Marco Gerome

Vomi might be the weirdest person Marco has ever met in his life, and that's an achievement when you put on the fact that he is a corpo. Not exactly a corpo, he isn't working for a corporation specifically, but his gigs are mostly with them. He has dealt with so many people, ranging from total maniacs who think more money means more loyalty to methodic cold strategists that are so paranoid they might as well have optics in the back of their head. And that's not an impossible feat, last time he checked.

But her? She didn't fit the spectrum of a corpo, not a streetkid, not even a nomad. She drives a Nomad car, yes, but she doesn't act like one. She does act like a child with too many toys to play with, which isn't the best thing in the world, not the worst. The worst is her sudden change, going from “carefree with no self preservation” to “ninja with years of experience on the field” in a moment's notice. The complete lack of consistency made her even more dangerous, as Marco was dragged to do something he shouldn't, which is do the gig himself, putting his life on the line, who probably is going to go flat.

Oh, and there's the cat too.

What's his deal anyway? Why does it look like he's watching? Studying? Preying?

Either way, he at least was comfortable in his lap, purring slightly as both of them waited for Vomi. She was just about klepping a truck they could use.

As Marco sat there, nervously petting Vanguard, he couldn't help but wonder if this was the stupidest thing he’d ever done. Fuck that—this was definitely the stupidest thing he'd ever done. He was about to infiltrate a high-security pier, pretending to be a delivery driver with a woman who seemed to have the attention span of a goldfish and the skills of a covert ops agent. And a cat. Don't forget the cat.

"Why do I do this to myself?" he muttered, rubbing his temple as Vanguard purred in his lap, content and completely unaware—or maybe entirely aware—of the chaos that was about to unfold.

Marco shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep still as Vanguard made himself at home on his lap. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the cat was more than just a cat, but whenever he looked down, Vanguard would be purring like any other harmless pet.

"What's taking her so long?" Marco muttered under his breath. "She should’ve been back by now."

Vanguard flicked his tail, his red eyes watching the street ahead. Vomi had disappeared into the shadows a while ago, leaving Marco to stew in his nervous thoughts.

“Probably jacking a truck or something,” Marco whispered to himself, feeling an odd sense of calm despite everything. “This is crazy. Why did I agree to this?”

Right on cue, the sound of an engine roaring to life broke the silence. Marco’s eyes widened as he spotted a massive armored truck pulling up in front of them. The driver’s window rolled down, revealing Vomi with a huge grin on her face.

“Hop in!” she called, as if this were a casual night out.

Marco stared in disbelief. “You klepped that?”

She shrugged. “It was easier than I thought.”

Marco blinked, not sure whether to be impressed or terrified. “You’re gonna get us killed.”

“Not if you quit whining and get in the damn truck,” she replied, her grin widening. “C’mon, Marco. Gotta delta!”

Marco reluctantly stood up, trying to dislodge Vanguard, who, of course, stayed comfortably where he was until Marco had to awkwardly scoop him up. As he climbed into the truck, Marco muttered, “This is the worst idea ever.”

But Vomi? She just smiled wider. “Nah, it’s brilliant. Trust me.”

That was the thing. He wasn’t sure if he did.

That didn't stop him from entering the truck though.

As soon as he looked at the back seats, he was stunned, “You got a fucking weapon's stash?!? How?!?”

“Killed a few Zoom Hunters. Gangsters are usually dumb and don't watch a vehicle they think is untouchable.”, She offered as the truck roared to the pier.

“There is a reason why!”, He yelled, jumping the seats and checking the iron stored in the back, “Some of this stuff is expensive!”

“Eh.”, Vomi shrugged, not interested in the loot, “At least the previous owners won't miss it.”

“Why?”

“I zero’ed them, of course.”

Marco froze for a second, staring at Vomi in disbelief. “You what?”

“I zero’ed them,” Vomi repeated casually, her eyes still on the road. “Had to. They weren’t gonna let me just drive off with their truck.”

Marco ran his hands through his hair, trying to process this. “You’re insane. Do you even know who those guys were?! Zoom Hunters don’t just let things slide! They’re gonna come after us!”

