We sat beneath the bridge in silence as the rain gradually relented, giving way to pale sunlight that pierced through thinning clouds. The ambient noise of the city—distant sirens, the rumble of traffic, the ever-present hum of desperation—filled the space between us. My gaze drifted toward the horizon where freighters loomed like artificial moons, their hulking silhouettes visible even through ToxCity's perpetual haze.

  "Did you ever Dive with my dad before?" Lisa finally asked, breaking the stillness between us.

  "No," I replied, still processing the experience myself. "That was the first time I actually spoke to him. I had so many questions, but he disappeared before I could ask them."

  "What my father said about Soul Check—that's definitely an encryption protocol," she said, tapping her metallic fingers against the table thoughtfully. "But I'm still troubled by that last fragmented warning."

  "What about that 'beware' word at the end?" I asked. "Beware what?"

  "I couldn't make it out clearly," she replied, her brow furrowing. "Something after 'beware'..."

  "Beware hacker!" I suddenly exclaimed as the memory crystallized. "That's what he said right before the connection broke."

  Lisa nodded. "That makes sense, but hacker is too vague in our world. Could mean anyone—a NeuroSlicer, a corporate security team, an independent operator." She frowned, considering. "But which hacker? The one who attacked you at NeoDuck is dead, and the one from the alley is unconscious. Unless—"

  Her sentence cut short as her eyes widened, fixed on something beyond me. "Look!"

  I turned to follow her gaze toward Cala Street. Two sleek black vehicles were hurtling toward us at breakneck speed, bulldozing through the narrow pedestrian path that wasn't meant for vehicles at all. They plowed through trash and debris, their approach marked by a wake of destruction as they headed straight for the underpass.

  "They're coming for us," Lisa shouted, already on her feet.

  We bolted in the opposite direction, sprinting through the underpass. Confused diners looked up from their meals, their expressions shifting from annoyance to alarm as the sound of engines grew louder.

  BAM! BAM! BAM!

  My enhanced reflexes kicked in just as the first bullets whizzed past us. Without thinking, I tackled Lisa, shielding her with my body as we crashed to the ground. Several rounds pinged off my cybernetic back, ricocheting with metallic clangs but still leaving shallow dents in my protective plating.

  Around us, chaos erupted. The peaceful groups of people who had been eating were torn apart by the barrage, blood spraying in crimson mist as bodies fell. The once-serene underpass transformed into a slaughterhouse in seconds. Behind us, the food carts and their operators were shredded by gunfire, sparks flying as bullets tore through cooking equipment. One of the carts exploded creating a thick black smoke billowing through the concrete enclosure.

  "We gotta run!" I shouted, pulling Lisa to her feet.

  Using the smoke as temporary cover, we stayed low and raced toward the opposite end of the underpass, as far from the incoming vehicles as possible.

  "The NeuroSlicer must have called for backup," Lisa said, her voice steady despite the mayhem surrounding us.

  I scanned our options. "Up!" I pointed to the road above. "Let's reach the main street on top."

  She nodded, and we scrambled up the earthen slope alongside the bridge, emerging onto the elevated thoroughfare where traffic flowed steadily. Vehicles swerved to avoid us, horns blaring in protest.

  "Now what?" Lisa asked, glancing back toward the underpass where smoke continued to pour out.

  Before I could respond, two colossal figures propelled themselves into the air, leaping from the street below. They landed in the middle of the highway with earth-shattering force, concrete fracturing under their massive weight. Standing mere meters from us, they remained impassive as traffic swerved chaotically around them, horns blaring in panic.

  A civilian vehicle failed to brake in time and slammed directly into one of the massive figures. The car crumpled like paper against the immovable form, its hood accordion-folding as the driver was thrown forward. The titanic figure didn't even stagger.

  "He didn't even flinch," Lisa whispered.

  The two men—if they could still be called that—were nearly identical, towering well over two meters tall. Their massive bodies consisted more of visible machinery than flesh, with hydraulic pistons and coolant lines exposed across their arms and torsos. They wore black tactical pants that strained against tree-trunk legs clearly augmented with military-grade enhancements. These weren't typical street enforcers; they were devastating engines of destruction in human form, death incarnate wrapped in chrome and hydraulics.

  In our desperate world, some individuals pushed cybernetic modification far beyond reasonable limits, sacrificing their humanity for raw power. These two were a terrifying manifestation of that trend—flawless combatants, seemingly indestructible, the brutal pinnacle of weaponized humanity.

