Ryn found herself on the rooftops the next morning, her eyes meticulously scanning the streets below. The early morning sun was warm against her skin and she basked in the light. She was on the lookout for Victor Karne, and if the intel was correct, he should be passing by any moment.
Lucy’s voice crackled to life in her ear cuff, her tone urgent but controlled. "I'm picking up a reading on Victor's body core. He's nearby."
Ryn's heart quickened. "Thanks, Lucy. Keep me updated."
Quickly, Lucy informed her, "He's heading down the alley directly beneath you."
Ryn didn't hesitate. She leaped from the rooftop, her landing softened by the puddles on the ground, creating a muted splash. The sudden movement startled Victor, who turned around, his expression shifting from confusion to recognition.
"What do you want?" Victor asked, his voice laced with attitude and a hint of fear.
Ryn didn’t reply. Instead, she grabbed the bracelet on her wrist and with a flick of her wrist, her nano-sword extended, humming with energy. Victor’s eyes widened in fear, realizing who she was.
"A Dropper," he whispered, his bravado replaced with dread.
Ryn advanced, her movements fluid and purposeful. "You're done, Karne. The Syndicate's reign ends today."
Victor backed up, reaching for a concealed blade at his waist, but Ryn was faster. She lunged forward, her sword clashing with his weapon. Sparks flew as the metal met. Victor was strong and well-trained, but Ryn's background gave her an edge.
Their battle moved through the alley, each strike and parry echoing off the walls. Victor managed to land a glancing blow on Ryn's arm, but she barely flinched. She countered with a powerful slash, forcing him to retreat further.
"You think you can just take me down?" Victor sneered, attempting to regain his confidence. "The Syndicate is bigger than you can imagine."
Ryn pressed her attack, her weapon slicing through the air with quickly. "Maybe, but taking you out is a start."
With a quick feint and a powerful kick, Ryn disarmed Victor, sending his blade skittering across the ground. He stumbled, and she seized the opportunity, pinning him against the wall with her sword at his throat.
"Tell me," Ryn demanded, her voice cold and unyielding, "where are the others? Where’s Aiden?"
Victor chuckled despite the situation. "You’ll never find him. He’s too well protected."
Ryn applied more pressure, the blade humming dangerously close to his skin. "I’ll find him, one way or another. But for now, you're coming with me."
Before Victor could respond, a group of Syndicate thugs entered the alley, alerted by the commotion. Ryn knew she couldn’t take them all on while holding Victor. Thinking quickly, she activated a stun grenade from her belt, tossing it into their midst. The explosion of light and sound disoriented them, buying her precious seconds.
She grabbed Victor, slapping a pair of energy cuffs onto his wrists, and began to drag him out of the alley. The thugs were recovering, but she was already on the move, her eyes scanning for an escape route.
Lucy’s voice came through her ear cuff again. "Ryn, a transport is waiting two blocks south. Get to it."
Ryn nodded, hauling Victor along as they made their way through the streets. The Syndicate thugs were hot on their heels, but Ryn's quick movement kept them ahead. She could see the transport in the distance, a sleek vehicle with its doors open, ready to whisk them away.
As they reached the transport, Ryn shoved Victor inside, quickly following and slamming the door shut. The vehicle roared to life, speeding away from the pursuing Syndicate members. Ryn took a moment to catch her breath, looking at Victor with satisfaction.
"We're just getting started," she told him, her voice firm. "Do you think they’ll miss you when you’re dead? Throw a party in your honor?”
Victor glared at her but said nothing, knowing his fate was now in her hands. As the transport sped away, Ryn’s mind drifted to the next targets: Drake and Aiden. She wondered if they’d be as easy as Victor was to catch. She wanted to kill him instantly but she needed him for now.
As the vehicle came to a screeching halt, Ryn tossed Victor onto the grimy ground, the energy cuffs around his wrists tightening with a harsh click. They were in the back alley of a particularly smog-infested part of Nexus-9, the air thick with the stench of pollution and decay. Victor groaned as he hit the ground, looking up at Ryn with fear.
"Where are the others?!" Ryn demanded, her voice cutting through the murky air as she activated her nano-sword, its blade extending with a resonant hum.
Ryn’s eyes narrowed. "Do you want me to kill you? You'll lose everything and have to start over in a new server," she reasoned, trying to get through to him. "Tell me where the others are, and you might walk away from this."
