The streets of Los Angeles were bathed in the last fading light of twilight, the sky painted in hues of purple and red. Despite the city's decay, despite the ever-present unrest bubbling beneath the surface, the nightlife carried on. It was like weeds growing out of cracks in concrete, stubborn and thriving in the face of ruin.

Neon lights flickered defiantly, and the hum of activity buzzed through the streets. The clubs, casinos, brothels and dens of vice never slept. And tonight, I was part of that twisted rhythm. The mid-October nights in Los Angeles were cool, perverse, pleasant, lively, and violent.

I walked through the crowd, and people instinctively made space as I approached. I wasn’t hard to notice, muscular, tall, and built like a human tank. I was an anomaly in the sea of gaunt faces and thin bodies, a black hoodie pulled low over my head and a mask obscuring most of my face. My dark pants and heavy utility boots only added to the look of someone who had seen a lot and wasn’t afraid to see more. I radiated danger.

People stole glances at me from the corners of their eyes, careful not to meet my gaze. They knew better than to stare at men like me, men who had the muscle, the discipline, and that cold, dead look in their eyes. So, they moved aside, whispering quietly as they passed, their heads lowered in a mix of fear and respect.

Mia’s voice hummed softly in my ear, calm as ever. Her concern was always there, a steady hum in the background.

"It's the next club on the left. Beware, there are two police drones ahead; better get inside quick. Be careful, Max. This club has a bad rep."

I grunted in acknowledgment, scanning the street ahead as I prepared myself for whatever waited inside. This wasn’t just any club, it was a sanctuary for the worst of the underworld, a place where law and order were jokes. A place where a metaphorical morality had long since packed up and left town. Just the kind of place where something valuable to the resistance might be hidden.

I slowed my pace as I reached the building’s portico entrance. The guards noted my approach, their hands instinctively pressing the devices on their lapels, likely alerting security that a potential threat was entering the club. Their hands then reached for hidden pistols and before they could draw those weapons. I slowly pulled back my hoodie and removed my mask, revealing my face to them.

I stepped forward and slowly pulled out my wallet, extracting my papers. I had them over and the guards said nothing, each of them scanning the documents before nodding in approval.

“There’s an entry fee, sir,” the lead guard grunted, not breaking eye contact. I pressed my thumb to the payment terminal without a word, watching as the device flickered green and eighty credits gone in an instant.

The guard’s tone turned gruffer. “No touching, no fucking unless it’s been paid for, and most of all, if you get stupid drunk or violent, we deal with you and lethally if necessary. Understand?”

I gave a curt nod, the corner of my mouth twitching in faint amusement. I repeated their words to them. "No poking and humping unless paid for, no over-drinking or roughhousing, and if I step out of line, you hit my off switch. I got it."

The guard smirked slightly but nodded in acknowledgment, less worried. They let me pass without further hassle, but I knew I’d be watched the entire time I was inside.

The club was a cesspit of sin, indulgence, and a haze of pheromones. All hidden away behind thick, steel-reinforced walls that shut out the chaos of the streets. The moment I stepped inside, I was hit with sensory overload. A mixture of dim, pulsating lights, the bass-heavy thrum of music, and the acrid smell of sweat, booze, and synthetic drugs. The air was thick with fake fog and tobacco smoke, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead without squinting, though the flashing neon lights that cut through the haze didn’t help much.

The space was large, cavernous almost, with multiple levels spiraling upward like the inside of a twisted cathedral. The central dance floor was packed, bodies swaying and grinding against each other to the beat of the music, while above, balconies circled the floor, offering a bird’s-eye view of the action below. VIP booths lined the edges of the balconies, each one secluded behind heavy curtains that barely concealed the shady deals and intimate encounters taking place within.

The walls were a mismatched patchwork of dark leather and chrome, accented by glowing strips of red and purple neon that flickered like dying stars. Holoscreens were mounted sporadically, showing everything from old action films to news reports, but most people weren’t paying attention. Their focus was on the dancers, holographic projections and real people alike moving sensuously on raised platforms, their bodies bathed in vibrant colors that shifted and pulsed with the music.

The bar was a long, curved monstrosity made of sleek black stone, illuminated by soft, greenish lighting underneath. Bottles of every imaginable liquor lined the shelves behind it, and the bartenders moved with a practiced ease, sliding drinks across the counter faster than I could track. People crowded around, laughing and shouting over the music, lost in their own little worlds. Escaping the end of the actual world.

