Subterranean Redoubt

I dropped through the hatch into the dark subterranean passage. The air smelled of cold soot and dry lime. Four iron rungs brought my boots down onto solid concrete beside an inactive steam main wrapped in heavy canvas lagging. Total blackout, zero street noise. I moved along the brick foundation until I found a recessed cast-iron pipe chase set two feet off the floor. I cleared a drift of fine coal slag with two hard sweeps of my boot heel, climbed in, and backed against the dry masonry. Unslung my pry-spike across my knees. Out of sight, shielded from the elements, and holding the transit route beneath the locked perimeter. Sector locked down for the night.