The material was artificial, but masterfully concealed—a heavy mesh of plastic foliage draped over a hollow space. From a distance, it blended seamlessly with the real plants. But up close, it shifted too easily, revealing a narrow gap behind it. An opening—camouflaged, hidden in plain sight.
Rose pulled the faux hedge aside completely. Beneath it, the soil was flattened and darkened with use. And at the center of the clearing, barely visible beneath a mat of leaves and roots, was a metal hatch, weathered and rust-streaked. A reinforced panel embedded into the ground, square and sealed tight—an entrance to something below.