Victor's smirk faded, replaced by a grimace of defiance. "You think I’m scared of starting over? The Syndicate will always find a way to come back. You Droppers can’t stop us."
Ryn felt a wave of frustration. She turned away from Victor, activating her ear cuff to contact Lucy over voice chat. "Lucy, any location data on Drake or Aiden yet?"
Lucy’s voice crackled in her ear, a note of apology in her tone. "Negative, Ryn. I'm still scanning, but they’re using some kind of cloaking tech. It's making it difficult to pinpoint their exact locations."
Ryn sighed, her breath visible in the cold, damp air. "Keep trying, Lucy. We need to find them before they disappear completely."
She turned back to Victor, who was watching her with a mix of curiosity and contempt. "Looks like you’re out of luck," he taunted. "Your friend can’t find them, and you’re stuck with me."
Ryn stepped closer, her sword glowing ominously in the dim light. "You’re going to tell me what I need to know, Victor. One way or another."
Before Victor could respond, the alleyway was suddenly flooded with light. The group of Syndicate members had finally found them, their weapons drawn and aimed at Ryn.
"Drop the weapon and step away from him!" one of them shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.
"Lucy, I need backup!" she hissed into her ear cuff.
"On it," Lucy replied. "Sending reinforcements to your location now."
Ryn tightened her grip on her sword, her mind racing. She needed to buy time until help arrived. "You’re not taking him," she called out, positioning herself between Victor and the thugs.
The leader of the group laughed. "You’re outnumbered, Dropper. If you surrender now, we might go easy on you."
Ryn smirked. "I’ve faced worse odds."
She lunged at the nearest thug, her nano-sword slicing through his weapon and forcing him to retreat. The alley erupted into chaos as they opened fire at her, their shots ricocheting off the walls as Ryn deftly dodged and countered their attacks.
Victor watched the battle unfold with wide eyes, clearly not expecting Ryn to put up such a fierce fight. As she took down thug after thug, he realized she might actually succeed in killing him.
Just as Ryn started to tire, a sleek vehicle screeched to a halt at the mouth of the alley. The door flew open, and Kyle and Aurelia jumped out, weapons at the ready.
"Kyle! Aurelia!" Ryn shouted, relief flooding her voice.
Kyle nodded at her.. "We’ve got your back, Ryn."
Aurelia fired a volley of shots at the remaining thugs, forcing them to scatter. "Let's finish this and get out of here."
Together, the three Droppers made quick work of the Syndicate members, their coordinated attacks overwhelming the remaining resistance. As the last thug fell, Ryn turned her attention back to Victor, who was now cowering on the ground.
"Alright, Victor," she said, her voice cold and unforgiving. "Last chance. Tell us where to find Drake and Aiden."
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Victor, realizing he had no other options, finally broke. "Alright, alright! Drake is hiding out in an old factory on the west side of the city. Aiden...Aiden is at the Syndicate’s hideout, deep in the industrial sector."
Ryn deactivated her sword, nodding to Kyle and Aurelia. "Good. Let’s get moving."
Before they left the alley, Kyle turned to Victor, his nano-sword gripped tightly in his hand. Victor, sensing the threat, began scooting back against the grimy alley wall.
"She said she'd let me live!" Victor shouted, desperation creeping into his voice.
Kyle's grin widened, his eyes narrowing with determination. "I'm not her, am I?" he retorted coldly.
With a swift movement, Kyle lunged forward, closing the distance between them in an instant. Victor let out a yelp of fear as Kyle's nano-sword pierced through his chest. The sword embedded in Victor's body core flickered for a brief moment before he dissolved into pixels, vanishing from the virtual world.
Ryn, who had been keeping watch, turned back at the sound of Victor's cry. She saw Kyle withdrawing his sword, a determined look on his face. "Hurry up, Kyle! We need to find the others," she urged.
Kyle nodded silently, before joining Ryn's side. Together, they hurried out of the alley, their footsteps echoing against the walls as they set out to locate the remaining members of the Syndicate.
As they navigated the streets of Nexus-9, Kyle kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings, his mind focused on the task. Ryn stayed close, her thoughts racing with the urgency of their mission and the weight of what was at stake.
“Ryn,” Lucy called out. “I scanned the factory on the west side of the city and Drake isn’t there. Victor lied!”
"Damn. Can you keep scanning for their locations?" Ryn asked over their communication channel.
Lucy's voice crackled through their ear cuffs. "I'm searching as we speak. The city's security protocols are making it difficult to pinpoint them. Keep me posted on your movements," she replied.