In the back, hidden away in the shadows, were the high rollers, the ones who didn’t need to mingle with the rabble on the dance floor. They sat in plush, oversized chairs, surrounded by personal attendants and bodyguards, their eyes cold and predatory. Deals were being made with a glance, fortunes exchanged with a single gesture, deaths ordered, live naked women and men presenting themselves to the powerful. Then purchased to play with for the night or for life. All of this… evil… it was accompanied by the ever-present hum of vice that permeated the air.

Despite the overwhelming energy of the place, there was an undercurrent of danger. The club had a reputation, and it wasn’t just for the debauchery on display. This was a place where deals went wrong, where people disappeared without a trace, and where power was measured by how many people were afraid to cross you. You could feel it in the tension that lingered just beneath the surface, a warning to anyone who thought they could play with fire without getting burned.

I made my way through the crowd, the pulse of the club thumping in time with the heavy beat of the music. Bodies pressed around me, people high on whatever vices they could afford, and a few brazen souls tried their luck. Women, and even some men, sidled up to me, their gazes hungry for attention, hands brushing my arm or lingering just a little too long on my chest. I turned them down gently, not letting any irritation show. No need to stir up trouble. I was here for a reason, and that reason had nothing to do with what this club usually offered.

As I slipped past the last group of partiers, I found the all-gender bathroom. I pushed the door open, scanning the room quickly before heading to one of the urinals. Just another patron doing his business, nothing out of the ordinary. The hum of Mia’s presence intensified as she linked with the system hidden in the walls. I let her work while I went through the motions of taking a leak, keeping my attention on the pulse of the crowd outside.

“Almost there,” Mia’s voice whispered in my mind. I zipped up and headed for the cleaning closet, slipping in unnoticed.

The room was cramped and filthy, reeking of cleaning chemicals and old sweat. Mop buckets, rags, and supplies were haphazardly thrown together, and I had to navigate through the clutter to reach the small compartment Mia had pinpointed. One bucket stood out immediately, dark bloodstains splattered on the rim, a grim reminder of the kind of establishment this place really was.

A small compartment slid open from the wall, hidden between stacks of supplies. I reached in and felt cold metal against my fingertips, pulling out a small cylinder no bigger than a pencil. It was light, metallic, and seemingly unassuming. But I knew better. This little piece of tech powered high-grade military augmentations, the kind that could turn a man into a walking weapon of war.

“Ready to load?” I asked Mia, holding the cylinder tightly in my hand.

“Yes,” she responded. Her voice, calm and steady, gave me the sense that everything was finally in place.

I pulled my hoodie and shirt collar back, exposing the spot at the base of my neck and left shoulder where Mia had told me the entry port was located. It still felt strange, the idea of something inside me that wasn’t human. But there was no time to dwell on it now.

Mia’s voice came through clearly in my mind. “Opening now.”

I felt the skin on the side of my neck peel away, not painfully, but like a slow, uncomfortable stretching. I grimaced as my fingers found the entry port, a small metallic slit now exposed. Holding the nanoplast cylinder carefully, I placed its tip against the port. It slid in effortlessly, disappearing into me like it was meant to be there.

I felt the cool metal sink deeper within my flesh, vanishing into the recesses of whatever tech Mia had melded with my body. Once it was fully inside, the port closed up smoothly, the skin sealing back over without a trace. I readjusted my clothes, but I could still feel the fuel settling inside me. Cool and then hot.

“You might want to sit down for this next part,” Mia’s voice echoed gently in my head, a note of caution threading through her calm tone.

I spotted a large bucket nearby, tipping it onto its rim and lowering myself onto it. The second I sat down, I could feel something shifting inside me… something powerful.

Mia's voice, calm and efficient as ever, echoed in my mind.

"Fuel activated, nanoplast reserves at 120%," she reported.

I shifted slightly, feeling the strange hum of energy coursing through me, though it still seemed almost imperceptible, like a background thrum just beneath the surface.

"Armaments, physical enhancements, and equipment operating at peak efficiency," Mia continued, her tone focused. "Initiating test runs."

