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Peter just laughed—a horrible, empty sound that echoed through the disintegrating tunnels.
Sheila swallowed hard and made her choice. She grabbed Peter's arm and started down the right passage, praying her instincts were right. The tunnel floor sloped slightly upward, which had to be good. Had to mean they were heading toward the surface.
But each step brought more collapse. Support beams that had held for decades were giving way, and her flashlight beam caught glimpses of the ceiling sagging dangerously above them. Her breath came in sharp gasps as they stumbled through the darkness, and she couldn't stop the trembling in her hands.
"We're going to die down here," Peter said matter-of-factly. "Just like all the others who thought they could master the darkness."
"Shut up," Sheila snapped, but fear clawed at her chest as another support beam crashed down behind them. The sound of collapse was getting closer, like a wave of destruction chasing them through the tunnels.
They reached a junction and Sheila hesitated, her flashlight darting between three identical passages. The wrong choice now would kill them both. Her light caught crosses carved into the walls—Peter's navigation markers—but they meant nothing to her.
The decision was taken from her as the left passage collapsed completely. The ceiling above them groaned—a deep, horrible sound that seemed to come from the mountain itself. Rocks and timber rained down as the main support beams began to fail.
Sheila stumbled forward, dragging Peter with her, knowing they were running out of time. Her flashlight beam caught nothing but falling debris and collapsing tunnel. The roar of destruction was deafening now, and she couldn't stop the sob that escaped her throat as she realized this might really be it.
"Sheila!" A voice echoed through the darkness—her father's voice. "Where are you?"
Relief flooded through her so strongly her knees nearly buckled. "Here!" she called back, but the sound of falling rock nearly drowned her out.
The tunnel groaned ominously above them. Major support beams were failing now, the collapse accelerating.
"Sheila!" Closer now. A flashlight beam cut through the dust.
"Dad! Here!"
Gabriel appeared through the chaos, limping but moving fast. His face was streaked with grime and blood—he must have fought his way through partial collapses to reach her.
"The whole system's coming down," he said. "We've got maybe two minutes."
They ran through the darkness, Gabriel leading the way. He didn't hesitate to make a decision when the tunnel branched—he must've memorized every twist and turn on his way in.
They burst into daylight seconds before the final collapse, the mountain settling behind them with a sound like thunder. Emergency vehicles and floodlights lit up the scene as deputies swarmed in to secure Peter.
Sheila turned to her father, seeing the fear and relief warring on his face. "You came back for me," she said in a choked voice. She embraced him, and he hugged her back.
"Always will," he said quietly into her hair. "No matter what's between us."
Above them, the mountain finally stilled, its secrets buried in darkness once again.
EPILOGUE
The press conference room was packed, reporters jostling for position as Diana Martinez, still using a cane but standing tall, approached the podium. Sheila watched from the back, Finn at her side, as Diana laid out the evidence they'd recovered from her pack—proof of illegal mining operations spanning decades, documentation of safety violations, and evidence of corporate corruption that had led to multiple deaths.
"The copper deposits were never depleted," Diana said, her voice strong despite her recent ordeal. "Cooper Mining deliberately misled federal regulators, claiming the veins had played out while continuing to extract ore illegally. Without safety protocols, without proper oversight, without regard for human life."
Sarah Riggs stood nearby, tears streaming down her face as years of activism were finally vindicated. The EPA had already announced a full investigation, and the state attorney general was preparing criminal charges against Cooper Mining's board of directors.
After the conference, Michelle Waring approached Sheila. She looked better than she had in the hospital—some color had returned to her face, though shadows still haunted her eyes.
"The mines are being sealed," Michelle said. "For real this time. They're using the geological data from Diana's survey to identify all access points, even the unofficial ones."
"And how are you holding up?" Sheila asked.
Michelle managed a small smile. "Better. The counseling helps. And knowing he can't hurt anyone else..." She trailed off, then squared her shoulders. "I'm testifying at his sentencing next week. I want him to see me. To know he didn't break me."
Sheila squeezed her arm, proud of the young woman's courage. As Michelle walked away, Finn caught Sheila's eye from across the room and gestured for her to join him.
"Got something?" she asked as she approached.