The tunnel's data cables pulsed like veins, casting faint blue light over Nyx and Jace as they ran. The mechanical growl behind them grew louder, a deep, grinding sound that vibrated through the walls of Neon Crucible's underbelly. Nyx's leg throbbed where the plasma bolt had grazed her, and her head ached from the runes still flickering in her mind. The image from the Nexus alert—her as a child, wired to a lab table—clawed at her thoughts. Subject 17. She wasn't just a slum hacker. Nexus had made her, but for what? Her holo-pad buzzed, its cracked screen her only lifeline.
Jace glanced back, his stun-knife ready. "That's no drone," he said, his voice low. His usual cocky grin was gone, replaced by a tight jaw. Nyx nodded, her breath ragged. The growl wasn't mechanical in a clean, corporate way—it felt alive, hungry. She clutched her holo-pad, the runes urging her to code. Echo's pixelated form flickered on the screen, its voice sharp. "Nyx, it's a Hunter. Nexus's prototype tracker. Your magic's drawing it." Nyx's stomach twisted. Her spells were saving her but also betraying her, like a beacon in the dark.
They sprinted deeper into the tunnel, the air damp and heavy with the scent of rust and oil. The cables along the walls hummed, carrying the city's data like blood. Nyx's leg burned, slowing her down, but Jace stayed close, his hand brushing her arm to steady her. "Keep moving, hacker," he said, his eyes scanning the shadows. She wanted to snap at him—she wasn't weak—but his touch was warm, grounding. The runes pulsed, tempting her to cast another spell, but her last one had nearly knocked her out. She couldn't risk it.
The growl roared closer, shaking the tunnel. Dust fell from the ceiling, and Nyx's holo-pad flickered, the runes glowing unbidden. Echo's voice cut through: "The Hunter's locked on your signature. You need a counter-spell—now." Nyx skidded to a stop, her back against a wall. "Counter-spell?" she hissed. "I don't even know what I'm doing!" Jace crouched beside her, his knife raised. "Figure it out fast, Nyx. That thing's not here to chat." His eyes held hers, steady but worried, and she felt that spark again—dangerous, distracting.
She opened her holo-pad, her fingers trembling as the runes guided her. The screen flashed with symbols, half-code, half-magic, blending into something new. She typed, her mind racing to keep up. The runes felt alive, like they were whispering secrets about her—about Subject 17. Her head throbbed, and a memory flashed: a white room, needles in her arms, a voice saying, "She's the key." Nyx shook it off, focusing on the spell. The air around her crackled, and a pulse of energy shot out, scrambling the tunnel's data cables. The hum faltered, plunging them into darkness.
The growl stopped, but only for a moment. Then it returned, louder, closer. Jace grabbed her hand, pulling her forward. "Nice try, but it's still coming!" he said. They ran, the tunnel narrowing, its walls pressing in. Nyx's leg screamed, and her vision blurred, the runes burning brighter in her mind. Echo's voice was faint now. "You're pushing too hard, Nyx. The Source Code's not stable." Nyx gritted her teeth. "Then help me!" she snapped. Echo flickered. "I'm trying. You're not just code—you're human. That's why it chose you."
Human? The word hit her like a punch. The lab image, the needles—it all pointed to Nexus building her, not birthing her. Was she even real? The tunnel shook, and a massive shape loomed behind them, its silhouette barely visible in the dim light. The Hunter was huge, its metal limbs scraping the walls, its red eyes glowing like furnaces. It wasn't a drone—it was a beast, part machine, part nightmare, with claws that sparked against the cables. Nyx's heart pounded. She'd never seen anything like it.
Jace shoved her behind him, his knife raised. "Stay back!" he shouted, but Nyx wasn't helpless. She typed frantically, the runes guiding her to a desperate spell. The air shimmered, and a barrier of light flared between them and the Hunter. Its claws slammed against it, the impact shaking her bones. Her nose bled, and her knees buckled, but the barrier held. Jace caught her, his arm around her waist. "You're gonna kill yourself," he said, his voice rough. Nyx glared, blood dripping down her lip. "Better than letting that thing get us."
The Hunter roared, its claws tearing at the barrier. Sparks flew, and Nyx's spell flickered, her strength fading fast. Echo's voice was barely audible. "Redirect its targeting system, Nyx. Use the runes." She nodded, her fingers flying across the holo-pad. The runes flowed, and she hacked into the Hunter's signal, twisting its code. The beast froze, its eyes flickering, then turned, charging back down the tunnel. Nyx collapsed, gasping, her vision swimming. Jace held her up, his face close. "You're insane," he said, but his tone was soft, almost proud.
They stumbled forward, the tunnel quiet now, but Nyx's holo-pad buzzed again. A new Nexus alert flashed, this time with a voice—cold, mechanical, and impossibly familiar. "Subject 17, return to us," it said. "You cannot run forever." Nyx's blood ran cold. It wasn't just a message—it was in her head, like the runes. Jace stared at her, his eyes wide. "What was that?" he asked. Before she could answer, the tunnel rumbled, and a new sound echoed—not a growl, but a hum, like a swarm of drones converging on them.
To Be Continued…