  "We're fucked," I muttered as the titans began advancing toward us with methodical precision. "Can you hack them?" I asked Lisa, backing away slowly.

  "I'll try," she replied, closing her eyes in concentration.

  The metal giants continued their deliberate approach, chrome faces devoid of expression, fully aware we had nowhere to run. Traffic had stopped completely now, creating an impromptu arena surrounded by vehicles.

  "They're getting closer," I urged, watching Lisa's face contort with effort.

  "I can't!" she finally declared, eyes flying open. "Their systems are completely isolated—no wireless access points at all."

  In a surprising move, she produced a gun—the same one the bulky man from the alley had dropped.

  "What the hell!" I exclaimed. "You took his gun?"

  Lisa offered no response. Instead, she raised the weapon with visibly trembling hands. She fired twice, clearly unprepared for the weapon's recoil as each shot pushed her backward, forcing her to regain her balance.

  The bullets struck one of the metal behemoths squarely in the chest, only to ricochet off with metallic pings, leaving no visible damage.

  "That won't fucking work!" I shouted. "What did you expect? They're essentially ro—"

  The thought struck me mid-sentence. Robots. They were essentially walking machines, which meant—

  I shoved Lisa aside and activated my Kozec Shield—an electromagnetic pulse emitter embedded in my chest plate. The device hummed to life, discharging a focused EMP burst directly at our pursuers.

  The concussive wave of disrupted energy struck the two giants. Their bodies seized as the circuit-frying pulse cascaded through their systems. The indicator lights embedded in their chrome faces flickered and died, plunging their mechanical parts into darkness. Both titans leaned forward slightly, as if suddenly drained of power.

  "Take that!" I exclaimed, making an exaggerated explosion gesture with my hands. "All those enhancements for nothing—a little EMP and poof."

  I turned to Lisa with a victorious grin, but the expression on her face stopped me cold. She wasn't looking at me—her eyes were fixed ahead, wide with renewed fear. I spun back to face our attackers, and my confidence evaporated.

  Gradually, their lights began reactivating, accompanied by a high-pitched whine that rose in intensity as their systems rebooted with methodical precision. The sound cut through the air like electronic banshees, signaling the return of power to their dormant circuitry. Within seconds, they raised their heads in perfect synchronization, shaking off the lingering effects of the pulse as easily as someone might brush away rain.

  Around us, a crowd of onlookers had gathered—drivers and passengers who'd abandoned their vehicles to witness the confrontation. True to ToxCity form, none showed any inclination to help; they merely watched with the detached interest of spectators at a blood sport.

  "Fuck!" Lisa shouted. "We're no match for them."

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  She was right. There was no conceivable way for us to defeat such formidable opponents through direct confrontation. A quick glance behind revealed more armed figures emerging from the underpass, slowly ascending toward us. We were trapped between the cybernetic titans ahead and conventional forces behind.

  "Can you do that trick like at NeoDuck?" Lisa asked, a note of desperation entering her voice.

  "I don't think that was me," I admitted. "It could have been Noah, or there might be someone else involved." I closed my eyes briefly, desperation mounting. "Noah! If you can hear me, we need help now!"

  Nothing happened. No response, no sudden intervention.

  "Fuck!" I growled in frustration. The cybernetic giants had recovered and were advancing again, heavy footsteps cracking the pavement with every step.

  My mind raced through our dwindling options. We couldn't outrun them, couldn't outfight them, and help wasn't coming. A desperate plan formed—risky, stupid even—but our only chance.

  "Time for desperate measures," I muttered.

  I accessed my arm system controls, selecting maximum overdrive—a setting that should never be used outside emergency maintenance. My display flashed urgent warnings in red:

  "SEVERE DAMAGE LIKELY. CONFIRM OVERRIDE?"

  I swiped the confirmation aside without hesitation.

  Instantly, dozens of exhaust panels along my cybernetic muscles slid open with a metallic shriek. Jets of superheated steam erupted from the vents as the power limiters disengaged completely. The synthetic fibers of my runner suit couldn't withstand the extreme heat; patches began to blacken and melt in dark smoke around my arms. As the thermal regulators failed catastrophically, actual flames erupted where the suit's material touched the white-hot metal beneath.

  "Get ready to move!" I shouted to Lisa. "Shit, this is gonna hurt!"

  With a primal roar, I slammed my right fist into the road surface directly beneath us.