They continued onward, blending into the flow of the city while remaining alert for any signs of their targets. The neon-lit streets of Nexus-9 buzzed with activity, each passerby a potential threat or ally in their quest.
"Drake could be holed up anywhere," Aurelia chimed in, her voice steady despite the tension.
Kyle thought for a second then spoke. "Let's split up. Ryn and I will take the eastern district. Aurelia, head west. Keep your comm lines open," he suggested, already moving towards their designated area.
Ryn followed closely behind, her senses heightened as they weaved through the streets. The hunt for Drake and Aiden was on, and with each step, the stakes grew higher.
Ryn and Kyle navigated the eastern district of Nexus-9, the city's pulse seemed to quicken around them. Lights flickered overhead, casting erratic shadows that danced across the alley walls and the bustling dirty streets. Every corner held the promise of danger or discovery, and Ryn kept her hand close to her sword, ready for whatever might come their way.
The air was thick with ozone and the distant hum of machinery, it was much different than the sterile calm of Yaris. Nexus-9 was a world unto itself, chaotic and alive, its inhabitants going about their digital lives.
Ryn's ear cuff beeped softly, indicating a message from Lucy. She glanced at Kyle, who nodded in silent agreement before she accessed the message.
"I've detected unusual activity near the central plaza," Lucy's voice echoed in their ears. "Drake's signature is fluctuating in that area. Approach with caution."
Ryn relayed the information to Kyle, and they adjusted their course towards the plaza. The path led them through narrow alleyways lined with ramshackle buildings adorned with neon graffiti, each step a calculated move to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
"Keep your senses sharp," Kyle murmured, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of their target.
They emerged into the area, a sprawling space adorned with holographic billboards and filled with players engaged in virtual commerce and gambling. Ryn's heart raced as she scanned the area, searching for any anomaly that might reveal Drake's presence.
A sudden commotion caught their attention—a group of Syndicate enforcers, distinguished by their ominous red armbands, were converging on a nearby storefront. The air crackled with tension as they barked orders at the shopkeeper, their demeanor brimming with authority and menace.
Kyle's hand tightened around the carabiner attached to his belt. "They're here for a reason," he muttered, eyes narrowing as he observed their movements.
Ryn nodded. She gestured towards a shadowed alley that led towards the back of the storefront, a subtle signal for Kyle to follow her lead. They moved with practiced stealth, their footsteps silent against the gritty pavement.
Peering around the corner, they caught sight of Drake—a figure clad in Syndicate regalia, his presence exuding a cold confidence. He stood with his back to them, engrossed in conversation with another Syndicate member, their voices carrying through the air.
"We need to take them out quietly," Ryn whispered, her voice barely audible over the ambient noise of the plaza.
With a flick of his wrist, Kyle activated his ear cuff, quickly moving through the holographic interface. He deployed a distraction drone towards the opposite end of the plaza. The drone buzzed with artificial life, drawing the attention of nearby players and diverting it away from their impending confrontation.
As the plaza momentarily erupted in confusion, Ryn seized the opportunity to close the distance between them and Drake. With a surge of adrenaline, she lunged forward, her nano-sword poised for action.
Drake turned just in time to meet her gaze, his expression morphing from surprise to defiance. Before he could react, Kyle appeared at his side, his own nano-sword slicing through the air with lethal precision.
With a quick strike, Drake fell to the ground and dissipated into pixels, his presence erased from the server. Ryn exhaled sharply, her pulse racing as she surveyed the aftermath.
"Drake is down," Kyle confirmed, his voice tinged with relief and a grim satisfaction. "Let's regroup with Aurelia and find Aiden."
They swiftly retreated from the plaza, blending into the flow of the crowd as they made their way towards the western district where Aurelia had been searching for Aiden. He remained their final target, a looming presence that represented the last obstacle between them and the Syndicate's stronghold.
Ryn and Kyle moved through the streets of Nexus-9, their senses heightened as they sought out Aurelia's location. The western district was a maze of narrow alleys and towering structures.
Aurelia's voice crackled through their ear cuffs, a welcome relief amidst the city's cacophony. "I've spotted Aiden entering the Syndicate's safehouse near an old warehouse," she reported, her tone filled with urgency.
Kyle exchanged a glance with Ryn, a silent understanding passing between them. They adjusted their course towards the warehouse, which now served as a fortress for the Syndicate's most formidable members.
