Julian walked quickly back and forth in the poorly lit room, with monitors on the walls showing different areas of the city. His anger brewed just beneath the surface, almost spilling over as he tightly gripped his fists. Jemmy's treachery had caused complete disarray in his plan. He couldn't understand why she had picked Melton instead of him.
One of Julian's lieutenants approached cautiously, clearly nervous. "Sir, we've lost track of them. Jemmy's interference has caused—"
"I don't want excuses!" Julian snapped, his voice cold and filled with venom. He glared at the man. "Find them. I don't care what it takes. I want them brought to me—both of them."
The lieutenant hesitated before speaking again. "We've also received word from Erebus... They've authorized a bounty."
Julian stopped pacing, his expression shifting into a sinister smile. "A bounty, you say?"
The lieutenant nodded. "Yes, sir. A massive one. The entire city's mercenary network will be after Melton now. Erebus wants him alive—but they don't care what condition he's in."
Julian laughed darkly. "Perfect. Let them hunt him like the dog he is. And when they bring him to me, I'll make sure he regrets ever crossing me." He leaned closer to his lieutenant, his eyes gleaming with malice. "And Jemmy... She'll pay for her betrayal too. I'll deal with her personally."
The lieutenant nodded, though a flicker of fear crossed his face. "Understood, sir. I'll send out the word."
As the lieutenant hurried away, Julian returned to his monitors, his anger momentarily replaced by cold calculation. He knew Melton would put up a fight, but this time, he had an entire city of mercenaries on his side. Melton couldn't run forever.
---
Meanwhile, on the city streets, Jemmy and Melton swiftly navigated while staying hidden in the shadows. The palpable tension between them was evident, but there was no room for lingering feelings—only the need to survive. They were aware that the reward placed on Melton's head had escalated the level of danger.
As they ducked into a narrow alley, Jemmy spoke first, her voice tight with urgency. "We need to move fast. The moment that bounty went live, every merc in the city would've started looking for you."
Melton glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "I'm aware. But what I'm not sure of is why you're still helping me. You've made it clear you were working with Erebus. What's to say you won't turn me in for the money?"
Jemmy stopped walking, grabbing his arm and pulling him around to face her. "I told you, I'm done with Erebus. I'm done with Julian. If I wanted to turn you in, I would have done it by now."
Melton's gaze hardened. "And yet, every time I trust someone, I end up regretting it."
Jemmy's eyes softened, and for the first time, she allowed a hint of vulnerability to show. "I get it, Melton. I've lied to you before. But right now, Julian is coming for both of us. He wants you dead, and he wants me broken. We need each other to survive this."
Melton studied her for a moment, his mind weighing the risks. He could feel Nexus processing data in the background, alerting him to potential threats in the area. But Jemmy's words, though cautious, held a truth he couldn't ignore.
"Fine," he said quietly. "For now, we work together. But if you cross me again—"
"I won't," Jemmy interrupted, her voice firm. "I won't."
Just as they began moving again, a low rumble sounded from the streets behind them. Melton stopped, raising his hand to signal Jemmy to be quiet. They both turned their attention to the entrance of the alley, where a group of heavily armed mercenaries began to gather.
"There he is!" one of the mercenaries shouted, pointing at Melton. "That's the guy with the bounty! We get him, we're rich!"
Melton cursed under his breath, drawing his weapon and backing up toward Jemmy. "Looks like they found us."
Jemmy drew her weapon too, her eyes darting around for an escape route. "We're outnumbered."
Melton's gaze shifted between the mercenaries, Nexus already calculating the odds. "Doesn't matter. We take them down. Fast."
The hired mercenaries advanced, holding their weapons. Gunfire and energy blasts filled the air with explosive noise. Melton and Jemmy took cover and shot back accurately. Despite facing challenges, Melton's skills as a player and improved capabilities helped him outsmart the mercenaries' assaults.
A burly man with shining cybernetic arms, who was one of the mercenaries, sneered while moving towards Melton. "You believe you can evade this? The entire town is on your tail!"
Melton quickly reacted by moving swiftly, deflecting the man's weapon and then striking him hard in the jaw. The man stumbled backwards, blood oozing from his lip. "I have no desire to flee," Melton snarled. "I only have to end you."
The hired soldier snarled back and rushed towards Melton once more. They engaged in a fierce close combat, the noise of metal hitting skin reverberating in the alley. Even with the man's cybernetic upgrades, Melton was able to outsmart him by utilizing his quickness and fighting abilities to defeat him with a precise blow to the neck.
After the mercenary collapsed, Melton shifted his attention to Jemmy, who was currently battling two other mercenaries. A knife-wielding attacker attempted to strike her, but she skillfully dodged and countered with a powerful kick to his chest, causing him to collide with a stack of crates.
The second mercenary paused briefly, uncertain about what to do next. Jemmy used his hesitation to his advantage, firing a precise shot that struck him in the shoulder and disarmed him.
"Go!" Melton shouted, grabbing Jemmy's arm and pulling her toward the end of the alley. They ran through the narrow passage, dodging gunfire as more mercenaries closed in on them from both sides.
"We need to find a safehouse," Jemmy panted as they sprinted down the street. "Somewhere to regroup."
Melton nodded, scanning the area for any sign of refuge. "I know a place. But it's not far from here, and we need to move quickly."
As they rounded a corner, more mercenaries appeared, cutting off their path. Melton cursed again, realizing that they were being boxed in. "Damn it. They're everywhere."
Jemmy searched desperately for a way to escape, his eyes darting around. "We have limited options available."
Melton quickly glanced at a nearby building, an aged factory featuring a weathered metal door. He gestured towards Jemmy. "Get Inside. Immediately!"
Melton rushed towards the building, kicking the door open as the mercenaries neared. Within the factory, darkness prevailed and obsolete machinery littered the space, allowing them to hide while they rested.
Jemmy gasped for breath as he rested against the wall. "We cannot sustain this indefinitely. Sooner or later, they will overpower us."
Melton nodded with a somber expression. "We must retaliate. Firstly, we must ensure our survival throughout the night."
Jemmy gazed at him with a determined expression in her eyes. "I'm here with you, Melton. Together, we will do whatever it takes to bring down Erebus."
Melton looked at her, his face impossible to interpret. "Hopefully, you actually mean that."
The mercenaries outside started coming together again, their voices bouncing off the night as they discussed their next steps. Melton and Jemmy shared a glance, understanding that the battle was not finished yet.