At first, nothing felt different. Just a moment of silence. Then, like a switch had been flipped, I felt a series of sharp changes rippling through me. My vision suddenly flickered, shifting from normal to night vision, the world around me turning into a series of sharp contrasts of light and dark.

Then it switched again, this time to infrared, the heat signatures of the people in the club glowing bright against the cooler backdrop. Another flicker, ultraviolet, and then back to normal. Each switch felt like a gear shifting inside my head, my body adjusting fluidly to the new input.

Before I could fully register it, my muscles spasmed, a surge of raw strength pulsing through me. I spotted a broken mop leaning against the wall, the metal pole still intact but bent at an odd angle. I reached out, gripping the pole in both hands. With barely a thought, I applied pressure, bending the metal as if it were nothing more than soft plastic. The sheer force was startling, and I quickly adjusted, dialing down the strength levels to something more manageable.

"Everything biomechanical and nanomechanical is working as expected," Mia confirmed.

I took a deep breath and opened the ports Mia had told me about. Sure enough, I felt the subtle mechanism within my hands shift and release. A blade extended from the base of my left wrist—long, razor-sharp, and deadly. On my right, a small nozzle extended, designed to discharge various projectiles. Mia had explained them: a silent lethal dart, a camdart for tracking, a scandart for data collection, and a robotic drone, each about the size of an insect.

I flexed my hands, feeling the strange weight of the equipment integrated within me, and then retracted the blade and nozzle back into their compartments. The ports closed smoothly, as if nothing had changed.

"Primary computer online," Mia's voice hummed, and then, like being struck by lightning, my mind jolted. My vision lit up with a barrage of status indicators, settings scrolling past my eyes in a dizzying rush. I blinked, trying to adjust as the information stabilized, all neatly arranged in my field of view. A small target reticule hovered wherever I focused my gaze, tracking potential threats and objects of interest.

My weapon status flickered in the upper corner, showing subdermal armor integrity at 100%, fuel level 120%, a diagram of each section of my body highlighted to show where the subdermal armor was most concentrated. The ammo loadout popped up next, three of each dart neatly cataloged, their properties listed beside them: lethal, camdart, scandart, blade, and drone.

As I focused, another host of abilities presented themselves, some I had known about, others entirely new, each passive but requiring nanoplast for pull efficiency. Tactical overviews, threat detection, enhanced agility, temporary cloaking... it was all there, fully active, waiting for a command. It was overwhelming for a moment, having this much power and precision at my disposal, more than any soldier could dream of.

Mia’s voice broke through the flood of information, grounding me.

"Everything is online and calibrated. You're ready, Max." said Mia internally.

I took a deep breath, letting the reality of what I’d become sink in. I was a living weapon, an unstoppable force by most conventional standards. Sitting on that bucket, I adjusted to the flood of sensations, this enhanced version of myself fully realized.

Mia had finally completed my transformation, and now I could feel it humming beneath my skin, a power that hadn't been there before. I was no longer vulnerable, no longer in that under-fueled state that had made Mia so desperate to find nanoplast. A month of uncertainty had led to this, and now...

I was ready to wage war upon the enemy. “Mia, present mission status.” I internalized. The familiar text appeared in my vision more focused and clearer than before.

Primary Mission Objectives:

1. Acquire Nanoplast in vicinity of Holdout, Los Angeles, Maintain anonymity. Complete

1. Avoid enemy contact. Complete

2. Ensure refueling and survival of Core AI. Complete

2. Link up with resistance forces in vicinity of Holdout, Los Angeles,

1. Maintain anonymity.

2. Initiate stage two.

Current Status: Ongoing… Probability of success 42%

I mentally dismissed the status message. Leaving the restroom, I slowed my pace as I descended the stairs, trying to blend in with the crowd moving up around me. There was something off, a greater tension that rippled through the sea of bodies. Faces stiffened with unease, and people moved faster, their eyes darting nervously. It wasn't just a club vibe, it was fear. Real fear.

"Mia, something’s up," I thought, my eyes scanning the room with newfound clarity thanks to the nanoplast infusion. Every face, every movement was sharper now, more defined.

"Yeah..." Mia's voice echoed internally, sounding as concerned as I felt. I slowed my steps, careful not to draw attention, but my eyes remained locked on the entrance ahead of me.

