Kovacs was barely aware of the staccato rhythm of his feet against the cracked pavement as he was dragged through the burning streets. The air was thick with smoke and sharp with the scent of scorched metal and concrete. Explosions echoed in the distance, sending tremors through the ground and rattling his bones. Every breath was a struggle, the heat of the fires licking at his face, even as the CID agents hurried him through the ruins of Prescott.

His ears still rang from the blast that had nearly taken him out. His limbs felt heavy and sluggish from the adrenaline that hadn’t entirely left his system. The last thing he remembered clearly was the sound of sirens and the sudden shockwave that had thrown him to the ground. Now, it was just chaos.

The city was burning.

Buildings he’d once known—the campus library, the workshop, even the old tech district where he used to run errands—were crumbling under the relentless assault. Flames hungrily devoured the skyline, and all around him, the air was filled with the anguished cries of those caught in the crossfire. People were running, their faces masked with terror. Others were still either too injured or too shocked to move. A nearby storefront exploded into fragments of glass and metal, sending a shower of debris across the street. Kovacs flinched instinctively, but the agents moved with cold precision, shielding him from the worst.

“Move faster,” one of them barked, his grip tightening on Kovacs’ arm.

He stumbled but complied, his legs nearly giving out beneath him. Every step seemed heavier than the last, but he knew they wouldn’t slow down for him. They couldn’t.

“Kovacs, keep your head down!” Another agent grabbed him by the shoulder, roughly pulling him forward just as a low-flying drone swooped past, its energy cannons lighting up the street. A sharp beam of light cut through the thick smoke, vaporizing whatever it touched, and the agents swore under their breath as they narrowly avoided it.

It was all happening so fast, too fast for him to process.

“Where—where are we going?” Kovacs rasped, his voice hoarse from the heat and dust. His mind was racing, but his body was slowing down, the weight of everything crushing his focus.

The agent on his right didn’t answer, and the one on his left merely glanced at him with cold eyes. His helmet visor reflected the flames as they weaved through alleyways and side streets, avoiding the main roads where the destruction was worst.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

Just hours ago, Kovacs had been in his workshop, pouring over schematics, thinking about class assignments and how to fix the mecha he’d been contracted to rebuild. The world had been smaller then—manageable. Now, it was all spiraling out of control. And him? He was caught in the middle of something far bigger than he ever imagined.

The ground trembled beneath them again, followed by a distant rumble that grew closer with each passing second. A second wave of explosions hit, further down the street, but even from here, the shockwave rippled through the city like a beast waking from its slumber. Cars were thrown into the air like toys, and a nearby building groaned before collapsing into itself with a loud crash.

Kovacs’ heart pounded, his chest tightening as he tried to understand it all.

"Why are they doing this?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes wide as he watched the destruction unfold. "Why now?"

“Not the time for questions,” one of the agents growled, pulling him around a corner and into a narrow alley. "We need to get you out of the open."

They continued to push forward, deeper into the labyrinth of crumbling streets and makeshift barricades. But Kovacs could feel the weight of the city pressing down on him—the memories of everything he’d built, everything he knew, being consumed by fire and smoke.

The enemy was here. Whoever they were.

He couldn’t shake the image of the workshop—where he had spent so many hours working on designs, his escape from the world. Now, it was probably rubble, twisted metal, and shattered glass. And the mecha… his designs… all of it, gone. Just like that. And for what?

Before he could spiral further into his thoughts, the group suddenly stopped. The lead agent raised his hand, signaling them to stop. They ducked behind the remnants of a brick wall just as a convoy of military vehicles sped past, heading toward the city's heart where the fighting was fiercest. Gunfire crackled in the distance, punctuated by mecha engines' deep, guttural hum. Kovacs’ stomach twisted at the sound—it was the kind of noise that meant only one thing: things were about to get worse.

“We’re almost there,” one of the agents muttered. His voice was tense, though he tried to mask it with professionalism. Kovacs caught the glint of sweat on his brow, even beneath the helmet.

“Where’s… ‘there’?” Kovacs asked, breathless, trying to make sense of the plan.

“We’re taking you to a safe house,” the agent replied, checking his wrist-mounted holo-map. “You’re too valuable to be caught in the open like this. They’re after you, Kovacs. You and your designs. We can’t let them get their hands on you.”

Valuable? Kovacs almost laughed, but the sound caught in his throat. None of this felt real. Not the burning city, not the agents, not the realization that someone—some group—wanted him dead. And for what? A few mecha schematics?

But the agent’s words stuck with him. They were after him. Whoever "they" were.

It wasn’t just the city that was under siege. It was him.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

The full weight of the situation began to sink in, a slow burn at the back of his mind. This wasn’t just some random attack. This was a hunt. They had come for Prescott with a purpose, and somehow, that purpose-led back to him.

“We need to move,” the agent ordered, and they resumed their pace, keeping low and quiet as they navigated the war-torn city. Kovacs’ head spun, but he forced himself to keep moving. There was no time to process. No time to think about what came next.

The world was burning around him. He could feel the heat, smell the acrid smoke, hear the cries of the wounded.

And all he could do was survive.

For now.

***

The Chimera’sfeet pounded against the scorched earth as Jackie steered the bipedal mecha through the chaos of the crumbling city. Flames stretched toward the sky like grasping fingers, the air thick with soot. Every step of the Chimera reverberated through the cockpit, steady but fast, its massive frame barely scraping past fallen structures. The city they were passing through had been small at only a few thousand citizens. It had been caught like others in the raid on their home world.

"Maintain formation!" Jackie ordered over the squad comms, her voice sharp and controlled. "We’re almost clear!"