Vomi raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed. “Good thing we’re not sticking around long enough for them to do that, huh?”

Marco groaned, flopping back against the seat, still clutching one of the weapons. “This is so messed up. We’re already risking our necks stealing from Ascendant, and now we’ve got a gang of psychos after us too?”

“Relax,” Vomi said, her tone far too casual for the situation. “I’ve got it under control.”

Vanguard, still perched on Marco’s lap, let out a low purr, though he only voiced his thoughts to Vomi, as usual. "He's panicking too much. This is standard procedure for you."

Vomi smirked, listening to her symbiote’s commentary in her head. She glanced over at Marco, who was clearly still rattled. “Don’t worry, Marco. Just stick to the plan, and we’ll be fine.”

Marco stared at her, utterly unconvinced. “Your plans get people killed.”

“Only the ones who deserve it,” she replied smoothly.

Marco slumped back in his seat, clutching the weapon for dear life. “I’m not gonna survive this night…”

Vomi laughed. "Sure you will. Worst-case scenario, you get a free ride in the back of this armored truck. Could be worse.”

Marco gave her a deadpan look. “You’re really bad at comforting people, you know that?”

“Never said I was trying to.”

“Ugh… You better be as good as a merc as you are as a Netrunner.”

Vomi smirked, her eyes still fixed on the road. “You’ll see soon enough. Just try not to get in the way.”

Marco sighed, gripping the gun tighter. “I’m not cut out for this. I’m a fixer, not a frontline guy.”

“Good thing you’ve got me, then,” Vomi replied, her tone dripping with confidence. “I do both.”

The truck sped through the city, the neon lights flickering past as they approached the pier. The tension inside the cab grew thicker with each passing second. Marco kept glancing nervously at the back, where the weapons were stashed, clearly still trying to come to terms with what they were about to do.

Vomi glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “You’re gonna want to chill, Marco. Sweating bullets before the action isn’t gonna help.”

“I’m sweating because I know how bad this can go,” Marco muttered. “You? You seem to thrive in it.”

“Gotta have fun with it, or else what’s the point?”

“Fun?” Marco gawked at her, genuinely bewildered. “Stealing from one of the biggest corps in the city while gangsters might be hunting us is fun to you?”

Vomi shrugged again. “Hey, it beats a desk job.”

The corpo stuttered before admitting, “I hate the fact that I can't argue with that.”

Vanguard just meowed.

As they pulled into the shadows near Pier 23, Vomi killed the engine and turned to Marco. “Alright. You stay here and keep the engine running. If things get loud, we’re out fast.”

Marco swallowed hard, giving a shaky nod. “Got it. Don’t die in there, okay?”

Vomi flashed him a grin, cracking her knuckles. “There's a smart sniper in the back. If I need cover, use it.”

“Alright.”, He said as he grabbed the sniper, “Oh God…”

“Nova!”

She immediately left, jumping really high, using the sunlight to cover up the fact she was trespassing a restricted area. Probably Ankle chrome.

Marco sat there, grilling the wheel and muttered, “I should've stayed in bed.”

----------------------------------------

She fell gracefully, her landing not making a sound. She quickly brought up her laptop, the lack of a Cyberdeck being a pain, but it's way better than being traced back at every single hack attempt. The place Vomi landed was near a cafeteria, the only place that Pier 23 had few minutes of quiet, and as consequence, no people, no vigilance. She connected the cord of the laptop near the door lock and hacked the safety measures easily, but her aim was not the cafeteria, it was the Security Servers. That way she could upload the fake credentials she did when first breaching Ascendant Innovations servers.

Sure, if anyone double checked it would be a bust, but armored trucks tended to be used for a reason. If you can't get inside, it means it will be delivered safely.

It just so happens that this isn't the case.

As Vomi moved quietly toward the security room, the familiar hum of her laptop in hand, Vanguard’s voice echoed in her mind. “You’re cutting it close.”

“I always cut it close,” she thought back, her fingers flying over the keys as she breached the server’s defenses. “That’s how I know it’s working.”

The servers were tougher than she anticipated, but nothing she couldn’t handle. With a few keystrokes, she began uploading the fake credentials she’d crafted earlier. The security system accepted them without a hitch.

