In the haze of fitful sleep, I found myself drifting into a nightmarish realm. The familiar surroundings of the suite vanished, replaced by an eerie darkness that seemed to engulf my whole being. I was suddenly taken back to the night of Marcus Farhide’s hunt. A cacophony of agonized screams reverberated through the void, echoing hauntingly in my ears.
“Please! Fuck, kid! What the fuck are you?! You…monster!”
The desperate cries seemed to come from every direction. Marcus Farhide's voice, laden with fear and anguish, pierced through the darkness, gripping my heart with an unrelenting terror. An unfamiliar morbid scene flooded my mind, a landscape of blood, guts, and flames. I’ve never seen this before, yet…It seems so familiar to me. Like it was something I experienced first hand. Ripping through the enforcers and Marcus Farhide as they got close. Then, like a glitch in a broadcast, the scene cuts to Farhide’s body, mutilated and disfigured.
A gut-wrenching sense of panic engulfed me as I jolted awake, my body drenched in cold sweat. Gasping for breath, I found myself back in the familiar confines of the suite, the remnants of the nightmare lingering like a haunting melody. Zara shook me awake desperately. She wore a grave and desperate look on her face.
“Kid. Kid! Wake up! They’re here. They found us.” Zara whispered.
The gravity of her words sank into me like a heavy anchor. A cold shiver ran down my spine, the familiar sense of impending danger clouding the air. Panic surged through me.
"What do we do now?" My voice wavered, a mix of fear and urgency.
Zara's expression was grave, her eyes darting around the room as if assessing our options in an instant. "We gotta go. Like, now." Her voice was urgent yet eerily composed, she seemed like someone accustomed to facing dire situations.
With adrenaline coursing through my veins, I scrambled to gather my belongings, the remnants of the nightmare still haunting my thoughts. The memory of Marcus Farhide's agonized screams still lingered. Shots and the screams of fellow customers echoed from downstairs.
“Alright, hold on to me. We blasting out of here.”
I held on to her while Desire latched on my neck. Zara's hair ignited, a fiery halo formed above her head. Flames flickered across her body, and with a sudden surge of power, the side of her legs split open, blazing with fiery energy. In an explosive burst, we blasted through the window, shards of glass scattering everywhere. The rush of air and the chaos of the city streets greeted us as we hurtled into the unknown.
"Where are we going?" I struggled to speak, my breaths coming in short, panicked bursts.
"No idea. Anywhere works. We lay low for a ‘lil then we discuss our next move." Zara's voice was resolute, her eyes scanning our surroundings with unwavering focus.
Amidst the darkness and the busy city streets. we soared over the buildings, Zara’s fiery energy propelling us forward. Distant sounds of sirens and cries coming from the Vista Motel fueled the guilt within me. Those people died because of us. The Qi’s were looking for us.
“Okay, here should be good.” Zara whispered, her flames dissipating while gently landing in a dark alleyway. “My question is, how the fuck did they find us so quick? MedTech took his body and all his shit. There shouldn’t be anything that’s connecting us to his death.”
They took all his stuff? Oh no. This might be all my fault. My panicked thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of cars pulling up near the alley way. Footsteps rushed towards our direction.
“FUCK! Are they psychics or something?!” Zara exclaimed, grabbing me and transforming into her fiery form, blasting away. The cat-and-mouse game continued, the Qis seemingly pinpointing our location effortlessly.
“ARGH! WHAT’S UP WITH THIS GUYS?! KID! I swear to god. Did you take something from the dude I burnt last night?” Zara questions.
“Uhm…no…”
With one swift motion, she grasps my jaw firmly, pulling my face closer to hers. “Don’t go lying now. We will FUCKING DIE because of you. So lemme ask again. Did you or did you not take something from the dude?” Zara interrogated me with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.
“Okay! Okay! I’m sorry. Here.”I uttered hastily, extending my hand to hand her the compact pistol and the bracelet.
“REALLY, KID? Out of literally anything you would take, you chose the tracking bracelet?” Zara exclaimed, visibly frustrated and disappointed. The weight of her anger and my guilt brought an uncomfortable sting to my eyes, threatening to spill tears.
“I’m sorry…I really didn’t know…I didn’t mean it…I just wanted to have something I can use to be more useful…” I responded, trying my hardest to not let my tears fall
Zara let out a sigh. “It’s fine, kid. You didn’t know. Shouldn’t be attacking you like this.” Zara patted my head, trying to calm me down. “Desire, I know you got some tech there for a bunch of shit. Can you do something? Maybe fuck up the tracker or something?”
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“Absolutely! The Desimaro v2 Model: Desire includes several features including device alterations. Please hand me the bracelet so I can see what I can do.” Zara hands the bracelet over to Desire.
Desire's metallic fingers delicately manipulated the bracelet, analyzing its structure. Zara's gaze remained focused on the surroundings, her fiery aura extinguished to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The tension in the air was palpable, accentuated by the occasional distant sounds of footsteps and voices. “I’ve successfully redirected the signal this bracelet is emitting. Now they should think we’re heading back to the hotel.”
“Good shit, Desire-boy. Knew we could count on ya!” Zara exclaimed, hugging Desire. However, Desire skillfully slipped away from her embrace.
"Mari, I've discovered that this bracelet is compatible with my upgrade system. Would you like me to absorb it to unlock GAUNTLET?" Desire inquired.
“If it will help us, then yes. Please do.”
