The moment the cargo plane's wheels slammed into the tarmac, the whole metal beast shuddered like it was about to fall apart. Kai felt the impact vibrate through his spine - and that was all it took.
He kicked the steel container door open with a sharp crack, the hinges screeching in protest before the slab of metal slammed against the plane's inner wall. The sudden rush of cold air hit him like a blessing.
They'd been sealed inside that damned box for what felt like an eternity. The stench of oil, metal, and recycled breath clung to the back of his throat. Kai stepped out and inhaled deeply, his chest rising as though he'd just surfaced from deep underwater.
For a moment, he didn't even realise how tightly his fists were clenched or how much his pulse was hammering. After months locked in a cell, that suffocating darkness had done something to him. It wasn't exactly claustrophobia, but enclosed spaces made his skin crawl and his blood stir.
