"Wow, I'm exhausted from all this walking," Archie Willow groaned as he squatted down, his breath puffing in the frigid air. Silas glanced at him, arching an eyebrow. "A break already?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
Archie pulled off his cap, shaking loose a light dusting of snow before brushing it clean with his glove. "I mean, come on, it's tiring, right? Walking around in this snow? Even if this district's warmer than most places in the city," he said, gesturing vaguely to the streets around them.
Silas shrugged, letting out a noncommittal, "I guess so." His gaze flickered over Archie, studying him for a moment. His new partner was... something else. Silas scratched the back of his head, his thoughts wandering. *How the hell did this guy even graduate?* It had to be a miracle. Archie was somehow worse than Silas himself, which was saying a lot. *He must've scraped by. Like, barely passed—and probably did worse than me.*
"At least we don't have to do much thanks to those sentinels," Archie said, breaking into Silas's thoughts. He leaned back against the wall, his posture as casual, before sighing and adding, "Wish there were more of them in this district, though."
Silas nodded faintly, his mind still half elsewhere. The sentinels, the new experimental tech rolled out across the city, were doing the bulk of the heavy lifting these past few days. Though deployment was uneven, every district had at least three of them minimum patrolling the streets, while some had ten or more.
"Maybe in the future, they'll be everywhere. What do you think?" Archie asked suddenly, his tone curious as he looked at Silas.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Probably," Silas answered, his response offhanded and distracted. He scratched his temple, silently lamenting his predicament. *Goddess, this guy talks a lot. Is this what it was like being with me?* The thought hit him like a brick, and he suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for his old partner.
"Hey, look over there!" Archie said abruptly, his tone urgent. Before Silas could even process the shift, Archie smacked him on the back and pointed toward an alleyway.
Silas followed the direction of Archie's finger, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a group of three men moving suspiciously. His heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of someone being dragged along—a figure with unmistakable grayish-white hair. His stomach dropped.
"What the hell?" Silas muttered, his breath hitching as recognition struck like a lightning bolt. That hair… It was Noemi.
"Stop right there!" Silas shouted, his voice cutting through the cold air like a whip. The men froze for a split second before one of them, clutching Noemi tightly, broke into a sprint down the alleyway.
"Come on!" Silas barked, already surging forward without waiting for a response. Archie stood frozen for a moment, his mouth opening as though to protest. "Should we get reinforce—ugh, whatever!" Archie cut himself off, huffing as he launched into motion, racing after his partner.
Silas darted into the alleyway, his boots splashing through shallow puddles of slush as he chased after the men. He knew exactly where this path led—the slums—but he didn't hesitate. The image of Noemi being dragged away had seared itself into his mind, leaving no room for second thoughts. As he burst out of the narrow alley into the desolate maze of the slums, he scanned the area frantically, his heart hammering in his chest.
Archie stumbled up behind him, panting heavily. "Holy shit, are we in the slums!?" he exclaimed, his voice rising with panic as he took in the dilapidated surroundings. "Hey, we should really—"
"Over there!" Silas cut him off sharply, spotting the men up ahead as they disappeared around a corner. Without waiting, he bolted after them, his focus unshakable.
"But—!" Archie started again, only to trail off in frustration. Whether Silas couldn't hear him or simply didn't care, Archie wasn't sure. With a groan, he took off after his partner once more, his boots slipping slightly on the snow-slick ground.
The chase twisted and turned through the slums, past weathered buildings and streets eerily quiet in the cold. A few scattered figures loitered here and there, their faces obscured by scarves or hoods, but no one paid them any mind. Silas's breath puffed out in ragged clouds, his eyes locked on the three men ahead. Every step carried a mounting sense of urgency, the weight of the situation pressing harder on his chest.
Finally, the men ducked into an abandoned building, its crumbling façade and boarded windows making it an ominous landmark. Silas skidded to a halt, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he stared at the structure. He knew this place, and the familiarity only deepened the pit in his stomach.