“Too easy,” she muttered under her breath.

“Don’t jinx it,” Vanguard reminded her, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

Vomi rolled her eyes. “Just keep an eye on Marco. I don’t need him losing it while I’m in here.”

“Already on it,” came the cat’s silent reply. She could almost feel Vanguard's smirk.

With the credentials uploaded, Vomi disconnected and slinked through the shadows, keeping an eye on the armored trucks that lined the pier. She was looking for a specific one — the one Marco had mentioned, carrying the sensitive delivery they were after.

She spotted it: a sleek black vehicle with an armored chassis. A quick glance around confirmed the coast was clear. She approached, her heartbeat steady. Just as she reached the truck, her laptop beeped softly — the decoy program she’d set up had been triggered. Someone was onto the breach.

“Guess I’ll have to be quick about this,” she muttered.

Inside the cab, Marco shifted nervously, his fingers tapping on the sniper rifle she’d given him. “She better not take too long…”

His agent immediately appeared, a call from the woman herself.

“Got the package secured. Someone is checking the servers, but I think I can distract them long enough so you can come and put the car on the truck.”

Her voice was calm, yet he could see a hint of urgency.

“Sure. I'll go.”

“Quick. Can't stall for long.”

As soon as the call finished, he got closer to the Pier's entrance, “This truck better work…”

Marco gripped the wheel tightly, his heart racing as he maneuvered the stolen truck toward the entrance of the pier. The darkness enveloped him, but he could see the faint glow of lights from the armored vehicles ahead. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. “Okay, just act natural,” he muttered to himself, hoping that would somehow help.

As he approached the guard checkpoint, he felt the weight of the sniper rifle resting in the back seat. It was both a comfort and a reminder of how far out of his depth he was. “What am I even doing here?” he questioned, glancing at the rearview mirror, where Vanguard’s red eyes glowed faintly.

He forced a grin as he reached the security gate. The guard eyed him suspiciously but waved him through. “Just a routine check,” he said, keeping his tone casual. “Got a delivery for the Ascendant team.”

“Got credentials?”, The guard asked casually.

It looks like the big truck is working as a disguise. Not to mention the fact that they actually are using delivery uniforms.

“You can check if you want.”, Marco informed, “Hey! Vanguard, stop that!”

The symbiote cat was jumping over the seats and dashboard of the truck, much to the guards amusement, but eventually Vanguard stopped.

“Hehehehehe! Alright, your creds check. Go on, but don't let the kitty go loose.”, The guard waved his hand, shooing them off.

“Oh trust me, I didn't even want him with me.”, Marco said annoyingly.

Only for Vanguard to paw punch him in the face.

“Ow!”

“Get lost already.”, The guard reminded him.

Begrudgingly, Marco drove the truck next to their target. A Blue Chevillon Thrax 388 Jefferson. He parked the truck next to it, seeing that Vomit was already breaching the car's safety protocols. He jumped out of the truck and checked on her.

“Are we good?”

“Not now.”, She had a deep frown in her forehead, “This is actual tight security.”

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And it was. Sensitive data tended to be heavily guarded, but to have four ICE barriers was something Vomi has never seen, at least until now.

“Four ICE barriers? What the hell are they trying to protect?” Marco asked, glancing nervously around the pier. The shadows seemed to stretch ominously, as if the night itself was watching.

Vomi gritted her teeth, fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop. “Sensitive data means they’re hiding something big. I just need a moment.” She bit her lip, her focus intense.

“Sure, no pressure or anything,” Marco replied, shifting from foot to foot, anxiety gnawing at him. “If they catch us—”

“They won’t,” Vomi snapped, her eyes glued to the screen. “Just keep an eye out for guards, okay? I’ll let you know when I’m in.”

“Right, just your casual heist,” he mumbled under his breath, peering over her shoulder at the swirling lines of code. “Why did I agree to this again?”

“Because I saved your ass, remember?” Vomi shot back, her tone teasing despite the tension in the air. “Now, stop whining and watch for trouble.”

