Ampelius and the others began unloading the sandbags, stacking them wherever Felix directed. But after a while, the coarse fabric burned against his palms until they felt raw. Each lift was the same as the last, heavy, mind-numbing work that did nothing to calm his nerves. It went on and on until a crate with a machine gun stashed inside was discovered.

  The volunteers all gathered around, amazed at such an ancient beast. “Is that a Maximus machine gun?” someone finally asked. His voice carried a mix of disbelief and nervous laughter.

  Ampelius decided to take a look himself. Sure enough, the hulking relic sat half-buried in its crate, dark metal dull with age. The disbelief in the man’s tone mirrored what Ampelius felt, how could something that old still be part of their defense?

  Felix was tightening a strap on a barricade, then walked over and peeked inside. “It sure is,” he said, with the faintest smirk. The gun looked like a ghost dragged out of another era, its frame worn smooth by time, its barrel pitted with rust, yet somehow still commanding respect. A weapon that had probably outlived the men who once fired it.

  “It’s a piece of history,” Felix added, stepping closer. “She’s seen more wars than any of us ever will.”

  “Are we actually using it? Does it even work?” someone else asked. Then, almost jokingly, “Can I man it?”

  Felix gave a dry chuckle. “Yeah, we’re setting it up at the checkpoint,” he said. “But it’s just for show — no live rounds.”

  Ampelius frowned, glancing at the weapon again. “So it’s just for intimidation?”

  Felix nodded. “Pretty much. Nobody wants to be on the wrong end of a machine gun, regardless of era. Most won’t stick around long enough to find out if it’s loaded.”

  “I’ll take intimidation over nothing,” the volunteer said, shrugging as he gripped the weapon mount. “Better than feeling naked.”

  Ampelius couldn’t help but agree, though the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. The idea that their lives might depend on a relic, a hollow symbol of power that felt wrong. But then again, so did everything about this war.

  “Ampelius, I need you and another volunteer to follow me back to the train. We have more supplies to unload,” Felix ordered. “The rest of you, get these lanterns unpacked and ready. We’ll set them up around the perimeter to extend our visual range.” pointing at another crate.

  The glass from the lanterns clinked softly as they were passed down the line to each person. They placed them and lit them where Felix directed, though careful not to drop or bump them.

  The faint yellow glow from each flame stretched just far enough to make out movement at the edges, but the black beyond didn’t do much for anyone’s confidence. Once the last lantern was set, Felix called the group together for a briefing.

  “Alright, the assault is set to begin in thirty minutes,” Felix said, glancing at his watch. “That will give us a little time to introduce ourselves and assign posts. I want to know I'm working with, so let’s start with names and previous occupations.”

  Felix and the others turned their attention to the first man to introduce himself. He cleared his throat, feeling the pressure of their collective stare.

  “Well alright, I guess I’m first,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Name’s Gaius. I was a Shabron for a flag-making company.”

  Ampelius frowned, raising an eyebrow. “What’s a Shabron?” he muttered under his breath.

  A few others exchanged confused glances, clearly wondering the same thing, but no one dared to ask. Gaius noticed their looks and gave a half-hearted shrug.

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  “It’s… complicated,” he said. “Mostly meant sewing patterns and keeping the machines running. Nothing worth bragging about.”

  Ampelius nodded slightly, though he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of life this man had left behind, and whether any of it would matter down here.

  Felix nodded in approval and pointed at the next man.

  “Sir Quintus, at your service,” said the next, bowing slightly. “I worked as a server at the Emperor’s estate here in the city.”

  Ampelius finally noticed the man’s attire, a black-and-white suit that looked wildly out of place among the mix of military fatigues and scavenged clothing. It made sense now, but it also made him look like he didn’t belong here at all.

  Felix looked at Ampelius. “Hi everyone, you can call me Ampelius. I used to work in a factory making blank paper, but have since been jobless and on the hunt. I guess that hunt is over?”