"We're not going in there, are we?" Archie asked, his voice cracking as he caught up, clutching his side. He looked up at the building with wide eyes, visibly uneasy.
"I have to," Silas replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He took a step forward, already steeling himself for what awaited inside.
Archie hesitated, his feet rooted to the spot. "But—"
"Stay out here," Silas interrupted, turning to face him. His expression was grim, his eyes sharp and unyielding. "When you see the girl come out, take her and run. Got it?"
Archie blinked, stunned by the sudden shift in Silas's demeanor. For a moment, he wanted to protest, but something in his gut told him to listen. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Alright… just—be careful," he said softly.
Silas didn't respond. He pushed open the creaking door, stepping into the dim interior of the building. His pulse thundered in his ears, each beat echoing like a drum. The air was cold and stale, heavy with the scent of mildew and decay. He hadn't even made it far when a familiar voice rang out mockingly.
"How've you been, Silas?"
Silas's eyes narrowed as he stepped into the room, his gaze locking onto the man standing near the center. Philip wore a wolfish grin on his face, his green eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. Beside him were the three men, holding Noemi firmly in place. Her grayish-white hair was disheveled, and a cloth gag muffled her attempts to speak.
Silas's jaw tightened as he stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Was doing pretty well… until I saw you," he said coldly.
Philip chuckled, leaning forward with an air of casual menace. "Oh, what's this? Trying to be funny, even though you know you're going to die?" His eyes filled with amusement.
"It's because I know I'm going to die," Silas shot back, his voice sharp. Slowly, he reached for his gun, drawing it from its holster. But instead of aiming it at Philip, he held it out in surrender.
"Good boy, you learned that your weapons are meaningless," said Joshua Ambrose, appearing out of seemingly nowhere as he snatched the pistol from Silas's hand.
"Yeah, figured you'd be here," Silas muttered, his tone dry but his eyes sharp as Joshua chuckled darkly. Without a second glance at the weapon, Joshua let it fall to the ground and crushed it beneath his boot, the crunch of metal echoing through the room. He moved to stand beside Philip, his posture radiating smug confidence.
"Alright," Silas said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. He gestured toward Noemi, his gaze unwavering. "I know you two have your problems with me, so why don't you let her go?"
Joshua shrugged casually. "Alright," he said, his response catching Silas off guard. Silas hadn't expected compliance, but he wasn't about to question it. Joshua turned to the three men holding Noemi and motioned for them to release her.
As they let her go, Joshua leaned in close to Noemi, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. "No fear in those eyes," he murmured with a twisted grin. "Just like him. Let's see if you can keep that when you watch each other die." With a dismissive wave, he motioned for her to leave.
Noemi glared at him defiantly, but without a word, she ran straight to Silas. Her voice was sharp with urgency as she whispered, "What are you doing, idiot? You can't seriously be thinking about fighting them?"
Silas glanced at her, his expression both tired and exasperated. "Really? I save you, and the first thing you do is insult me? Does that just run in the bloodline?" he whispered back, shaking his head. "Whatever. Listen, Noemi. There's an officer outside waiting for you. Go to him and run. Get out of here."
"But—" she began, her voice wavering.
"No buts," Silas cut her off, his tone firm yet pleading. "Leave. Please."
Noemi hesitated, her fists clenched at her sides, before closing her eyes and exhaling shakily. "Hey! What are you two whispering about over there?" Philip barked, his impatience flaring as he shifted on his feet.
Opening her eyes, Noemi nodded, her voice barely audible. "Stay alive," she said, before running toward the exit.
Silas watched her go, a flicker of relief in his chest that was quickly snuffed out as his gaze shifted back to Philip. He rolled his shoulders and clenched his fists, steadying himself for what was to come. "Oh, I'll try," he muttered, his tone sardonic, though the weight of the moment hung heavy in his voice. "Can't promise I'll succeed, though."
Philip's grin widened, predatory and wild, as he wasted no time, rushing towards his prey like the wild beast he was as Silas gritted his teeth to fight for his life.