As they approached the perimeter, the air grew thick with tension. Guards in Syndicate colors patrolled the entrance, their watchful eyes scanning for any signs of intrusion. Ryn gestured for Kyle and Aurelia to stay back while she scouted ahead, utilizing the cover of shadows and debris to remain unseen.
She crept closer, her heart pounding in anticipation. The scent of oil and metal hung heavy in the air, a reminder of the city's industrial heart. Ryn's mind raced with strategies as she assessed the Syndicate's defenses, searching for a vulnerability to exploit.
Aurelia's voice murmured softly in her ear cuff, relaying updated surveillance feeds and potential entry points. "I've located Aiden on the third floor," she whispered, her words crisp and focused.
Ryn nodded. She activated her stealth module, blending into the shadows as she navigated the exterior. Her nano-sword hummed softly at her side, a silent promise of swift justice.
With precise movements, Ryn ascended the outer structure, her enhanced agility allowing her to scale the walls with ease. She reached the third floor, her senses on high alert as she approached Aiden's location.
Peering through a shattered window, Ryn spotted him—a figure of arrogance, his presence commanding respect. His gaze was fixed on a holographic interface displaying Syndicate operations, his mind preoccupied with schemes and ambitions.
Ryn weighed her options, calculating the best approach to neutralize Aiden without alerting anyone. She gripped her nano-sword tighter. This was their chance to strike a decisive blow against the Syndicate's leadership.
Aiden glanced up suddenly, his senses detecting a faint disturbance in the air. Before he could react, Ryn materialized from the shadows, her sword flashing with lethal intent.
Ryn focused on Aiden, their eyes locking in a silent exchange of defiance. "It ends here, Aiden," she declared, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
Ryn wasted no time, lunging at him with her sword. The clash of their blades echoed through the empty space, a symphony of metal and fury. Aiden was a tough opponent, his movements precise and calculated. They danced around each other, each strike met with equal force.
The fight raged on, their surroundings becoming a blur of motion and noise. Aiden's smirk never wavered, his confidence infuriating. "You can't win, Ryn," he sneered, deflecting another blow.
"We'll see about that," She retorted, her voice laced with venom.
Their battle intensified, the floor beneath them groaning under the strain. Suddenly, with a loud crack, the floor gave way. Ryn and Aiden plummeted to the first floor, landing amidst a cloud of dust and debris. The impact was jarring, but both fighters quickly regained their footing.
The ground floor was a chaotic mess of rusted equipment and broken beams. Ryn's vision blurred momentarily as she struggled to focus. Aiden was already advancing, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. He struck her hard, sending her crashing into a steel beam. Pain exploded through Ryn as she slumped to the ground, consciousness slipping away.
Aiden stood over her, his victory assured. But before he could land the final blow, Kyle charged in, his nano-sword blazing with energy. Aiden barely had time to react before Kyle was upon him, their blades clashing in a fierce exchange.
"Stay away from her!" Kyle shouted, his fury driving him forward. Aiden met his attack with ferocity, their movements a blur of speed and power. The warehouse trembled under the force of their battle, debris raining down around them.
Kyle's strikes were relentless, each one pushing Aiden further back. But Aiden was cunning, using the environment to his advantage. He dodged behind a stack of crates, launching a surprise attack that grazed Kyle's shoulder.
Kyle hissed in pain but didn't falter. He pressed on, unyielding. Their swords clashed again and again, sparks flying with each impact. Aiden's smirk began to lower into a frown as he realized Kyle was unbreakable.
In a final, desperate move, Aiden lunged at Kyle, aiming for a critical strike. But Kyle anticipated the move, sidestepping and delivering a powerful blow to Aiden's side. Aiden stumbled, his body core flickering wildly.
“I trusted you, Aiden!” Kyle screamed out.
“Your trust was misplaced!” Aiden spat back.
With one last surge of strength, Kyle drove his sword through Aiden's chest. He gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief as his form disintegrated into pixels and his in-game body hit the floor. The warehouse fell silent, the only sound the ragged breathing of the victor.
Kyle rushed to Ryn's side, gently lifting her into his arms. "Ryn, can you hear me?" he called out, his voice filled with concern.
Ryn's eyes fluttered open, a weak smile forming on her lips. "Kyle...we did it," she whispered, her strength slowly returning.
Kyle smirked. "Let's get out of here," he said, his voice steady. "Before this whole place comes down.”