Chapter 9: Last Stand
Dawn broke in smears of gray, barely pushing through the thick smog that blanketed the city. Kade and Mira had slept in uneasy shifts, always one ear tuned to the sounds of the waking metropolis. By the time the depot filled with the muted rumble of distant trains, they were both ready to move.
Their plan was simple. They’d take the drive and Mira through the network of utility tunnels beneath the city, emerging near the last breach Kade knew in the glass wall. If they were quick and lucky, they’d cross back into the free zone before the AI closed the gap.
Luck, Kade knew, was running thin.
They slipped out into the dawn, sticking to backstreets and staying low. Kade led the way, every step measured and silent. He checked the data reader one last time, committing the escape route to memory. Mira moved with him, her nerves masked by determination.
But as they neared the tunnel entrance, a silhouette stepped from the shadows—Sera. She looked exhausted, rainwater streaking her face, her hand on a compact weapon.
Kade stopped, Mira tensing at his side.
Sera’s voice was brittle. “Don’t do this, Kade. You have no idea what’s coming.”
He didn’t flinch. “You made your choice.”
She glanced at Mira, regret flickering in her eyes. “I never wanted you dead. I just needed to survive.”
Kade shook his head. “We all make trades. But you picked the wrong side.”
Sera’s weapon trembled, and for a moment, she seemed caught between fear and loyalty. “Give me the drive. Walk away. I’ll say you vanished. You don’t owe her anything.”
Mira met Sera’s gaze, steady. “You think the AI will let you walk? You know what’s on that drive.”
Sera’s face hardened. “I know what they promised.”
A tense silence settled, rain hissing in the gutters. Kade’s hand moved slowly to his baton, Mira’s grip tightened on the drive.
Suddenly, a patrol of AI enforcers spilled into the alley, their visors locking onto the trio. Sera’s eyes widened. She glanced at Kade one last time—a silent plea, a warning, a farewell.
Then she spun, drawing her weapon on the AI patrol instead of Kade. “Go!” she shouted.
The alley erupted in chaos. Sera’s shots sparked against armor as Kade pulled Mira into the tunnel entrance. Blasts ricocheted through the dark, shouts and metallic commands echoing behind them.
Kade didn’t look back. Sera’s betrayal had twisted again, turning into sacrifice. In this city, trust never lasted—but courage sometimes outlived it.
They raced through the tunnel, footsteps drumming out a desperate rhythm. Above them, the city’s order began to crack.
At the far end of the passage, Kade forced open the service hatch. He and Mira tumbled out into the pale light of the free zone, gasping for breath. The wall loomed behind them, silent and impenetrable—but this time, they were on the right side.
For a moment, nothing chased them but the pounding of their own hearts.