Marco nodded, trying to focus as he scanned the surroundings. He felt a bit like a deer caught in headlights, but he couldn’t let Vomi down. As she worked, he noticed Vanguard curled up in the passenger seat, watching them with an almost amused expression.

“Why do I feel like I’m part of a really bad action movie?” Marco said, shaking his head. “You know, the ones where everything goes wrong?”

“Because you’re not exactly the hero type,” Vomi replied, still concentrated on her task. “More like the reluctant sidekick.”

“Great, just what I wanted to hear,” he muttered, but a part of him couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride. He was doing something, however dangerous, alongside someone who clearly knew her stuff.

After a tense few moments, Vomi let out a small victory laugh. “Got it! The first barrier is down. Now onto the next.”

Marco watched in awe as she typed rapidly, feeling a bit better about their odds. “Nice work! Keep it coming!”

“Don’t get too cocky,” she warned, narrowing her eyes. “The next one might be tougher.”

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. Marco’s heart dropped. “Uh, Vomi? We might have company.”

“Focus!” she hissed, her fingers never slowing down. “Just stay calm.”

He stepped closer to her, peering around nervously. “How calm can I be when I’m about to get caught in a corporate sting operation?”

“Calm enough to not make a scene,” she snapped, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. “You want to draw attention? Because that’ll get us killed!”

Marco took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep his cool. “Right. Just... chill. I can do that.” He tried to look casual, but his heart raced as the footsteps grew louder.

“Almost through,” Vomi murmured, her eyes darting back to the screen. “Just need a few more seconds—”

“Not enough time!” Marco replied, glancing toward the source of the footsteps. “They’re getting closer!”

“Just hold on!” she shot back, desperation creeping into her voice. “I can do this!”

The footsteps stopped just outside the truck, and Marco’s breath hitched in his throat. “Shit! They’re here!”

“What the—!”

“Intruders!”

Shit.

Without taking her eyes out of the laptop, Vomi picked up her Nue and shot the tek guards that spotted them, their blood forcing the floor to be painted with red, instead of the not so slick corporate-white color it had before.

“You had ONE job.”, Vomi pointed at him with her Nue, “We have iron in the truck. Go and use it!

Marco’s mind raced as he processed Vomi’s command. “Right! Iron!” He grabbed the sniper rifle from the back seat, his hands shaking slightly as he felt the weight of the weapon. “I can do this!” he muttered to himself, more to convince himself than anything else.

“Get a move on, Marco!” Vomi shouted, already firing off rounds at another guard who appeared from around the corner. “We don’t have time for hesitation!”

With a deep breath, Marco swung the door open and stepped out into the chaos. The pier was suddenly alive with the sounds of alarms blaring and guards yelling. He spotted a couple of guards rushing toward them, their weapons drawn.

“Hey! Over here!” Marco shouted, trying to draw their attention. He raised the rifle awkwardly, aiming at the nearest guard. His heart raced as he pulled the trigger, the rifle’s recoil startling him.

The shot rang out, and to his surprise, he hit the guard in the shoulder. “Yes! I did it!” he exclaimed, adrenaline surging through him.

“Smart weapon.”, She said, back to her unusual calm tone, “The bullets will fly to your target. Of course you did it.”

“H-hey!”

Vomi ignored Marco as she was coding the last two ICE barriers, “Try keeping them off me, would you?”

Marco nodded, adrenaline flooding his system. “Right! I can do this!” He steadied the rifle, focusing on the next guard rushing toward them. “Come on, come on…”

He squeezed the trigger again, the rifle barking as the shot flew true. This time, he hit the guard right in the chest. “I’m getting the hang of this!” Marco shouted, a mix of excitement and disbelief. Smart Weapon, but still.

“Just don’t let it go to your head.” Vomi called over her shoulder, still typing furiously on her laptop. “We need to clear a path before they swarm us.”

More guards were converging on their position, their shouts echoing through the chaos. “You think they heard that?” Marco shouted back, his hands shaking slightly as he reloaded the rifle.

“I think the entire district heard it.” Vomi replied, her eyes darting between the screen and the chaos unfolding outside. “So, how about you focus on keeping them off me while I finish this hack?”