  The impact exceeded even my expectations. Energy surged from my fist into the concrete, spreading in a perfect circle like a stone dropped in still water. The roadway heaved upward for an instant before surrendering to the overwhelming force, exploding into a violent cascade of rubble. Jagged chunks of concrete and twisted rebar erupted around us, the destruction beautifully symmetrical despite its raw violence. The protective metal plating on my hand shattered from the impact, exposing the delicate mechanisms beneath as pain lanced up my arm.

  "Thanks, Boz," I silently acknowledged as we fell, grateful for the arm enhancements that had given me this destructive capability, even if I'd just wrecked them in the process. "This is going to cost me a small fortune in repairs."

  I landed with practiced grace, my cybernetic legs absorbing the impact. Lisa, however, crashed less elegantly, landing hard on her back with a pained grunt.

  I rushed to her side. "Let's go!" I urged, glancing upward where the two cybernetic giants peered down through the circular opening, already preparing to jump after us.

  Ahead, more armed operatives had came back to the underpass, their weapons tracking through the lingering smoke. Muzzle flashes illuminated the haze as they opened fire, bullets creating visible swirls in the smoke's density.

  "They can see us!" I realized. "They're using thermal imaging."

  I reached into a concealed pocket of my runner suit and retrieved two glass capsules—Heat Smoke grenades, a specialized counter-surveillance tool. Breaking the seals, I tossed them in front of us, where they shattered on impact.

  The capsules released a thick, rapidly-expanding cloud that engulfed the area. These weren't ordinary smoke grenades; they contained exothermic chemicals that triggered a reaction between quick oxidizing iron and oxygen, creating both visual concealment and a thermal blanket that masked our body heat signatures. The chemical reaction raised the ambient temperature throughout the smoke cloud, rendering thermal imaging useless by creating a uniform heat signature that obscured any human outline.

  I lifted Lisa onto my shoulder, her weight barely registering against my enhanced strength.

  "I'll take it from here," I assured her as she clutched at my runner suit.

  Behind us, the thunderous impact of the cybernetic giants landing shook the ground, dispersing some of the protective smoke. Ahead, the armed operatives continued firing blindly, hoping for a lucky hit.

  I engaged my overdrive legs.

  We shot forward like a bullet, the world blurring around us. We burst from the smoke directly between two surprised gunmen, their reactions too slow to track our movement. Their shocked expressions registered for only a fraction of a second before we were past them, leaving confusion in our wake.

  Bullets began flying again as our pursuers realized what had happened. I pulled Lisa tighter against my chest, trying to shield her vital organs. Without knowing the extent of her cybernetic modifications, I had to assume her torso might still contain vulnerable flesh.

  "I've got you," I murmured, hoping to reassure her.

  Her arms squeezed around my neck even tighter as she pressed her face against my shoulder, the momentary vulnerability at odds with her usual composure.

  Not giving my legs a chance to cooldown or slowdown, I engaged my overdrive once more, propelling us forward at dangerous speed.

  "Heating: 21% over safety target," flashed a warning on my display.

  I zigzagged through the debris-strewn path, making us a difficult target. Upon reaching the line of stalled vehicles, I vaulted over them in a fluid motion. As I landed, I pivoted and delivered a precision strike to one car's wheel assembly, shattering the axle. The vehicle dropped to the ground with a metallic screech, blocking the narrow path behind us and preventing our pursuers from using it to pursue us.

  As we sprinted toward Cala Street, I realized with growing dread that the two cybernetic giants were gaining on us. Despite their massive size, their pursuit was relentless, their heavy footfalls cracking the pavement with each stride. The cars and armed operatives were stuck behind, but these manufactured monsters maintained their pursuit with machine precision.

  "They're gaining on us," Lisa shouted, her voice muffled against my shoulder as she clutched tighter.

  "Don't worry," I replied, my voice steadier than the hammering fear in my chest. "They might run fast, but I'm the fastest Courier in ToxCity!" The bravado felt hollow even to my own ears, but I needed her to believe it—and I needed to believe it myself.

  Reaching Cala Street, we encountered pedestrians who scattered at our approach, sensing danger in our desperate flight. I seized the opportunity to change our vector, leaping onto the facade of the nearest building and scrambling upward to reach the rooftops. Her cybernetic arms fastened around my neck in a secure hold, her human legs wrapped tightly around my torso, distributing her weight to free my limbs for climbing.

