Could whoever has been putting sticky notes with smiley faces on them on the cleaning bots stop as it is unprofessional - a memo sent out by management at Pinnacle Corporation.

Stepping into the hallway, I first noted how dead it felt; an eerie silence replaced the usual noise of people milling about. Looking left and right, I let out a ragged breath; I was scared, scared of the Antithesis, scared of the responsibility of being a Samurai, scared of letting Amanyta down.“Where should we go, Amanyta?”

I understand you are scared, Gideon and you don’t have to fight. You could head towards the exit of the labs and make your way outside to a shelter, and I wouldn’t think any less of you. Samurai aren’t chosen because they can fight; many prefer not to fight and instead decide to help in other ways, such as providing support to civilians caught in attacks or helping to uplift humanity using the alien tech they purchase.

Taking a few deep breaths, I strengthened my resolve. I couldn't just leave; I wanted to run to the nearest shelter, but I couldn’t. I had to push through my fear and see this through if for no one else than myself. I didn’t think I would be able to live with it if someone died because I was too cowardly to act. Looking over my shoulder into the room I had just left, seeing Julie’s body laying there, lifeless because I wasn’t quick enough. “I can’t do that, Amanyta. Let’s try to clear the labs first.”

Alright, Gideon. I would like to know how the Antithesis got into the labs anyway, as they didn’t get through the one entrance.

Turning away from the room, I set off deeper into the labs, taking care to try to be quiet. It wasn’t long before a familiar whirring caught my attention. Peeking around the corner of the hallway, I caught sight of the source of the noise.

Bob, one of the cleaning bots, is still doing his job. The corporation fired all of the cleaners and replaced them with cleaning robots after one of the cleaners had been a spy who had been stealing research for years before they were caught. Following behind Bob was them was a red smear of blood zig-zagging across the hall. Holding back a gag, I stepped out into the hall. Looking up the hall following the blood smear, I saw it went for about fifteen meters before turning into an adjacent hallway. Bob let out an angry-sounding beep as I stepped into their path whilst following the blood smear.

Five Model Threes are about to walk into this hallway. They seem to be following the blood smear, but they haven’t detected you yet.

I raised my Hummingbird, aiming it down the hall. A few seconds later, the first of the Model Three’s heads poked around the corner, and I had to force myself not to start firing the gun. There was no cover in the hallway, so the model three quickly spotted me and started sprinting towards me. A grey reticle appeared in my vision, quickly turning red as I aimed at the antithesis. With a pull of the trigger and three loud hisses, the mini-missiles came streaming out of the gun, covering the few meters between me and the model three. The model three tried to dodge, but the mini-missiles seemed to have predicted it trying to dodge and slammed into the antithesis exploding on contact. The first round caught its leg causing the antithesis to stumble. The second caught its head blowing half of its face off, the last hit high up on its side, destroying the plating on its back and leaving a large chunk missing not that it mattered with half its head gone.

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The noise had drawn in the other four model threes, and they were barreling towards me. In a bit of a panic, I pointed the Hummingbird at them and pulled the trigger. With a hiss, the missiles streamed out of the gun, slamming into the model three in the front of the group, causing them to tumble to the ground. Pulling the trigger again, the next fell, and then the next, until the last was barely three meters before me. It lunged at me, maw wide open. I stumbled back and pulled the trigger of my Hummingbird. The three rounds flew out of the gun and pierced through the mouth of the antithesis, exploding inside it and causing the model three to burst, flinging alien plant guts everywhere.

Letting out a ragged breath, I got a whiff of the alien guts and almost lost what little I had eaten that day. “Holy shit, that was close.”

You did well, Gideon. You kept your composure and fought bravely. Would you like me to update you on your points after each battle?

“Not yet, Amanyta. I’m able to keep track at the moment.” It felt good to get praise from Amanyta. I was rarely told I was doing a good job at work. Usually, Mark or one of the other senior biologists told me I had done something wrong and chewed me out over it.

Steeping past the dead antithesis, I peered down the hallway the blood smear went and saw two headless bodies in the middle of hallway. Looking away, I muttered a sorry and kept following the hallway.

I only found small pockets of model threes, usually in groups of three to five, as well as more decapitated bodies. I hadn’t been this deep into the labs before, as my team was located near the entrance. The teams this far were working on the more secret research, although the top-secret stuff apparently had its own floor of the building.

A faint screech of metal as if something had moved a metal chair or table came from one of the labs up ahead. As quietly as possible, I approached the door; peaking inside, I saw no sign of life antithesis or not.

Deciding to investigate, the door slid open with a quiet hiss; stepping in, I was greeted with a far better-equipped lab than what I had to deal with “fucking corporations”, I muttered. Movement behind me and Amanyta warning me was the only thing that saved my life.

Gideon behind you!

I dived away, trying to make as much distance as possible, but whatever was swung at me caught me on the cheek. I felt it slice through my cheek like butter, catching on my jaw before raking over it and cutting through my neck. I barely had time to think before I raised the Hummingbird and unloaded it toward whatever had attacked me.

I hit the ground hard, driving the air out of my lungs before blood started to fill them up. Adrenalin muted the pain but did nothing to help with drowning in my own blood. I began to panic.

Gideon, I will need you to nod or grunt. I can’t teleport any medical help without your consent.

I could hear the panic in Amanyta’s voice. They had always been analytical since I had known them. Nodding as best as I could, a small three-legged canister appeared beside me, quickly scuttling up onto my arm and positioning itself above my heart.

This will hurt Gideon; it must be injected directly into your heart to work in time.

Before Amanyta had finished talking, the robotic canister squatted and let out a sharp thud as I felt it drive a needle through my sternum into my heart.

I didn't even have time to let out a scream before my vision blurred, and I lost consciousness.