Blue - Shreds open ventilation duct

Marsalis points at a span of ventilation duct that’s a touch less grimy than the others.

“New… construction,” she taps, robotic voice echoing in the infested shadows. Kamran is about to ask if the speaker has a quieter volume setting when Marsalis shreds open the aluminum duct and slips inside.

Moments later, the creature returns and lifts Kamran with a cold claw, pulling him into the split ductwork. Tiran comes next, then Marsalis goes back for Mary. Crawling with one arm tires Kamran, and his left shoulder burns like the muscles want to give up. He’s made harder treks in his life, though. There may be bloodthirsty aliens, but at least there aren’t any Russians.

Moving ahead of them, Marsalis kicks out a grate, and a familiar humid breeze washes over Kamran—the scent of the Maelstrom. They emerge from their duct to find a panorama of raging water and construction equipment.

***

Alien: Into Charybdis, Chapter 29