Then, like a living nightmare dredged up from the deepest pit of my past. She entered the club. Flanked by a group of bodyguards in designer suits, guns clearly visible under their jackets, was her. Natalie Knolt.

I froze, my body stiffening as memories rushed back. Her blazing red hair, so vibrant it looked radioactive under the club’s neon lights. Piercings randomly scattered across her face like shrapnel from a blast. A leather jacket she always wore, torn designer jeans, and that twisted, vile expression I could never forget. Natalie Knolt, the woman who nearly killed me and laughed as she started beating me, then the cop who stopped her and then becoming a fugitive.

I felt my stomach turn. Of all people to be cornered by!

"Max, stay calm," Mia's voice whispered, but I could feel the anger simmering beneath her controlled tone. Calm was the last thing we felt.

I took a sharp turn, my heart pounding in my chest as my thoughts scrambled for a plan. Moving back up the stairs felt like the only option, at least for now. I passed by a swiftly vacated table, slipping into the chair like I belonged there. I snapped my fingers at a waitress nearby, her eyes wide with fear as she glanced in my direction.

"Bourbon," I ordered, pulling my hood up over my head, trying to blend into the atmosphere of dread that had settled over the place. I wasn't the only one doing it, people were either slipping out discreetly, huddling into corners, or lowering their heads like prey trying to avoid the predator's gaze.

"Max, what are you doing?" Mia's voice hissed in my mind. "We can't stay here."

I tilted my head slightly, keeping my face hidden beneath the hood, my eyes flickering to the entrance. "Take a look at the bodyguards. They’re scanning everyone’s faces," I replied internally, keeping my voice steady.

I could feel Mia processing the information in the background, even as I forced myself to act like nothing was wrong. But something was very wrong. Those guards weren't just here for a night out, they were here, hunting. And I had a strong feeling that the target wasn’t just any random person. They were looking for someone specific.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

And with my luck, that someone was probably me. It could be someone else but I had no way of knowing. I watched the guards closely, taking in every detail, every movement. My bourbon arrived, the glass set down by the trembling waitress, and I pretended to sip it, swirling the liquid in my mouth without actually swallowing. The vile woman herself, Natalie, took her seat at the main bar, surrounded by her wall of guards. She looked as odious as ever, perched like a queen among her lapdogs.

I kept my posture relaxed, but my mind was racing. My eyes flicked to an elevator in the far corner. A sign above it read "Suites," and sure enough, a small group of people disembarked from the elevator, looking well-to-do and oblivious to the tension. But it wasn’t them that caught my eye. It was the two bodyguards stationed in a shadowy corner near the entrance, speaking in low voices that had my instincts flaring.

"Max?" Mia started urgently, but I was already moving, my thoughts snapping into focus. My weapon systems activated smoothly, a familiar coldness settling over me as I selected the ammo; Camdart. The nozzle in my wrist extended for half a second, just long enough to fire a small, nearly invisible dart at the wall near the two men. It lodged there without a sound. The camera deployed

"Max!" Mia’s voice was sharp in my head, but I cut her off.

"Listen in on those two bodyguards," I internalized calmly. The camdart was already transmitting, and Mia quickly accessed the audio.

For a moment, I could feel Mia processing the data, filtering out the noise before playing the conversation. My muscles tensed as I waited, pretending to be nothing more than a bored man sipping bourbon in a shady club. But in my mind, I was ready, ready for whatever hell these bastards were planning to unleash.

"Mboss will be pleased to hear it," one of the bodyguards muttered to the other in a low voice.

"What for? Whada she do?" the other asked, clearly curious.

"Remember that raildog who tried to 'save' Lady Doll? And the cop that saved the raildog from the beating it earned?"

There was a pause, and I felt my heartbeat quicken, my mind racing.

"Yeah?"

"They got her, man. A group of freelancers snagged her an hour ago. Mack's confirming first before we tell Mboss."

I gripped the glass tighter, a cold, hollow dread spreading through me like poison. The guard's companion sounded more curious. "They got her?"

Before he could ask any more questions, the first guard shut him down. "Stop asking questions and obey. Remember what happened to Hank when he didn’t shut up when Mboss told him to?"

That silenced him.

I forced my face to remain neutral, though inside I was burning with a mix of rage and fear. They had her. Kendall.