Her unit moved like shadows behind her, sticking to the path she'd cut through the debris, but Jackie could feel the weight of the mission bearing down on her. Prescott was in ruins. They were running, forced to retreat rather than stand their ground. The sky above was an angry red, filled with the sounds of explosions, gunfire, and crumbling buildings. Her squad's HUDs flickered with proximity alerts—enemies were closing in fast.

"Captain, we’ve got hostiles coming up from the rear!" Richter’s voice crackled through the comms. "They’re right on us!"

Jackie gripped the controls tighter as their squad leader gave orders. "Stay in formation, Richter. We push through. No slowing down."

The Chimera’s massive legs powered the mecha forward. Despite its size, it was fast and agile—one of the more versatile mechs in the fleet, equipped with twin plasma cannons on the shoulders and a heavy ballistic rifle slung across its back. It could handle most engagements, but her goal wasn’t to fight right now—it was to survive.

Their destination was Point K, a hidden outpost buried deep in the mountains. A moving base that served as both a rendezvous point and a repair facility for quick turnarounds. It wasn’t invincible, but it was their only chance at regrouping.

"Point K is still twenty clicks southeast," Jackie reminded the team, her voice calm even as the HUD showed multiple targets gaining on them. "We’ll be there in five minutes. Stick to the plan. No heroics."

As if on cue, her sensors flashed red—a trio of enemy mechs breaking through the haze behind them. They were fast movers, light units built for speed, but still dangerous if they got in close.

"Richter, Vale—tighten up," Jackie ordered. "They’re trying to close the gap. Vale, I need you to hold them off."

"On it," Vale replied. His mech, a heavy artillery platform, rotated to face the pursuers, lining up a shot with his railgun. A bright streak of energy flared through the smoky battlefield, slamming into the lead enemy. The hit didn’t destroy it but slowed it down, forcing the others to fan out.

Jackie’s hands flew over the controls as she guided the Chimera toward the nearest cover, a shattered building that could hide their movement. The Chimera’s sensors picked up more movement—a second wave of enemies approaching from the west.

“Dammit,” Jackie muttered under her breath. They were being funneled into a kill zone.

"We’ve got more incoming from the west," Richter warned. "They’re trying to cut us off!"

"I see it," Jackie responded, already adjusting their course. "Hold them back as long as you can, but don’t get bogged down."

The Chimera moved with surprising grace for its size, stepping over wreckage and weaving between the skeletal remains of buildings. Jackie's tactical display flickered with options, but none of them looked good. They were being boxed in.

"We need to break through," Vale’s voice cut in. "If they close the gap, we’re done for."

"Not if we get to Point K first," Jackie countered. "Hold them off. When I say go, we split."

Her HUD lit up again—more enemies were approaching, and they were quickly closing the distance. Jackie cursed under her breath. They had one shot to make it to Point K but couldn’t risk leading the enemy there.

"Richter, Vale—listen up," Jackie said, her voice hardening. "When we hit the ridge, I’m splitting off. I’ll draw their fire. You two push ahead to Point K."

"You can’t be serious!" Richter’s voice was tight with panic. "You’ll be outnumbered, and we’ll lose our best chance at surviving this!"

Jackie’s jaw clenched. "That’s an order, Richter. You’ll make it to Point K. I’ll buy you the time."

Without waiting for a reply, Jackie turned the Chimera sharply, breaking away from the squad and taking a wide angle toward the flanking enemy forces. Her twin plasma cannons swiveled into position, ready to engage. The Chimera’s heavy footsteps echoed as it powered up its weapon systems, the familiar hum of energy building in her ears.

"Captain engaging hostiles," she reported coldly over the comms, her focus narrowing. The first volley of plasma bolts tore through the air, slamming into the nearest enemy mech and ripping through its armor. The second enemy mecha staggered back under the barrage, momentarily thrown off balance.

"Vale, Richter, move!" Jackie shouted. "I’ll hold them off!"

With the Chimera’s agility, Jackie quickly maneuvered between cover, dodging incoming fire while returning it in precise bursts. Plasma bolts sizzled past, striking debris and turning the already devastated city into a more chaotic battlefield. Her HUD flashed warnings, but Jackie’s mind was a sharp blade of concentration—she couldn’t afford to hesitate.

The enemy mechs adjusted, turning their focus to her. They were trying to surround her, but Jackie kept them at bay, using the Chimera’s superior firepower to keep the distance between them. A well-aimed shot from her ballistic rifle ripped through one of the enemy’s legs, sending it crashing into the ground.

“Almost there,” Jackie muttered, glancing at her tactical map. Point K was just over the ridge now, hidden away from prying eyes. If her squad could get there, they could regroup and maybe even turn the tide.

Her position, though, was getting more precarious by the second. The Chimera’s energy reserves were draining fast, and the enemy mechs were relentless.

“Stewart, we’re nearing Point K,” Vale’s voice came through, sounding strained but steady. "We’ll cover you once we’re inside."

"Good," Jackie replied, her voice clipped. "Just get there."

She pushed the Chimera to its limits, sidestepping an incoming barrage and returning fire with deadly accuracy. Her plasma cannons glowed white-hot, firing shot after shot into the enemy ranks. Her pulse was pounding, but her hands were calm, each motion deliberate and measured. This wasn’t about victory—it was survival.

As the ridge loomed ahead, Jackie saw the camouflaged outline of Point K nestled in the rocky outcroppings. It was a mobile base built to evade detection, and its presence was a lifeline amid the chaos.

“I see Point K,” Jackie reported, her tone flat but relieved. "Richter, Vale—you’re clear."

The Chimera’s legs pushed hard against the ground, propelling her toward the ridge and safety. Jackie allowed herself a moment of relief as her team reached Point K, regrouping in the shadow of the hidden base.

But the battle wasn’t over. She couldn’t afford to relax, not yet.