Built from Ashes

Chapter 8: Smoke and Steel

The sharp crack of a high-caliber silenced pistol echoed down the narrow corridor. Lorenzo returned fire with practiced lethality, but the attackers were heavily armored, advancing in a synchronized wedge formation straight toward their position.

Assailant Voice

(Coughing through the thick smoke, shouting over the gunfire)

Flush them out! The girl has the encryption key embedded in her biometric signature—bring her in breathing if you can, but take the head if you have to!

Elena’s blood ran ice-cold. Encryption key? Julian had never mentioned anything about a key. He had only whispered her name before his mind was scrubbed. They weren't just hunting her because she was a witness—they thought she was carrying the stolen core data inside her own nervous system.

A stray plasma round melted the concrete pillar inches from her face, sending a stinging shower of grey dust into her eyes. She coughed, choking on the sulfur-heavy air, her hands flying up to cover her head.

Suddenly, the heavy rhythm of the enemy's advance cut out entirely. A muffled, agonizing scream echoed from the back of the platoon, followed by the sickening crunch of bone against reinforced steel.

Assailant

(Panicking)

What the hell is—clear the sector! Clear—aargh!

Heavy footsteps slammed against the concrete, moving with terrifying speed through the smoke. A dark, imposing silhouette emerged from the haze, clad in a tactical duster coated in fresh ash and blood.

Dante Vance.

Dante Vance

(His voice a low, lethal growl that cut right through the ringing in Elena's ears)

You look for my property, you answer to me.