The cop who saved my life, who defended me in court, who lost her badge because of it... and now she was a hunted target too. My mind raced. Did they really have her? Or was it just another dead-end? I had to be sure, and every instinct screamed at me to act.

Mia's voice cut through my thoughts, calm but firm. "Soldier, this is not part of our mission objectives."

I clenched my fists, fighting back the surge of anger. I knew she was right; this wasn’t what we had come for. But this wasn’t just about the mission now. This was about Kendall, someone who had risked everything for me. Someone I couldn’t just leave behind.

"Maybe not," I muttered under my breath, keeping my voice low. "But I owe her."

This wasn’t just about survival anymore. It was personal and I understood that as a soldier now. My oath was made and the duty I was to preform was to leave this place before they discovered me. Before I failed my mission.

A sudden commotion at the corner of the exit caught my attention. Two men had stopped someone from slipping away. They were rough, their hands too firm as they grabbed her arms. I watched as they looked her over, nodded to each other, and began dragging her toward the bar.

She was young, too young. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, her face stunningly beautiful, but her expression was a mask of forced calm. Behind those blue eyes, though, I could see… terror. She was more than afraid, and I couldn’t blame her. The way they handled her, how casual they were about it, told me everything I needed to know. They didn’t care. They had all the power in the world.

They dragged her toward Natalie Knolt, who stood from her seat at the bar like she was some kind of queen. She hugged the girl, kissed her on the cheek, the whole display sickeningly intimate. The girl played along, smiling back, but it was bravery painted over fear. She was in the lion's den, trapped with no escape.

That was what power meant in the world now. These people could do anything to anyone and face no consequences. What they did to me and to Kendall Wolfe. Natalie Knolt and her mob family, the collaborators... and behind them, always lurking in the shadows, the Xi.

I couldn’t look away. The enemy was right here, flaunting their control, and Kendall was in their hands. It wasn’t just me they were hunting. It was everyone who dared stand up to them, everyone who didn’t fit into their twisted vision for the future. Kendall, brave enough to risk it all, was now another victim.

Natalie stood up, gripping the blonde girl’s arm as if she were leading a child. They moved with purpose toward the elevator, flanked by a small entourage of guards. I watched them go, the elevator doors closing slowly behind them. Then the two guards positioned themselves at the entrance to the elevator, their post now secured.

I knew what that meant. Whatever was going to happen to that girl, it would happen far from the prying eyes of the club's patrons. My stomach twisted, but I stayed calm. I couldn’t let my emotions take over, not yet.

I stood up from the table and started walking up the stairs, slipping through the oblivious or frightened crowds. The music and noise of the club buzzed around me, but I felt detached from it all. My focus was solely on reaching those suites.

As I climbed higher, I could feel Mia’s frustration boiling over.

“Max, we’re straying from the mission,” Mia protested, her voice tight in my mind.

“I know,” I said internally, trying to keep my tone measured as I passed a group of frightened patrons huddled together. “But if they have Kendall... she might be their next victim. I can’t just walk away.”

“You can’t save everyone,” Mia pressed, sounding more anxious now. “We have bigger priorities; our survival depends on it.”

“Maybe,” I replied, pausing at the landing, glancing back at the guards still securing the elevator. “But if we don’t stop them now, how much longer before there’s nothing left to fight for?”

There was a long pause as I reached the top floor. Mia said nothing more, but I could feel her relent, however reluctant. She knew as well as I did that some battles had to be fought, regardless of the odds.

The suites were more fortified than I expected, guards patrolling the halls, the entire area cut off from the rest of the club. No one was getting up there without an invitation, and I certainly wasn’t about to be handed one.

“Mia, are there access points or hidden doors leading to the suites?” I asked quietly, scanning the area.

“Yes,” she responded swiftly, her voice more focused now. “There are two fire escapes at either end of the main suite. I assume that’s where she would be.”

I nodded to myself. Fire escapes, of course. It wasn’t going to be easy, but at least there was a way to reach her. My mind began working through the logistics: get past the guards, slip through one of the fire escapes, and get inside without triggering any alarm.

Testing out my stealth abilities wasn’t exactly part of the plan tonight, but if Kendall was going up there, I wasn’t leaving without her. I slipped into the huddled crowds, who tentatively reemerged from the shadows to return to the bar or stages where the nude dancers still allured many.