“Right!” Marco fired again, his nerves fraying as he took aim at another guard. He squeezed the trigger, and the bullet hit the guard in the leg, sending him crashing to the ground. “I’m on it!”

Vomi glanced back at him, a flicker of appreciation in her eyes. “Not bad for a corpo boy.”

“Thanks! Just don’t call me that,” Marco retorted, aiming once more. “I’d rather be called a hero.”

“Good luck with that.” she smirked, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she bypassed the last of the ICE barriers. “Just a few more seconds… and…”

With a final keystroke, the barriers fell. “Got it! Now let’s get the hell out of here!” Vomi shouted, her voice rising above the din.

Marco jumped out of the truck, rifle raised, and sprinted toward the armored vehicle they were targeting. “Cover me!” he yelled, heart pounding in his chest as he darted across the open space.

“Moving!” Vomi fired again, taking out another guard who tried to flank them. Marco reached the side of the armored truck, his breath coming in rapid bursts.

“Okay, now what?” he panted, glancing back at Vomi, who was still keeping the guards at bay.

“Check the doors. If they’re locked, I’ll hack them.” she said calmly, darting closer to him.

Marco shoved against the Chevillon’s side, fumbling with the handle. “It’s locked!” He called out, panic rising.

“Hold on!” Vomi shouted, already pulling out her laptop again, her focus unwavering. “I’ll take care of it.”

The guards were regrouping, and Marco felt the pressure mounting. “Hurry! They’re coming!”

“I’m trying!” Vomi snapped, fingers racing over the keyboard. “Just keep an eye out!”

Marco turned, aiming his rifle at the oncoming guards. He fired again, his aim wavering under the stress, but he managed to hit one in the arm. “Come on, come on!” he urged, glancing back at Vomi.

“Almost there… just a little more,” she muttered, her concentration fierce.

Finally, with a beep, the Chevillon's doors unlocked with a loud click. “Got it!” Vomi exclaimed triumphantly. “Now get in!”

Marco wasted no time, yanking the door open and jumping inside. “Now what?!” he shouted, scanning the interior.

“Start it up.” Vomi ordered, sliding into the passenger seat and already pulling up the security feed. “We need to move before they figure out what’s happening. Need to download the shards.”

He fumbled with the ignition, heart racing as he was forced to hotwire the car. Enough time for Vanguard to suddenly appear in Vomi's lap. The engine roared to life, and he slammed the gear into drive. “Let’s go!”

“Just keep your foot on the gas!” Vomi yelled as she glanced back. “We’ve got company!”

Marco stepped on the gas, the Chevillon lurching forward as they tore out of the spot. He swerved to avoid a couple of guards who were now trying to block their escape.

“Right! Head for the back exit!” Vomi directed, still watching the monitors. “We can lose them in the alleys!”

“I hope you’re right!” Marco shot back, focusing on the road ahead. The pier was a maze of containers and tight corners, but he navigated through it, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

As they barreled down a narrow path, Marco could hear the guards shouting behind them. “They’re not giving up easily! Woah!” He almost ran over a guard, thankfully avoiding it at the last second.

“Just keep going!” Vomi shouted, her eyes glued to the screen. “We’re almost clear!”

The truck bounced over a pothole, and Marco gripped the wheel tighter. “I’m not stopping until we’re out of here!”

“Good! Now floor it!” Vomi urged, and Marco did just that, pushing the Chevillon to its limits.

Which isn't much, given it's an executive car.

With a final turn, they shot out onto a side street, leaving the chaos of the pier behind. Marco let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, glancing at Vomi, who was weirdly normal.

“Did we actually do it?” he asked, disbelief in his voice.

A sharp crank could be heard just behind them.

“You had to say something, didn't you?”, Vomi sighed.

It was a cybered guard.

That's a problem.

The guard had burst onto the street, gun raised and a wicked smile spread across his face. “You think you can get away that easily?”

“Shit!” Marco shouted, slamming on the brakes just as the guard opened fire. Bullets peppered the side of the Chevillon, and the rear window shattered into a thousand pieces.

“Drive, Marco!” Vomi yelled, her voice sharp with urgency. “Get us out of here!”

