Bobby guided the hover bike through the debris-strewn streets, following the route he'd memorised from the satellite images. The bike hummed beneath him, its anti-grav field kicking up small clouds of dust and broken glass. He kept his speed low, mindful of the noise even though the bike ran quieter than any combustion engine.

A thunderous explosion rocked the air. Bobby's head snapped toward the sound, catching sight of an orange fireball blooming on the horizon. The blast lit up the darkening sky, casting long shadows across the ruined cityscape.

"Quite the show, eh?" Mic's voice crackled through the NeuroBridge.

"Just try not to blow yourself up," Bobby replied, banking the bike around a collapsed lamppost. "Need you in one piece to cover the extraction."

The route took him past abandoned shops and offices, their windows long since shattered. Nature had begun reclaiming the streets - weeds pushed through cracks in the pavement, and moss crawled up walls. The System's changes had sped up the decay, making three weeks feel like three decades.

Another explosion echoed through the streets, followed by the distinctive crack of gunfire. Bobby smiled. Mic was certainly keeping the raiders occupied.

The Volvo dealership appeared ahead, its once-pristine showroom now a hollow shell. The building's facade bore the scars of whatever violence had visited here - bullet holes peppered the walls, and scorch marks marred the company logo.

Bobby killed the bike's power and drew his neutron blaster. He scanned the dealership's dark interior, looking for any sign of movement among the scattered debris and abandoned vehicles. The place appeared deserted, but he'd learned the hard way not to trust appearances in this new world.

Bobby crept through the shattered glass entrance, neutron blaster sweeping left and right. Shafts of fading daylight pierced the showroom's remains, casting shadows across broken display stands and scattered brochures. The dealership's open layout worked in his favour - no hidden corners for threats to lurk.

A sleek S90 sat abandoned in the centre, its pristine white paint now dulled by a thick layer of dust. Bobby moved past it, checking behind the customer service desk and parts counter. Nothing but empty drawers and overturned chairs.

The staff areas yielded similar results - a ransacked break room, stripped-clean lockers, and a manager's office with papers strewn across the floor. His footsteps crunched on broken ceramic tiles as he completed his sweep.

"Clear," he muttered to himself, returning to fetch the hover bike.

The bike's anti-grav field hummed softly as he guided it through the showroom. He chose the manager's office - its solid walls would help mask the bike's energy signature. Bobby pushed aside a fallen filing cabinet, creating a space in the corner.

He powered down the bike, fingers dancing across the control panel to engage the encryption lock. A string of alien characters flashed across the screen before fading to black. Mic's security modifications would make it nearly impossible for raiders to steal - assuming they even found it.

Bobby piled office debris around the bike - broken chairs, cabinet drawers, chunks of ceiling tile. The makeshift camouflage wouldn't hold up to close inspection, but it didn't need to. He just needed the bike to stay hidden long enough for the rescue.

Satisfied with his work, Bobby checked his neutron blaster's charge level and headed for the dealership's rear exit. The raiders' compound awaited, its fortress-like walls visible above the surrounding buildings.

Rem, are you scanning ahead?

Hmmm… is there anyway we can increase that?

Is that even possible?

No, you idiot. Getting you a new body?

Well, like you said, anything is possible with the System. Let’s survive this, and once I’ve worked out how this new world works, then maybe we can work on that quest line of yours.

Bobby crouched behind a rusted industrial bin, scanning the street ahead. Twisted metal and broken concrete created a maze of shadows, perfect for staying hidden. He kept his breathing steady, movements slow and deliberate as he plotted his path forward.

The raiders' compound loomed ahead, its walls a patchwork of corrugated metal and concrete slabs. Bobby spotted two guards on the nearest tower, their augmented forms silhouetted against the darkening sky.

He pressed himself against a wall, edging around a corner. His boots found purchase on patches of bare ground between debris, avoiding loose stones or glass that might give him away. The weight of the neutron blaster felt reassuring against his chest, secured by its magnetic holster.

A rat skittered across his path. Bobby froze, becoming one with the shadows. One guard turned, sweeping the area with enhanced vision. Bobby didn't move a muscle, barely breathing as the guard's gaze passed over his position.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The moment stretched. Finally, the guard turned away. Bobby released his breath, then continued his careful advance. He used abandoned vehicles for cover, moving from a burned-out taxi to a toppled delivery van.

Something flickered in his vision:

Stealth skill increased to 5

You have learned to move more quietly and blend with shadows

Bobby allowed himself a small smile. The System was acknowledging his careful approach. He'd need every advantage for what lay ahead.

The next stretch of road offered less cover. Bobby studied the terrain, noting how the lengthening shadows created dark patches between the rubble. He timed his movements with the guards' patrol patterns, slipping from shadow to shadow like a ghost. It helped that most of the guards looked distracted, their attention focused on Mic's behaviour. But they hadn’t left their posts.

So they're at least somewhat discipline. Bobby thought.

Still, he avoided any direct eye contact. He remembered watching a film many years ago where the character was trying to sneak into somewhere and he kept repeating the mantra of eyes, meet eyes. He took the same approach, with no other knowledge of why, and tried to avoid looking directly at any of the guards. It sounded good when he was watching the film, but he wasn’t sure if it would work. However, with a lot more riding on it now, he was willing to try it.

