Chapter 7 Gathering Storm #2
Vehicle horns sounded repeatedly through the storm.
Elias stood frozen for a moment.
The construction site he had spent weeks exploring suddenly looked completely different.
Dangerous.
Unstable.
Hostile.
A voice cut through the noise.
"Hart!"
Elias turned.
Viktor was running toward him.
Rain soaked the older man's shirt.
Dark hair clung to his forehead.
Even through the storm, he somehow looked completely focused.
Completely in control.
"Move!"
The command snapped Elias back to reality.
He grabbed his notebook and hurried forward.
The rain intensified.
Water poured from the sky so heavily it almost hurt.
The wind pushed against them as they crossed the muddy ground.
Several workers raced past carrying equipment.
Others shouted warnings that vanished beneath the storm.
A sharp crack echoed somewhere nearby.
Elias looked up instinctively.
A large piece of temporary sheeting tore loose from an unfinished structure and disappeared into the darkness.
His stomach tightened.
This was worse than a storm.
This was a disaster waiting to happen.
"Where are we going?"
Viktor pointed toward a temporary storage building located near the center of the site.
"Closest shelter."
They weren't the only ones heading there.
Several workers sprinted across the mud ahead of them.
The structure wasn't ideal.
Everyone knew that.
But reaching the housing area would take too long.
The storm wasn't giving them that kind of time.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
For a brief second, the entire construction site glowed white.
The thunder arrived almost instantly.
Close.
Far too close.
The ground seemed to shake.
Elias stumbled slightly.
A strong hand caught his arm before he lost balance.
Viktor.
Again.
The older man released him immediately after steadying him.
Yet the brief contact lingered.
Even through soaked clothing.
Even through the chaos.
Something about Viktor's presence made the situation feel less terrifying.
Not safe.
Just survivable.
They reached the storage structure moments later.
Workers crowded inside.
The temporary building had originally been designed for equipment and supplies.
Not people.
Yet it offered protection from the wind and rain.
For now.
Elias followed Viktor through the doorway.
The difference was immediate.
The roar of the storm became slightly muffled.
Not enough.
But enough.
Around twenty workers occupied the space already.
More continued arriving.
The atmosphere felt tense.
Everyone watched the weather through open gaps and windows.
Nobody looked comfortable.
Outside, conditions worsened.
Rain hammered the metal roof.
Wind shook the entire structure.
Every few seconds, another burst of thunder rolled overhead.
The building creaked ominously.
A worker near the entrance swore softly.
Another crossed himself.
Elias understood both reactions.
The storm felt enormous.
Powerful.
Unpredictable.
A force completely beyond human control.
Viktor moved through the crowd, checking on workers.
Making sure everyone had made it inside.
Making sure nobody was injured.
The sight drew Elias's attention immediately.
Even now.
Even during a storm.
The older man focused on other people first.
Not himself.
Never himself.
The realization stirred something warm and painful inside Elias's chest.
He watched Viktor speak quietly with an older laborer.
Then help secure several loose items near one wall.
Then check a leaking section of roof.
Always moving.
Always helping.
Always carrying responsibility nobody officially assigned to him.
Another blast of wind slammed into the structure.
The entire building shuddered.
Several workers looked toward the ceiling.
Concern spread visibly through the room.
Someone near the back muttered a curse.
Elias couldn't blame him.
The temporary building suddenly felt much smaller.
Much more fragile.
A loud crash echoed from somewhere outside.
Everyone froze.
The sound had come from nearby.
Very nearby.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The only sounds came from rain and thunder.
Then another noise followed.
Metal twisting.
Something collapsing.
A worker near the entrance peeked outside.
His expression immediately darkened.
"One of the equipment shelters went down."
The announcement spread quickly.
Unease followed.
If stronger structures were already failing, what chance did this temporary building have?
The question lingered in every face.
Viktor moved closer to the entrance.
His gaze scanned the storm beyond.
The expression on his face made Elias's stomach drop.
Because for the first time since arriving at camp, Viktor looked worried.
Not cautious.
Not annoyed.
Worried.
The realization frightened Elias more than the weather itself.
Outside, darkness swallowed the construction site.
Rain continued pounding the roof.
The wind screamed through unfinished structures.
Lightning flashed repeatedly.
And as workers crowded together inside the temporary shelter, it became painfully clear that nobody would be leaving anytime soon.
Especially not Elias.
Because between the flooding rain, dangerous winds, and collapsing structures, he was now trapped inside the temporary building.
Trapped with twenty frightened workers.
And trapped with Viktor Novak.
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