth ran to Pietro.

“Go,” Pietro said. “It’s too late for me. There is serious damage to the muscles and tendons.”

Seth regarded the walls. They would collide shortly. He couldn’t let the old man get mashed. “I’ll drag you.”

“We won’t make it,” Pietro said.

He was right. Seth was sure he could still sprint past the moving walls, but not while dragging somebody. But he might be able to get Pietro “clear if he went back toward the start, which was closer.

Speed would be everything. Seth doubted he could carry the older man fast enough, so he hooked him under his arms and started pulling, dragging the injured man behind him, the lean, shirtless body inadvertently sweeping up clay fragments. With the hallway tightening, Seth saw he had a chance but knew it would be close. The only sure thing would be leaving Pietro behind, but Seth refused to let that be an option.

Legs churning, muscles burning, Seth watched the walls close in until he could have reached out and touched them in either direction. With a final burst of effort, Seth made it past the narrowing hall, and a few steps later had dragged Pietro clear.

Chapter 31-Identity