Bobby pressed himself against the rough concrete of the compound wall, his heart hammering. A guard passed overhead, boots crunching on loose gravel. Bobby held his breath, certain he'd be discovered. The guard's augmented eyes swept the area - then moved on without pause.

That should have been it. Game over. As the guard's enhanced vision swept over his position, Bobby felt the now familiar tingle of his Lucky Seven perk activating. The sensation crawled across his skin like static electricity, and somehow the guard's eyes slid right past him. Bobby let out his breath, grateful for the cosmic luck that watched over him.

It wasn't the first time on his way to the compound that his luck had saved him. Three separate patrols had nearly stumbled across him during his approach. Each time, something drew their attention away - a sudden equipment malfunction, a distracting noise, even a stumble on perfectly flat ground. The odds of surviving undetected should have been astronomical.

The wall loomed above him, fifteen feet of patchwork metal and concrete. Crude handholds dotted the wall’s surface, where pieces had been welded together, creating an unintentional climbing route. Bobby studied the pattern, plotting his ascent. But first, he needed a distraction.

"Mic, I need some fireworks," Bobby sub-vocalised through the NeuroBridge. "Something to draw eyes away from the south wall."

"Oh! Right you are! I've got just the, errr, thing. Had this beauty waiting for, um, the right moment. Should give them something proper to look at."

Seconds later, a massive explosion lit up the northern section of the compound. Orange flames billowed into the night sky, followed by secondary detonations that sent raiders scrambling across the walkways. Guards shouted orders, their voices carrying clearly in the chaos as they fired blindly back towards Mic's position.

Bobby didn't waste the opportunity. He grabbed the first handhold and climbed, moving with careful precision. The rough metal bit into his palms, but he ignored the discomfort. Each movement brought him closer to the top, closer to finding Sprocket.

More explosions rocked the compound. Whatever Mic had rigged up, it was putting on quite a show. Bobby smiled as he continued his ascent, grateful for the gnome's theatrical approach to creating distractions.

Bobby hauled himself over the wall's edge, his hands burning from the climb. He landed on the walkway in a crouch, ready to slip away into the shadows - and found himself fifteen feet from a raider. The armoured man stood with his back turned, attention fixed on Mic's explosive display in the distance.

Bobby's heart thundered in his chest. He tried to edge backward, but metal creaked beneath his boot. The guard's head snapped around, augmented eyes widening.

No time for stealth. Bobby's hand flew to the neutron blaster, unclamping it from his chest. His Energy Weapon Proficiency kicked in as the weapon hummed to life, its familiar weight settling in his grip. The guard opened his mouth to shout - but Bobby squeezed the trigger first.

Critical Hit! Damage multiplied by 2.5

Stealth Attack bonus applied

A bolt of crackling energy struck the guard's head, the impact amplified by Bobby's positioning. The guard's augmented skull caved inward, neural implants shorting out in a shower of sparks. The body crumpled, chrome-enhanced limbs spasming as system connections failed.

"Intruder on the wall!" Someone shouted from nearby. "Section four!"

Bobby sprinted for the stairs, boots clanging on the metal grating. Gunfire erupted behind him, bullets sparking off the walkway where he'd stood moments before. He took the steps two at a time, his lungs burning.

Something tingled at the base of his skull - an inexplicable urge to jump. Bobby didn't question it. He launched himself off the stairs, tucking his body tight.

The world exploded. A missile struck where he'd been running, obliterating the metal staircase in a thunderous blast. Bobby hit the ground hard, rolling through the impact as chunks of burning metal rained down around him.

He sprang to his feet, ears ringing. Through the smoke, he spotted the raider adjusting his missile launcher for another shot.

"Oh, fuck!" Bobby bolted across the compound's yard, zigzagging between piles of scrap metal as his attacker took aim. More raiders appeared in front of him.

Bobby squeezed off three shots in quick succession. The neutron blaster's energy bolts caught the first raider in the chest, burning through his armour. The man dropped, smoke curling from the charred hole in his torso.

The second raider dived behind a stack of metal crates. Bobby tracked the movement, waiting. When the raider popped up to return fire, Bobby's shot caught him between the eyes. The man's augmented face disintegrated, implants sparking as the body collapsed.

Bullets whizzed past Bobby's head as more raiders joined the fight. He sprinted across the yard, boots pounding on packed dirt. The missile launcher boomed again, its projectile streaking through the air. Bobby threw himself behind a concrete barrier, feeling the heat wash over him as the missile detonated nearby.

He scrambled to his feet and ran, keeping low. The outline of a warehouse style building loomed ahead, its metal walls reflecting the orange glow of fires burning across the compound. Bobby rounded the corner, pressing his back against cold steel as gunfire peppered his previous position.

"Mic," Bobby gasped through the NeuroBridge. "I may have fucked up. They know I'm here."

"Oh dear, that's not good. Not good at all." Mic's voice crackled with static. "Though I suppose it was bound to happen, eventually. These things rarely go according to-" The NeuroBridge connection fizzled out as a deep, resonant growl cut through the air. Every instinct screamed at him to run.

Bobby turned toward the sound. The warehouse's loading bay door creaked open, metal grinding against metal. In the darkness beyond, something massive shifted. Yellow eyes blazed in the shadows, and the growl grew louder.

Bobby's blood ran cold as a monstrous form emerged from the warehouse. His system interface flickered with new information as the creature stepped into the light.

"Fuck me."