The intelligent few, seeing the writing on the wall, departed the club rapidly. I watch the two guards standing near the staircase that led up to the suites. There was no way I could just walk past them, they were on high alert, watching everyone who came and went. I needed a distraction.

“Mia,” I whispered internally, “can you trigger a small malfunction in something nearby?”

“Give me a moment… Done. The condom vending machine by the bathrooms is about to have an accident.”

I heard the machine sputter and whirr loudly, and the guards looked over with a raised brow as packets of condoms started spewing out. One of them chuckled and nudged the other, the tension in their shoulders easing up.

“Hey, free samples,” one of them joked, picking up a couple of packets from the floor. “Might as well take some for later.”

They both started laughing, their eyes off the staircase for just long enough. That was all I needed. I moved quickly, slipping past them as they busied themselves collecting the free stash, oblivious to my presence.

I slipped past another guard, my steps light and quick, keeping to the shadows as I made my way deeper into the restricted area. My heartbeat thrummed steadily in my ears, but my mind was sharp, focused. There was no room for mistakes now. Up I went silently.

I found a small alcove along the corridor, half-hidden behind a low partition. The wall there was scarred with bullet holes, likely from some previous altercation or a "reminder" to someone of the consequences of crossing the wrong people. I pressed myself against the wall, peering through the gaps in the damaged plaster.

Through the makeshift peepholes, I had a clear line of sight into the suite beyond. There she was, Natalie, lounging on an opulent couch like a viper waiting to strike. Her gaudy red hair flared under the dim lights, the grotesque piercings on her face glinting with every predatory grin.

Next to her, sitting stiffly and clearly terrified, was the young blonde woman I’d seen earlier. She was even more stunning up close, her beauty almost ethereal, but her eyes gave her away, wide and filled with a quiet terror, despite the calm façade she forced herself to wear.

Natalie reached over and brushed a lock of hair from the girl’s face, a mockingly gentle gesture that sent a wave of disgust rolling through me. It was clear who was in control here, and the young woman had no say in what would happen to her.

Natalie’s phone rang just as she was settling into her predatory role. She sighed dramatically, waving the blonde “Annie,” she called her, toward the bedroom with an all-too-familiar air of ownership.

"Oh... one moment, darling," Natalie purred, her voice dripping with frustration. "Annie dear, go into the bedroom and get yourself ready for me, yes?"

The girl’s expression barely changed, but the resignation in her voice was unmistakable. “Yes... mistress.”

Annie moved slowly, her steps reluctant as she disappeared into the other room, leaving Natalie alone with her call. Natalie’s voice dropped as she answered, becoming hushed, conspiratorial.

I seized the opportunity. Silently, I aimed through the hole in the wall and fired a small drone dart. It buzzed quietly, its size making it almost invisible as it zipped over to Natalie’s position. It landed smoothly on the ceiling above her, camouflaging itself within the shadows.

From the drone, I could pick up the beginning of the conversation. Natalie was tense, her usual cocky tone replaced with something colder. "Yes?" she whispered sharply into the phone.

“The package has been delivered. There’s been some activity near the warehouse. Your people need to tighten security, or this little operation could blow up in our faces.”

My gut tightened. Whoever was on the other end of that call, they were tied to something bigger something involving more than just their usual criminal dealings. I strained to catch every word as Natalie continued her conversation.

Kendall... If they had Kendall locked up somewhere, it could mean something much worse. I needed to know.

“Yes, yes, I’ll send some more of my boys over to guard your delicate ass, Mack,” Natalie said, irritation lacing her voice. “But are you sure it’s really her this time? The last freelancer set up a fake, and I had to scrub so much blood out of my clothes...”

The voice on the other end responded firmly, though I couldn't make out the exact words. But whatever it was, it was enough to satisfy Natalie.

“It’s her,” Natalie murmured, her tone shifting into something more satisfied. “Alright, tell the leader of that crew to phone me. I’ll see for myself.”

She ended the call abruptly, her lips curling into a smug smile. With a casual grace, she poured herself a glass of wine, as if it were just another mundane evening, another routine. It was eerie how calm she was, as though people’s lives and suffering were merely details to be managed with the same ease as choosing a vintage.

A call came through and Natalie answered with a flick of a thumb. I sat there in the shadows, watching the horror unfold through the tiny camdart's feed. Natalie leaned closer seeing Kendall appear in the video call. Her voice was cold, thick with contempt. Every word cut deep, not just for Kendall, but for me as well.

