The ship came into view, a massive, hulking silhouette against the waves. The government wanted stealth, so the chopper dropped them a short distance from the vessel, and they approached in a small, motorized raft. The sound of gunfire echoed faintly over the water. The pirates were already making themselves at home.
As they pulled alongside the ship, Ghost phased through the hull without a word, scouting ahead. She watched him disappear into the metal, still unsettled by how easily he moved through solid objects.
Volt, on the other hand, was all business. "Once Ghost gives the signal, we clear the deck and head for the cargo hold. Keep it quiet until we can't."
"And if we can't?" she asked, gripping the hilt of her sword.
Volt's gloves sparked. "Then I light them up."
-———————————————-
The signal came quickly—a faint tap on the earpiece from Ghost. She climbed the ladder onto the deck, moving with practiced precision. Her speed was her greatest advantage here, and she darted forward, disarming a guard before he could even shout.
Volt wasn't far behind, his gloves crackling as he grabbed another pirate by the arm, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. The pirate crumpled, unconscious. Volt looked at the pirate she had disarmed and stopped, just for a moment, before walking again.
A third guard appeared from behind a stack of crates, raising his rifle. She hesitated for a split second but then pulled one of her pistols from its holster, firing a precise shot that struck the man's shoulder, dropping him to the ground before he could aim.
"Still relying on those antique toys, huh?" Ghost's voice crackled in her ear, a faint chuckle following.
She smirked, holstering the pistol. "Some of us like backup plans. Not all of us can just ghost through the walls."
Ghost didn't respond, but she could imagine the grin on his face.
Volt looked at her as if trying to question something, but looked away as soon as she stared back.
"What's going on in this weirdo's mind now?" She thought.
She was halfway across the deck when she caught sight of him reappearing from the shadows. He motioned toward a hatch leading below—the cargo hold.
"Move," Volt ordered, covering their flank as they descended into the ship's bowels.
---
The air below deck was stifling, the smell of rust and oil thick. They moved cautiously, the faint hum of machinery masking their footsteps. She could feel the tension rising. Ghost led the way, his ability allowing him to phase ahead and scout for traps or ambushes.
When they reached the cargo hold, they found the pirates waiting—a dozen of them, heavily armed. And worse, a few of them looked… enhanced. Cybernetic limbs glinted under the harsh lights, and their eyes glowed faintly. Augments.
"Great," she muttered, clutching her nanobot bracelet. "Because normal pirates weren't enough."
Volt stepped forward, his gloves sparking brighter. "You take the left, I'll handle the right. Ghost, you do… whatever it is you do."
Ghost gave a mock salute before vanishing through the wall.
The fight broke out in an instant. She charged forward, her speed allowing her to close the gap before the pirates could react. With a snap of her fingers, the nanobots turned to a sleek sword, moving in a blur as it sliced through their ranks.
One of the augments swung at her with a metallic arm, but she ducked, sweeping her blade across his augment, cutting it off. Sparks flew as the sword cut through his enhancements.
She dropped this pirate and turned just in time to see another aiming a shotgun at her. Instinctively, she holstered her sword and drew her other pistol, firing twice. The first shot knocked the weapon from his hands, and the second hit him square in the leg, sending him sprawling.
"I thought swords were your thing now," Ghost's voice teased, suddenly appearing beside her.
"They are," she replied, breathing hard as she reloaded. "But I'm not stupid enough to bring a blade to a gunfight."
To her right, Volt was a one-man storm, arcs of electricity leaping from his gloves and incapacitating pirates in seconds. Ghost, meanwhile, moved like a phantom, reappearing behind enemies and taking them out with surgical efficiency.
The last augment lunged at her, faster than the others. She dodged his first strike but stumbled, nearly losing her footing. Before he could follow up, she pushed herself, her speed surging. She moved faster than she ever had, her sword flashing as it sliced clean through his mechanical leg. The augment collapsed, defeated.
Volt glanced over, a smirk on his face. "Not bad. Maybe you'll make A-Class someday."
He clearly wanted to say something else, but she wasn't going to probe. She had enough of her own thoughts and issues to sort out. No sir thank you very much. So she just replied in her normal tone "Yeah," catching her breath and holstering her pistol. "And maybe you'll learn how to make jokes that don't spark."
He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
———————————
With the pirates subdued and the cargo secured, they regrouped on the deck as the extraction team arrived. She stood there, staring out at the ocean, the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
Ghost appeared beside her, silent as ever. She glanced at him, still unsure of how he always moved so quietly.
"Not bad," he said simply, his tone almost approving.
She smirked. "Coming from you, I'll take it."
Ghost tilted his head. "But seriously, guns? You've got all this fancy tech, and you're still running around like it's the Wild West."
She laughed softly, adjusting the straps on her holster. "Hey, if it works, it works. Besides, sometimes the old ways are the best ways."
"Sure," Ghost said, stepping away with a faint grin. "Let's hope that philosophy doesn't get you shot one day."
She hoped for that too. She hoped she doesn't gets killed because of her twisted morals.
BAM
"What was that?" Ghost said looking towards Volt, who signaled both of them to get behind him.
BAM BAM BAM