  Ampelius tried to keep his voice neutral, spicing it up with a little humor, but his prior occupation felt mundane compared to the grand titles of others, but there was no room for pride in a situation like this.

  "I suppose it is." Felix responded. "How about you?" Pointing at the next guy.

  “You guys can call me Nova. I was just a shoe salesman, nothing fancy either.”

  “Is that your real name?” Felix asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Only my preferred name,” he replied, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Felix nodded and turned to the last volunteer.

  “I'm Appius, but you can call me Ed if you'd like. I was and still am, a sports coach. I've been doing it for decades, ain't going to let no invasion stop me.”

  After a brief moment of silence, Felix gave a small and tired grin, looking over each person.

  “Alright,” he said, glancing around at each of them. “We’ve got Gaius the flag-maker, Sir Quintus the server, Ampelius the paper man, Nova the shoe salesman, and Appius the coach. Quite the lineup we have here.” He gave a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “Not exactly a legion, but it’ll do.”

  Felix straightened his posture, shifting back to business. “Alright Quintus, you’re on the Maximus. Gaius, you’ll be his backup. Ampelius, you're on the spotlight on the caboose, you'll shine that at anything that moves in our direction. Nova and Appius, you’re on patrol duty around the locomotive. You're our reserves, so stay sharp and keep your eyes open.”

  Felix looked over them one last time, ensuring everyone understood their assignment. “I’m area commander, so I'll make my rounds and check in with each of you. We hold this position no matter what. Let’s get to work.”

  Ampelius made his way to the back of the train to set up the spotlight on the caboose. The metal railing was damp, whether from early dew or the thick underground humidity, he couldn’t tell. His breath drifted in faint clouds as he steadied himself against the cold rail. He had no idea what time it actually was down here; the air was cool enough to remind him that day and night didn’t exist in the tunnels.

  He got to work testing the light’s joints and checking that the base was secure. As he bolted the spotlight down, his eyes caught something odd, a faint metal outline along the tunnel wall, half-covered by crates. A sealed door, maybe, though he thought little of it at the time.

  Felix walked up beside him, crouching to double-check the setup. After a quick inspection, he gave a single, approving nod.

  “Alright,” Felix said. “Your job is simple: if you see any movement, switch it on and keep the light on the target until I say otherwise. Understood?”

  “Understood,” Ampelius replied, despite the anxiety creeping up his spine.

  “Good,” Felix said, glancing at his watch. “It's almost time. The assault will begin soon. Stay alert; I’ll check back in periodically.”

  Felix headed off toward the front of the train to check on Appius and Nova. The faint light creeping in from the tunnel mouth stretched the shadows long across the tracks, twisting them into strange, shifting shapes. The fog didn’t help as it warped everything it touched, which made the world feel less real, like danger could step out of it at any moment.

  Left on his own, Ampelius’s thoughts drifted to Bella. Her face came to him as pale, fragile, and lying in that clinic bed. He’d taken this job to pay for her treatment, to keep her alive, but now he wasn’t so sure it was worth it, especially after everything that happened. The promise of payment felt hollow compared to the thought of dying down here, nameless and forgotten.

  His thoughts were abruptly interrupted with fast approaching footsteps. His heart leaped into his throat as he reached for his weapon, tightening his grip around the handle.

  “Did you hear that?” Felix asked, suddenly reappearing behind him.

  “Hear what?” Ampelius replied, startled. “I was spacing out.”

  “You don't space out on a shift like this!” Felix snapped. “That’s how you get yourself and everyone else killed. Focus up. I heard something, a thud with a high-pitched screech. You sure you didn’t hear it?”

  “No. Maybe some rats or mice got into something." He replied, then noticed the faint outline of a door. "Oh, well there is a door on the wall there, does that lead anywhere?”

  “A door? I don't recall no door,” Felix muttered. “Where is this door?”

  Before Ampelius could respond, a sharp voice called out. “Felix! We heard a strange noise. I think it came from inside that door!”

  “I heard it too,” Felix yelled out. “I’m going to check it out. Stay sharp. Be ready for anything.”