"Kendall Wolfe," she mused softly and with contempt. "Look at you, shaking like a leaf. Never thought I’d see you brought so low. How delightful."

Kendall, bound and helpless, tried to steel herself, but I could see the fear in her eyes, the raw, visceral terror clawing at her wide blue eyes. She was trapped. Natalie was enjoying it, feeding off it like some kind of predator.

“You should have known better, Kendall,” Natalie continued, her tone darker now, vile tones dripping on every word spoken. “You just had to interfere with my business, didn’t you? Thought you were doing the right thing, huh? Thought being a cop made you some kind of hero?”

Her laughter filled the air, a harsh, ugly sound that grated against my nerves, like nails on glass. Every twisted word out of her mouth made my blood run hotter. She wasn’t just gloating, she was twisting the knife. I could see Kendall shaking, trying so hard to stay strong, but the fear was consuming her.

“Well, look where that got you!” Natalie spat, sneering as she leaned back, taking another sip of her wine, savoring Kendall's torment. “You made me look weak. You humiliated me in front of Deluca, and now he expects me to fix it. I had that blue-collar dirtbag ready for a good thrashing, but no... you had to play the hero. And now, darling, you’re going to pay for it.”

I clenched my fists, the rage bubbling up inside me as I watched Kendall struggle to hold herself together. Natalie’s twisted nature deepened, and she leaned closer to the camera of the tablet.

“Before we meet face to face, darling,” she cooed, “do you have anything to say for yourself?”

I could see the panic in Kendall's eyes, her throat rippling as she tried to find words. What could she possibly say? Her voice finally broke through the fear, barely more than a whisper.

"You won’t break me."

“Brave words, darling. We’ll see if you still have those brave words when I’m done with you.”

As Natalie waved mockingly at the camera a hood was dropped over Kendall’s head, and two masked men appeared next to her. Far too strong hands yanked her head roughly to the side holding her head place. Kendall screamed; her voice muffled by the hood and hands holding her. A syringe pierced her neck, in another man’s hands and she was forced into unconsciousness, the call ended and Natalie stood up full of energy.

I knew... this was the darkness I’d been waiting for. That I had been trained to face. Natalie wasn’t just another enemy; she was the worst kind of monster. I steeled myself, knowing that I could not let this happen, Mia within me knowing I would not be deterred from my next course of actions. I could feel her frustration at my conviction to see this through.

I watched as the vile woman, her twisted smile still plastered on her face, strutted into the bedroom. Out of sight, she spoke to the young woman, Annie, scared and compliant. I could hear the venom in Natalie’s voice as she ordered Annie to wait for her, like a predator playing with its prey. I wanted to act right then and there, to put an end to whatever sick plans she had in mind, but I knew I had to be smart.

Be tactical beyond the moments of battle. My lessons resurfacing from Mia.

Natalie turned and signaled to her guards. Without hesitation, they obeyed, following her toward the elevator. The moment was slipping away, but I couldn’t afford to be reckless. Every step I took had to be calculated. Frantically, I shifted my position, moving stealthily toward a door that faced the elevator, I got to it in time, a crack in the door gave me a perfect line of sight.

As Natalie and her goons piled into the elevator, I saw my chance. Without hesitation, I aimed and fired a tracedart, watching as the tiny insect-sized device slithered its way into the leather of her jacket. It was nearly invisible against the dark material, and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before it began broadcasting her location.

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft hiss, sealing her and her guards inside. I let out a slow, steady breath. The dart had made it in time. Now, wherever Natalie went, I would know.

“Got her,” I whispered internally to Mia.

“Signal received. The tracedart is functioning properly,” Mia confirmed, her voice steady in my mind. “We’ll know exactly where she’s heading.”

I moved back, my muscles coiled with tension. This wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot. I’m interrupted. “Max, this is a terrible risk. You’re essential to humanity’s survival, and you’re jeopardizing it for... one person?”

I could feel her irritation through the link, a mix of exasperation and concern. Mia had been unwavering in her commitment to the mission, to keeping me alive, but right now, she wasn’t on board with this rescue. I couldn’t blame her; she had no emotional stake in this. She was focused on the bigger picture, the war, the fight for humanity. But Kendall wasn’t just ‘one person’ to me.

