The night had grown darker, the distant glow of the city's towering skyline barely visible through the narrow alleyways. Sera and Zyra had managed to evade capture so far, but their luck was running thin. The blasts and chaos they'd caused earlier had given them a temporary advantage, but the city's patrols were relentless, and the sound of their pursuit was never far behind.
"How much longer do we have to keep this up?" Zyra muttered as they ducked into yet another alley. Her breath was ragged, and her movements were becoming less precise, her exhaustion starting to show.
Sera glanced over her shoulder, her own exhaustion masked by the adrenaline that still pumped through her veins. "Until they stop chasing us or we find a way out. Whichever comes first."
"Great," Zyra replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I was hoping for something more reassuring."
The alley they had just entered was narrower than the others, barely wide enough for them to walk side by side. The walls were covered in old posters and graffiti, the smell of the city's underbelly heavy in the air. Ahead of them, the passage split in two, and without hesitation, Sera veered to the left, her instincts guiding her as much as anything else.
"Just stay close," Sera said, her eyes scanning the rooftops and side streets. "We'll find a way out of this."
They continued moving through the backstreets, the sounds of the city's nightlife blending with the distant wail of sirens. Sera could feel the tension between them, but she knew Zyra trusted her. They had been through too much together for doubt to cloud their judgment now.
But the patrols weren't far off.
As they neared the next intersection, Sera held out an arm, signaling for Zyra to stop. They both pressed themselves against the wall, peering around the corner. Two guards were stationed at the end of the street, their backs turned but their weapons drawn.
"Shit," Zyra whispered. "They've locked down the area."
Sera's mind raced. They couldn't turn back—the patrols from the explosion would be closing in behind them. And there was no way to take the guards head-on without drawing even more attention. They needed to slip through unnoticed, and that meant finding another route.
Sera's eyes darted to a fire escape halfway down the alley, its rusted metal frame barely hanging onto the side of the building. It was high up, but reachable if they could just get a running start.
"There," she whispered, nodding toward the escape. "We can climb up and cross the rooftops. They won't expect it."
Zyra looked at the fire escape, then back at Sera, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Are you serious? That thing looks like it's about to collapse."
"Yeah, well, it's either that or we try to run through those guys," Sera replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Zyra sighed but nodded. "Fine. Lead the way."
They crept forward, staying low to the ground, their footsteps barely making a sound against the cracked pavement. The guards remained unaware of their presence, their attention focused on the street ahead. Sera reached the base of the fire escape first, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement before she motioned for Zyra to follow.
With a quick glance over her shoulder to ensure they weren't being watched, Sera jumped, grabbing hold of the lowest rung of the fire escape ladder. It creaked under her weight, but it held, and she quickly pulled herself up. Zyra followed, her movements a little more hesitant but just as swift.
The ladder groaned and swayed as they climbed, but neither of them paused. They reached the first landing, the metal beneath their feet vibrating slightly with every step. Above them, the rooftops stretched out into the darkness, offering a clear path out of the patrol zone—if they could make it up there.
As they climbed higher, Sera felt the adrenaline spike again, her instincts kicking in. The guards below hadn't noticed them yet, but that could change at any moment. One wrong move, one sound too loud, and they'd be spotted.
Finally, they reached the top of the fire escape. Sera pulled herself over the edge of the roof and crouched low, scanning the area. The rooftop was flat and wide, covered in gravel and debris, but it was empty. No guards, no drones—just a clear path to the next building.
Zyra hoisted herself up beside Sera, her breath coming in short gasps. "What now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sera pointed to the next rooftop. "We keep moving. Stay low, and we might be able to slip past the perimeter before they notice we're gone."
They moved quickly, darting across the gravel-covered roof and leaping onto the next building. The rooftops provided cover from the patrols below, and the distance between the guards and them widened with every step. But Sera knew it was only a matter of time before they were spotted again.
The city was vast, but the net was closing in on them. Every block they passed brought them closer to the edge of the patrol zone, but it also brought new dangers—more guards, more security systems, and the ever-present threat of drones.
As they approached the last rooftop in their path, Sera crouched low, her eyes scanning the street below. The guards were thick here, their presence even more oppressive than before. The exit was close, but getting through without being seen would be nearly impossible.
"Shit," Zyra muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "There's no way we're getting through that unnoticed."
Sera frowned, her mind racing for a solution. "We might not have to."
"What are you talking about?"
Sera pointed to a nearby maintenance vent, barely visible in the shadows. "We go underground."
Zyra blinked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You want to crawl through the maintenance tunnels?"
"Yeah. It'll get us out of here without getting shot. Sounds like a better option than running into that mess down there."
Zyra groaned but didn't argue. "Fine. Lead the way."
Sera approached the vent, her fingers working quickly to pry open the grate. It gave way with a soft creak, revealing the dark tunnel below. She motioned for Zyra to go first, and after a brief hesitation, Zyra dropped down into the tunnel, disappearing into the darkness.
Sera followed, pulling the grate closed behind her as she descended into the shadows. The air was thick and stale, the narrow tunnel barely wide enough for them to move through. But as the darkness swallowed them whole, Sera couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief.