The Sky Lounge loomed before us, a sprawling space of glass, light, and unforgiving openness. It was the kind of place meant for corporate schmoozing or late-night cocktails, with its polished marble floors, scattered clusters of designer furniture, and floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the glittering city skyline like a painting.

This place wasn’t built for survival. Every step into the sprawling space only confirmed how bad a mistake we’d made. The room was all angles and glass, bathed in the pale glow of the city skyline spilling through floor-to-ceiling windows. Polished marble reflected the faint light, while modern furniture sat arranged in aesthetic, not tactical, positions.

Too much openness. Too many angles.

Sia and I crept forward, our footsteps muffled by the carpet, though I knew stealth wouldn’t save us for long. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady rhythm that I couldn’t seem to quiet.

“This isn’t right,” I whispered, half to Sia and half to myself.

She didn’t answer, her eyes darting around the room. I could feel her tension through my EchoFlux, a taut wire ready to snap. She gripped her dagger like it was the only anchor keeping her steady.

The lounge stretched out before us—a bar on one side, a scattering of low tables and chairs, planters breaking up the space. At the far end, the windows seemed to stretch into infinity, offering an unobstructed view of the glittering city below.

I forced myself to focus, to think. The stairwell was blocked; I could feel the hunters there, like wolves circling prey. The elevators were out too, probably locked down remotely.

“They’ve got us,” Sia murmured.

I clenched my fists, hating how right she was.

The hunters weren’t amateurs. They didn’t need to rush in guns blazing. They were methodical, deliberate. Every move they made was part of a larger strategy, and we’d played right into it.

“They’re tracking us,” I said. The words felt heavy in my mouth.

“How?” Sia asked, her voice sharp.

I didn’t answer right away, my mind spinning. It couldn’t be EchoFlux—they didn’t have the kind of ability that let them tap into that. But they’d known where we were, every step of the way.

“My phone,” I said finally, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. “They’re tracking my phone.”

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Sia’s eyes widened as she considered the possibility. “You—” She stopped, shaking her head. “Of course they are.”

Before I could respond, a sound shattered the quiet—a sharp crack, followed by the whine of something tearing through the air.

I ducked instinctively, yanking Sia down with me as the first bullet slammed into the marble floor nearby, sending up a spray of dust and debris.

“Go!” I hissed, shoving her toward a nearby planter.

We scrambled for cover as more shots rang out, the sound echoing off the walls. The hunters weren’t just firing blindly—they were aiming, calculated and precise.

I pressed my back against the planter, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. The ceramic trembled against my shoulder as another bullet struck it, sending shards flying.

“They’re not giving us much time,” Sia muttered, crouched beside me. Her voice was steady, but I could feel the tension rolling off her in waves.

“They don’t need to,” I said grimly. “They’ve already boxed us in.”

More shots rang out, striking the furniture and walls around us. The hunters weren’t advancing yet. They were content to keep us pinned down, their movements deliberate and controlled.

I peeked out from behind the planter, my sixth sense flaring as I tracked their positions. I could feel them closing in, tightening the noose with every passing second.

“They’re veterans,” Sia said bitterly. “They know what they’re doing.”

I didn’t respond, my focus shifting to the room around us. The bar was the only decent cover, but it was on the far side of the lounge. Getting there would mean crossing open ground, completely exposed.

“We need a plan,” Sia said.

“I know,” I replied, my mind racing. “But right now, we need to move.”

She nodded, her grip tightening on her dagger. “Lead the way.”

I didn’t give myself time to second-guess. I surged forward, pulling Sia with me as we darted toward the bar. Bullets followed us, shattering tables and chairs as we ran. The sound was deafening, but I didn’t let it slow me down.

We dove behind the bar, landing hard on the polished wood floor. Bottles rattled above us, their contents glinting in the dim light.

“That was too close,” Sia muttered, pressing her back against the bar.

“They’re herding us,” I said, wiping sweat from my brow. “Pushing us exactly where they want us.”

Sia’s eyes flicked to the windows. “They’re driving us to the edge.”

She was right. The farther we went, the fewer options we had. If they pushed us any closer to the windows, we’d be trapped—cornered with nowhere to go but down.

I glanced over the edge of the bar, my sixth sense pulsing as I tracked the hunters’ movements. They were still advancing, their steps steady and unhurried.

“They’re closing in,” I said.

Sia’s jaw tightened. “Then we need to stop running.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and unspoken. She was right, but the thought of facing them head-on made my stomach twist.

“We don’t have the firepower,” I said.

“We have EchoFlux,” she shot back.

“It’s not enough,” I said, my voice low.

Sia didn’t argue, but I could see the frustration in her eyes. She wanted to fight, to stop running and make a stand. But even with her dagger and my abilities, we were outmatched.

The sound of boots on marble drew closer, echoing in the empty lounge. The hunters were coming, and we were running out of time.

I clenched my fists, my mind racing. There had to be a way out, some crack in their strategy that we could exploit. But the more I thought, the more I realized the truth.

We were trapped.