“I’m trying!” He yelled back, adrenaline spiking again as he hit the gas. The Chevillon roared forward, but the guard was relentless, sprinting after them, his enhanced cybernetics giving him an edge.

“Where’s the nearest exit?” Marco shouted, weaving through alleys and side streets, desperately searching for an escape route.

“Keep going straight! I’ll handle this!” Vomi snapped, pulling out her Nue and aiming out the window. “I can take him out!”

Before Marco could protest, she rolled down her window, bracing herself against the door. “Just keep it steady!”

“Easy for you to say!” he shouted, his heart racing as he dodged around a corner, narrowly avoiding a pile of crates. He felt the weight of the rifle behind him, the idea of using it gnawing at his mind.

Vomi fired, but her aim was shaky; the guard was moving too fast. Her shot went wide, the bullet embedding itself into a nearby wall. “Damn it!” she cursed, frustration evident in her voice.

“Let me try!” Marco shouted, twisting around to grab the rifle, but just as he did, Vomi’s focus faltered.

The guard had pulled out a grenade and tossed it right at them. Marco's eyes went wide. “Vomi! Look out!”

In a split second, Vomi ducked, but the grenade exploded against the back of the Chevillon, sending a shockwave through the vehicle. Marco felt the truck lurch violently, the sound of metal screaming as the rear tires skidded.

“Shit!” he yelled, struggling to maintain control as the truck swerved dangerously. He could feel the panic rising, his breath coming in short gasps. “We’re not gonna make it!”

“Shut up and drive!” Vomi shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. But Marco could see the fear in her eyes, a rare crack in her otherwise confident demeanor.

“Why the hell did we think we could pull this off?!” Marco shouted back, his hands white-knuckled on the wheel.

“Because we didn't have a choice!” Vomi snapped, leaning out the window again. This time, her shot connected, grazing the guard’s shoulder. He stumbled, but it only slowed him down for a moment.

Marco swerved again, barely avoiding another streetlight as he raced through the alley. “You know, I’m starting to think this might be a really bad idea!”

“Just keep moving!” Vomi barked, reloading her weapon. “We need to buy some time!”

As they sped down the street, Marco could see more guards converging in the distance. “There’s too many of them!” he cried out, panic bubbling in his throat.

“Stop whining and think! We need to lose them!” Vomi’s focus was razor-sharp, but the tension in her voice was palpable.

“Yeah, easy for you to say!” he yelled, glancing nervously at the rearview mirror. “That one’s still coming!”

The guard, relentless and determined, was gaining on them again. “We need a plan! Now!” Marco shouted, feeling the pressure mounting.

“Pull up ahead!” Vomi pointed at a narrow alley up ahead. “We can lose them in the side streets!”

“Got it!” Marco shouted, turning sharply into the alleyway. The tires squealed as they made the turn, and he fought to keep the Chevillon steady.

But the guard wasn’t far behind. “He’s right on us!” Marco shouted, his voice rising in panic. “What do we do?!”

“Just keep going!” Vomi shouted, desperation creeping into her tone. “I’ll cover you!”

She leaned out the window again, firing rapidly as they sped through the narrow streets. Marco could see the chaos unfolding in the rearview mirror — the guard was still in pursuit, but now another truck was closing in on them.

“Vomi!” Marco yelled, glancing at her. “What the hell do we do if they catch us?!”

“Just trust me!” she snapped, her determination shining through the fear. “We’re not done yet!”

But the truth was, Marco felt the weight of their predicament. The walls were closing in, and all he could do was drive as fast as he could, praying they’d find a way out before it was too late.

“Vomi!” he shouted again, fear gripping him. “I can’t keep this up! They’re going to catch us!”

But as she shot back, the guard’s bullets found their mark, hitting the side of the Chevillon with a sickening thud. Marco’s heart dropped as he realized they were losing ground fast.

“Keep your head in the game, Marco!” Vomi yelled, but even she sounded uncertain now.

But the vehicle had enough, the gas pedal no longer working as the car slowly but surely was going to stop.

