Tread Patrol

The hallway opened up into a cavern of towering wooden legs and abandoned running shoes. One massive sneaker sat right across my path, daring me to turn around. As if. I stomped directly into the opening behind the padded collar and dropped into the dark cavity. Down in the toe box, my boot struck something hard and rectangular—a discarded plastic keycard sleeve stuck under the insole. I gripped the corner, set my heels against the inner mesh, and yanked hard. The plastic tore free with a sharp scrape. A tough, bendy shield, perfect for tactical maneuvering.