“Mia,” I said, keeping my internal voice calm as I moved back into the shadows, “I understand. They have Kendall, she’s as much a victim of this war as anyone else. Maybe she doesn’t know about the Xi, maybe she’s not a soldier, but she saved my life once. I owe her this.”

“You’re risking your life for a single person,” Mia pressed, her tone sharper now. “The Xi won’t care if you die here, but the resistance will die with you. You’re crucial, Max. You can’t afford to be reckless.”

“I’m not being reckless,” I shot back, still calm. “I’m making a choice. Kendall’s one of the few people who tried to do the right thing when everyone else was too scared. And now, she’s caught up in all this... I cannot just walk away.”

There was a pause, the neural link between us buzzing with tension. I knew Mia was running the probabilities, calculating the risk versus reward ratios, weighing the importance of the mission against the value of one life and my position as a last line of defense.

“Fine,” Mia relented, her tone softening, though I could still hear the reluctance in her voice. “But this is going to make things a lot harder. If we do this, we need to be smart about it.”

“Smart is my cognomen,” I said internally, moving away from the door.

“That’s not even close to true,” Mia shot back with a hint of dry humor, but I could feel her settling into the plan. She wasn’t happy about it, but she was on board.

Annie sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face as she tried to stifle her sobs. Her small frame trembled with fear, and her eyes were squeezed shut in silent despair. She didn’t even notice me slip into the room behind her. As I did, I glanced at her. I saw something that turned my stomach, a silver collar, around her neck.

I moved away from her, silent, unseen, with every ounce of focus trained on avoiding detection. The dull thud of my boots on the plush carpet seemed almost imperceptible beneath the sound of her crying. I slipped swiftly out onto the balcony and then to the edge.

I felt a pang of guilt but pushed it aside. My mission was clear: get out, regroup, and find Kendall. I peered over the edge into the dimly lit distant alleyway. It was a steep drop from the ledge, time to test my safe fall features. A blast of cold air flowed around me as I jumped and fell. My enhanced body, now powered by the nanoplast, made the fall more than safe.

Muscles worked effortlessly, my reinforced bones holding out once my booted feet and hands struck the ground. I landed like a cat. Wasting no time, I moved quickly, scanning around for any signs of danger. The alley was dark, damp, and reeked of garbage, but it was safe. I stayed low, listening for any sounds of pursuit, but the street beyond was quiet, only the distant hum of the city breaking the silence. I slipped through the narrow alley, emerging onto the streets. Distant gunshots echoing and screams.

Los Angeles at night was still alive, but not in the way most cities were. The people here moved like ghosts, wary of the gangs, the police drones, and the ever-present threat of violence. I kept my head down, blending into the crowd, but all the while, I could feel Mia’s presence inside my head, guiding me, scanning the area with her heightened sensors.

"Activate full area scan," I commanded internally, and Mia responded instantly. My vision shifted, the world around me taking on a surreal hue as digital overlays mapped out the street. Every detail was highlighted, the people, the vehicles, the heat signatures of distant drones and everything came into focus.

"There," Mia pointed out internally. "Motorcycle, two blocks down, unguarded. Your best chance."

I moved toward the target, slipping through the crowds with ease, the enhanced vision still overlaying the scene in front of me. The bike was parked on a side street, a sleek black model with powerful engines. Whoever owned it had clearly invested in it.

With a quick glance around to ensure no one was watching, I approached the motorcycle, crouching low as I extended my hand toward the ignition panel. My fingertips brushed the surface, and the tech inside me responded, sending a pulse of energy through the connection. The lock disengaged with a soft click, and I swung my leg over the seat.

"Let's ride," I muttered. My internal electronic warfare suite activated a spoofing program to signal the engine start command, and the motorcycle’s computer yielded to my hack.

The engine roared to life, and I pulled out into the street, speeding off into the night. The city blurred past me as I leaned into the curves, the cool air whipping against my face. My senses were on high alert, scanning for any threats as I wove through the sparse traffic, Mia’s presence steady in my mind.

"Heading west," Mia said, the map of the city displayed in my mind. "There’s a safe route through the industrial district. We’ll avoid most of the police drones there."

I gripped the handlebars tighter, feeling the rush of the road beneath me as I sped through the darkened streets.