CHAPTER 10
947 Words
Pain exploded through me as I hit the ground. My body felt like raw nerves, every muscle screaming.
I was losing.
The system flared warnings in my vision, flashing urgent red across my interface.
[Critical Condition. Energy Reserves: 10%]
This was bad. Very bad.
The operative loomed over me, his face unreadable. He wasn't angry or smug. Just… disappointed.
“Is that it?” he murmured, tilting his head. “Is this all your power amounts to?”
I clenched my fists, trying to force my body to move. My limbs felt like lead. Every breath came in ragged, painful gasps, my ribs aching with each inhale.
I couldn’t lose here. Not now. Not after coming this far.
Then—Stella.
A sudden blur of motion. She lunged forward, faster than I’d ever seen her move. Something flashed in her hand.
The next second, the operative jerked back, his eyes widening for the first time.
A syringe was buried in his side.
His fingers gripped it instantly, but it was too late. The liquid was already inside him. His knees wobbled, and his grip on himself faltered.
I sucked in a breath, still trying to process it. “What—?”
“Sedative,” Stella panted, stepping back, her hands trembling. “Didn’t think it’d work, but hey, I’ll take it.”
For a split second, none of us moved. The air felt thick with tension.
Then the operative’s eyes locked onto her. I knew if he recovered, he wouldn’t hesitate.
I surged forward, grabbing her wrist. “We need to go. Now.”
We ran. The corridors blurred around us, alarm lights flashing, casting everything in chaotic red. The sound of pursuit echoed behind us—shouts, running footsteps, the low hum of security systems booting up.
But ahead—the exit. Just a few more feet.
Too close.
The system flashed a warning.
[External Threat Detected]
My gut twisted.
The doors burst open.
And standing there—was something far worse than a man.
It was tall, at least eight feet. Its frame was humanoid but wrong, its limbs too long, its movements eerily smooth, like liquid metal shifting with each step. Its body gleamed under the flashing emergency lights, segmented plates shifting as it turned its featureless face toward us.
Then, its chest opened.
A hollow, pulsing core was embedded there, thrumming with an unnatural energy.
I grabbed Stella and shoved her behind me.
“What the hell is that?!” she gasped.
The system answered before I could.
[Designation: Revenant Class Unit]
[Threat Level: Extreme]
My blood ran cold.
The operative was still recovering. And this thing was blocking our way.
I was out of energy. Out of time. Out of plans.
The Revenant’s head tilted as if scanning us. Then it moved. Fast. Too fast.
One moment, it was standing still. The next—it was inches from me.
I barely reacted in time, yanking Stella sideways. Its arm slashed through the air where she had been, carving a deep gouge into the metal wall.
She screamed. I pushed her behind me again.
Think, Caden. THINK.
I needed power. An opening. A miracle.
The system pulsed.
[Override Sequence Available]
I swallowed hard. I didn’t know what that meant, but I was out of options. I accepted.
Pain exploded through my body. I choked on a scream, my vision whiting out for a split second. My limbs locked up, every nerve burning like someone had set my veins on fire.
Then—something clicked. Like a gear locking into place. The pain stopped.
And suddenly—I felt lighter. Stronger.
The system flared.
[Override Activated: Combat Sync Established]
The Revenant lunged again.
This time—I moved faster.
I ducked under its strike, my body reacting before my mind processed it. A rush of data filled my vision—movement trajectories, weak points, counterattack patterns.
I twisted, launching a kick straight at its exposed core.
Impact.
The Revenant skidded back—not much, but enough.
For the first time, I felt in control.
Stella was staring at me, wide-eyed. “Caden… what the hell was that?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t know. But I wasn’t going to waste it.
The Revenant recalibrated, its core pulsing as it readied its next move.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the system syncing with me in a way it never had before. For the first time since this nightmare began—I felt like I could win.
I launched forward before it could react, my body a blur of motion. My fist connected with its core—hard. Energy crackled from the impact, the force sending a shockwave through my arm.
The Revenant staggered. I didn’t stop.
I grabbed its wrist, twisting my body to use its own weight against it. The system was feeding me data, showing me every possible move before I even made it. A perfect sync.
I slammed my knee into its midsection, sending it reeling.
Then—I saw the weak point. A small, flickering fault line in its armor, just above its exposed core.
I had one shot.
I lunged, bringing my elbow down hard against the weak spot.
CRACK.
The Revenant convulsed. Its movements grew erratic, limbs jerking as sparks shot from its core. For the first time, I saw something close to hesitation in its movements.
Then—the operative spoke.
“Enough.”
My blood ran cold. I turned—just in time to see him standing upright, the sedative burned out of his system.
His eyes locked onto me—calm, calculating.
I barely had time to react before his hand shot out.
Everything went white.
- Writer