  This change in direction provided immediate advantage. Despite their impressive ground speed, the cybernetic pursuers couldn't match my vertical agility. Their mass worked against them when climbing, and their acceleration couldn't compete with my specialized parkour enhancements. I exploited this weakness, executing rapid changes in direction that forced them to constantly redirect, losing precious momentum with each correction.

  Within minutes, I had opened a substantial gap between us.

  "They're stopping!" Lisa called out.

  Glancing back, I saw she was right. The two monstrous figures had halted on a rooftop several buildings behind us, their massive forms silhouetted against the sky.

  Still distrustful of their unexpected behavior, I continued our escape. My legs were approaching critical temperature—I couldn't push the overdrive any further without initiating emergency cooling first.

  I activated the cooling cycle, and immediately, vents along my cybernetic legs hissed open, releasing clouds of superheated steam that enveloped us both.

  "Sorry," I gasped as Lisa flinched from the scalding heat.

  "I'm fine," she insisted, though I could feel her grip tighten around my shoulders.

  After the brief cooling cycle, I pushed my systems again, altering our course frequently and gradually increasing the distance from Talium district. After several more minutes of punishing pace across the rooftops, I finally allowed myself to stop on a secluded rooftop far from our starting point.

  I gently set Lisa down as my legs initiated a full emergency cooling sequence, vents opening fully along every surface, releasing billowing clouds of steam into the air around us.

  I examined my damaged right fist. The external ceramic plating had shattered completely, exposing the titanium framework beneath. The impact had damaged the first and second protective layers, but the internal mechanisms appeared mostly functional. Still, it would need significant repairs.

  Scanning our surroundings, I detected no sign of pursuit.

  "I think we lost them," I gasped, struggling to catch my breath. "Are you okay?"

  Lisa was trembling slightly, her eyes wide with residual adrenaline and fear. She took a deep breath, then another, visibly forcing her body to calm. I watched in amazement as she deliberately slowed her breathing and squared her shoulders, the trembling subsiding through sheer force of will.

  "I'm fine," she said, pushing sweat-matted hair from her face, her composure returning with remarkable speed. "Dad tried to warn us," she continued, her voice now steady. "How could he know? How is any of this possible? And what the hell do they want with us?"

  "It must be about the memory stick," I reasoned, my breathing gradually normalizing as my system cooled. "Based on what your father told us, his discoveries about MainFrame must be damaging enough that they'd do anything to prevent that information from getting out."

  Silence settled between us, punctuated only by the soft hiss of my cybernetic cooling systems and the distant urban ambiance of ToxCity.

  "What's next?" Lisa finally asked, her expression hardening into determination.

  "I don't know," I admitted. "We need to decrypt that memory stick, but first, we need somewhere safe."

  "They know me," she said, gesturing toward EcoNet's general direction. "And they probably know you too."

  "I'm not sure. They never came to my place."

  "But they found you at NeoDuck, so they must have followed you there."

  Her point was valid. Until now, I hadn't considered how they had tracked me to the cafe. If they were aware of my identity, they could potentially trace me anywhere.

  I had no family, no friends outside the Courier network where competitors could be bought with the right amount of credits. Whatever connections I might have had were long since erased from my fractured memory. I collected Souls, I ate, I slept, I upgra—

  "Boz," I said suddenly.

  "Boz?" Lisa raised an eyebrow.

  "My NeuroDoc. We'd be safe at his place, and we're really close to Red Fusion where his shop is."

  "How do you know they haven't found him already?" Lisa challenged. "If they knew about my workplace, they might know about anyone connected to you."

  "It's a risk," I acknowledged, "but Boz is paranoid about client confidentiality. He has contingencies for everything, and he regularly scrubs his records of potentially compromising information—especially for clients that bring him significant income. And I've been a very profitable customer."

  She considered this, her expression uncertain.

  "Look, I know this is a lot to take in," I said, "but I need you to trust me on this. We've both seen what they're willing to do to get that memory stick. And I trust Boz."

  She nodded slowly, her expression hardening into determination.

  "Listen," she said, her voice softening slightly, "what you did today for me..." She paused, seeming uncomfortable with expressing gratitude. "Well, you saved my life."

  "Today was bizarre by any standard," I replied with a tired smile. "But as strange as it's been, we're in this together now." I stood, offering her my hand. "I've got your back."

  She took it, her chrome fingers clicking against my metallic hand. I pulled her to her feet with my still-functioning left arm, careful to keep my damaged right arm tucked against my side.

  "Boz it is, then," she said with a nod.

  "Boz it is."