“Fuck!”, Vomi said as she stepped out of the vehicle, Vanguard running up a set of stairs to watch from a safe distance.

“This time, you two can't run away.”, The cyber guard stood firm, a sharp grip in the shotgun he just unholstered.

Marco was still in the driver's seat, desperately trying to make the car work again.

“Vomi! What are you doing? Get back in!” Marco shouted, panic bubbling over as he frantically tried the ignition again. The Chevillon sputtered and whined, but it was clear they were running out of options.

“Just go!” Vomi yelled back, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the guard. “I’ll handle this!”

The guard chuckled darkly, his shotgun gleaming under the harsh streetlights. “You think you can take me on? I’ll enjoy making an example out of you.”

“Bring it on, tin can!” Vomi shot back, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She ducked behind the Chevillon, using it as cover as she pulled out her Nue, ready to fire. “Just know that I don’t go down without a fight!”

“Funny,” the guard said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I was counting on that.”

With a quick glance back at Marco, she yelled, “I’ll buy you some time! Just… just get out of here!”

“Don’t be stupid! We can’t leave you!” Marco shouted, desperation creeping into his voice as he finally managed to get the engine to turn over, but it was sputtering more than anything else.

“Just drive!” Vomi insisted, her voice fierce. “Now!”

The guard took a step closer, his weapon trained on her. “You’re outnumbered and outgunned, sweetheart. This is a losing game.”

Vomi’s fingers tightened around her weapon, her heart pounding in her chest. “We’ll see about that,” she growled, determination flooding her. “I’m not going down without a fight!”

Before she could think twice, she stepped out from behind the car, taking aim at the guard. She fired, but he moved like a shadow, dodging her shot with uncanny speed.

“Nice try!” he taunted, his grin widening. He fired back, the blast of the shotgun echoing through the alley, and Vomi barely managed to duck in time. The pellets rained down around her, ricocheting off the Chevillon and sending shards of metal flying.

“Vomi!” Marco shouted, his voice filled with fear as he struggled with the vehicle. “Get back in!”

“Not a chance!” she yelled, firing again, this time catching the guard in the shoulder. He grunted but didn’t go down. “Come on, you piece of junk!” she cursed at her weapon, frantically trying to reload while keeping her eyes on the guard.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he laughed, taking a few steps forward, ignoring the blood trickling from his shoulder. “I expected more from you.”

Vomi gritted her teeth, feeling the weight of her determination slip as he approached. “You’re not walking away from this,” she shot back, her voice steadier than she felt.

But as she aimed again, her weapon clicked empty, the final sound echoing in the tension-filled air. Which was impossible as she just reloaded her gun.

*CRUNCH*

The guard took the opportunity to charge her, and Vomi barely had time to react. He swung the shotgun, the butt crashing into her side and sending her sprawling to the ground, “The best quick hack for the job. Gun Jammer.”

“Vomi!” Marco screamed, the panic finally breaking through the noise in his head. He threw the door open, ready to jump out, but Vomi’s eyes locked onto his, and she shook her head, desperately trying to convey the message.

The guard stood over her, the shotgun leveled at her. “This is where it ends, little girl,” he sneered, his finger tightening on the trigger.

But in that moment, everything shifted. Vomi scrambled to her feet, adrenaline fueling her, but it was too late. The guard pulled the trigger, the shot ringing out like a death knell. She hit the ground hard, gasping, pain flashing across her features.

“Get away from her!” Marco roared, his hands trembling as he reached for the sniper rifle, desperation clawing at his chest. But the guard was already closing in, reveling in his victory.

He just slapped the corpo on the face, enough to make him fall to the ground, “I can't kill you, corpo scum, but I at least can enjoy leaving you almost like a pool of blood.”

“Some things never change.”

What?

What voice was that?

Why was it so menacing?

Why there were black tendrils coming from Vomi's corpse?

The monowires, or whatever those tendrils were, enveloped her body, covering every part that was bleeding, replacing her clothes with that black goo.

“There's always a white knight that just can't leave a damsel in distress.”

The voice… it came from her?

“The fuck?”, The cyber guard looked at the corpse, now standing up and staring at his soul.

And that was the last thing that man saw in his life.