“CONFIRMATION RECEIVED. COMMENCING ABSORPTION.” Desire announced, his mouth widening to engulf the bracelet whole. A radiant glow emanated from his metallic form as he absorbed the device. In an instant, Desire sprang towards me, latching onto my arms and hands.
“COLLECTING DATA. REQUIREMENT: NOT FOUND. UNLOCKING GAUNTLET.” Desire declared, letting go as the glow subsided “GAUNTLET: UNLOCKED. UNABLE TO USE. PROCEDURE NOT COMPLETE. I would guess that you wouldn’t want to do the procedure just yet so I will hold that off for now. Gauntlet is now available.”
“Uhm…thanks, Desire. What’s the procedure though?” I questioned.
“My deepest apologies but the procedure is classified. Only employees and contractors are allowed to know what the procedure entails.”
“Anyways! Kid, we gotta get geared up. We can’t keep hiding forever. Think the Qis are finally off our ass. Don’t know when that’s gonna last though. Let’s head back to the Pyramid for now. Hold on to me. We’re going lightspeed for this one.” Zara said.
I clung to Zara, tightening my grip in anticipation of the launch. Lightspeed sounds like we’re about to launch at speeds beyond comprehension. Better brace myself. Desire latches onto my neck once again, but this time with a screen. “BATTLE HELMET. SEE THROUGH MIRROR PRESET.” This was just like last time. But instead, I could see through the screen. Was this to protect my eyes? Despite the dire circumstances, Desire's thoughtful gesture managed to bring a hint of comfort.
“Alright, brace yourself now. We ‘bout to go hella fast.” Zara announced. Her fiery halo ignited, but instead of the usual bright orange, it emitted a mesmerizing dark blue glow. The surroundings felt warmer this time, a subtle contrast to our previous launches. Zara's legs emitted a loud whirring sound, and the vibrations were palpable. With an explosive burst of energy, we launched into the air, surpassing any previous speed. The resistance of the air against my body was intense, and maintaining my grip became difficult. Just as my fingers began to slip, Zara's quick reflexes caught my arm
“KID! Ah, shit! That was close, man.” Zara exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of relief and concern. She swiftly pulled me up, bringing me close to her chest. Her arms enveloped me, ensuring I wouldn't fall off again. The rush of the lightspeed journey had taken its toll, and Zara's protective embrace provided a sense of security amid the chaotic velocity.
The Pyramid's imposing figure loomed over us as we approached, its shadow casting an eerie presence. Zara skillfully guided our descent, landing us gently in front of the entrance. The dark blue flames continued to dance across her legs.
“Damn this fire, man. I hate these. They’re really effective but it’s a fucking pain just tryna extinguish them. Alright, I will deal with that later. We gotta get some bullets for the gun you stole and some gasoline for my gear. That launch ate through my remaining gas.”Zara remarked, her voice a mix of frustration and determination.
Zara led the way into the Pyramid, the dark blue flames casting flickering shadows. We approached a store filled to the brim with different guns and ammunition. “Hey Droge, got a Lumina-IX Compact on us right now. Got any 9mm Photon rounds? Gotta stock up for a job, you know how it is.” Zara asked as she entered the store.
Droge, a rough-looking individual, sat behind the counter. “You’re in luck. I just snatched some. Those Qis always bring those rounds out of stock. Hey wait now, how the fuck did you get a Lumina Compact? Gal like you could never dream of having enough money for iron like that.”
Zara responded with a sly grin, "Funny story, actually. Crisped a Qi back at the golden hotel. This little runt stole his pistol from the MedTechs."
The man's eyes widened in surprise, and he let out a low whistle. "This kid right here? Huh. Not bad, kid. MedTechs are hard on stopping looters from taking dead people’s stuff - WAIT. NAH, NAH, NAH. ZARA! YOU-you crisped a Qi?! Are you out of your damn mind?! Are you the one them Qi’s are looking for?"
Zara's laughter echoed through the shop. “HAHAHA! Yes! Grabbed that bitch by the face and crisped him.” she exclaimed, throwing a few playful punches into the air as if reliving the confrontation. The shop owner's expression shifted from surprise to a mixture of awe and concern, realizing the daring nature of Zara's exploits. The tension in the air seemed to thicken, hinting at the dangerous path Zara had chosen, but her confidence remained unshaken.
“You reckless bitch. I knew you had some screws loose but this is next level. Here take these. It’s on the house. You’re going to need it.” Droge hands us boxes of ammunition and gallons of gasoline.
Zara flashed Droge a cheeky grin, “This is why I fucking love ya, Droge. Ima make it up to you, I swear. We’re going to hunt that Anran bitch. See ya later!” With boxes of bullets and gallons of gasoline in tow, Zara and I made our way towards the exit.
“Alright, Zara. Just be careful now - ANRAN?! LIKE THE QI ANRAN? YOU RECKLESS SON OF A BITCH! THE HEAD OF THE QI FAMILY?!” As we walked away, Droge couldn't contain his astonishment.
"Hehe, I love that guy. Been supporting me since I was a little gal," Zara chuckled to herself as we exited the shop. The warm sentiment contrasted sharply with the dangerous mission we were about to undertake.
“Alright! Got all the stuff we need. Let’s gear up." Zara says, clenching her fiery fist and striking the open palm of her other hand causing a small blast. "We got a bullet with Qi Anran’s name on it. I’m excited to barbecue some big fish.”