Darkness.
Then—a sharp breath. A jolt of consciousness, like breaking the surface of deep water.
Ryo’s eyes snapped open. His body convulsed as he sucked in air, his mind reeling from the sudden reboot. Blinding neon lights flickered above him. A warning klaxon blared in the distance.
He was lying on cold metal, surrounded by shattered glass and sparking cables. The pod he had been inside—some kind of cryo-stasis chamber—was now broken open, steam pouring from its cracked edges. A series of red holographic warnings hovered in the air:
[UNAUTHORIZED SYSTEM BOOT DETECTED]
[SECURITY PROTOCOLS ENGAGED]
[PURGING SUBJECT]
“Shit.”
Ryo pushed himself up, his muscles screaming in protest. He didn’t have time to understand what was happening. He only knew one thing—he had to move.
A metallic voice echoed through the facility’s loudspeakers.
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“Subject R-47 has been reactivated. Deploying enforcement units.”
His blood ran cold.
The distant sound of clanking metal filled the air. Mechanical footsteps. They were coming for him.
His instincts kicked in. He sprinted forward, his body moving before his mind could catch up. The corridor ahead was a mess of flickering lights and emergency sirens, casting twisted shadows against the steel walls.
A sudden burst of gunfire erupted behind him. Sparks flew as bullets ricocheted off the walls. Ryo ducked, rolling into an open doorway just as a squad of black-armored Enforcers stormed in, their cybernetic eyes glowing red.
“Target acquired. Engaging.”
They moved like machines—because they were. Half-human, half-synthetic killers built for one purpose: elimination.
Ryo’s heart pounded as he scanned the room for an exit. A ventilation shaft—partially open, just small enough for him to squeeze through. Without hesitation, he lunged for it, yanking himself inside as bullets shredded the air behind him.
The shaft was tight, barely allowing him to crawl through. His breaths were ragged. He could hear the Enforcers below, recalibrating their scanners.
“Target lost. Engaging thermal scan.”
No. No, no, no—
A hiss of air. The shaft began heating up as their sensors locked onto him.
Ryo clenched his jaw. He had to move. Fast.
The shaft led downward—deeper into the unknown. No time to think, no time to hesitate. He took a deep breath—
And dropped.
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To be continued…