Blue had managed to make it one agonizing click through the jungle, but the clearing was still four clicks away—each step feeling like it was getting longer, the dense foliage around him seeming to thicken with every breath. The suit trapped his sweat inside, the heat building, pulsing against his skin as if the jungle itself was trying to suffocate him. His HUD flickered and reset, struggling to keep up as the humidity and constant motion taxed its systems.
"Four clicks to the clearing, Joseph," Nova's voice cut in, still calm but with a sense of urgency now unmistakable. "They're gaining ground."
The sounds of pursuit were like a storm breaking behind him—trees splintering, leaves shredded underfoot, and the low growl of Black tearing through the jungle. Blue could practically feel the vibrations in the ground, the way Black's sheer weight and power rattled through the trees.
"Run all you want!" Black's voice roared from behind, his tone filled with eager fury. "I'm going to break you when I get my hands on you!"
A tree shattered, and Blue darted right just in time to avoid the debris. His heart pounded in his chest as he forced his legs to keep moving, vaulting over a massive fallen log that nearly tripped him up. Every muscle screamed, the weight of his gear pressing down like iron.
Suddenly, Pink's voice drifted down from the canopy, soft and dripping with amusement.
"Poor Blue," she crooned, her voice thick with mock sympathy. "You're getting all worked up, aren't you? Don't worry, baby, I'll make it nice and slow when I get my hands on you."
The shot rang out before he could react—a plasma round streaking past his helmet, sizzling through the air, leaving a trail of heat that seared his senses. It missed by millimeters, but he felt the burn, the heat seeping into his skin even through the suit's protective layers.
"That one was a warning," Pink's voice purred. "Next time... I'll hit you somewhere softer."
Blue gritted his teeth, pushing harder. The jungle around him seemed to close in, every shadow hiding something dangerous, every noise amplified by his thundering pulse. He knew Pink was above him, somewhere in the thick branches, stalking him like a predator savoring the hunt.
"Three-point-eight clicks," Nova's voice came through again, cutting through the tension. "She missed, but she's getting closer."
Another shot blazed past, an incendiary round this time, exploding into the tree just ahead of him. Flames erupted, licking up the bark and casting harsh shadows as they spread across the underbrush. Blue stumbled, his footing uneven as the ground beneath him scorched, but he kept going. He had no choice.
"Oh, Blue," Pink's voice dropped an octave, sultry and dangerous. "You're making me work for it. I like that. I like a little struggle before I get to break you."
Her laugh was a dark, twisted sound, sending a shiver through Blue despite the heat. He forced himself to ignore her, but the constant taunts were wearing on him. Every word was designed to get under his skin, to distract him, and it was working.
"Joseph, right side," Nova's voice warned suddenly, pulling him from his spiraling thoughts. "Yellow's moving in."
He veered left, but it wasn't fast enough. Yellow's dagger slashed across his arm with precision, a shallow cut, but enough to inject the paralytics into his bloodstream. His HUD blared a warning as the toxins spread, his vision blurring for a moment.
"Nanites deploying... filtering the paralytics," Nova's voice was strained, trying to keep control of his systems. "You'll feel sluggish for a bit."
The world around him started to tilt—everything feeling slower, his limbs heavy as if they were underwater. Blue blinked rapidly, trying to clear his mind, but Yellow's voice cut through the haze, soft, almost hypnotic.
"The ocean pulls at you, Joseph," Yellow said, her voice like the soothing rhythm of the waves. "You're fighting it, but you're already sinking. Why fight the current? It's easier to let go... to let the sea take you where it wants."
Her words seemed to wrap around his mind, pulling him deeper into the fog of her toxins. He stumbled, his feet feeling like they were weighed down by lead, the jungle around him warping into dark, blurry shapes.
"Just like the deep sea," Yellow continued, her tone almost gentle. "The octopus wraps its prey, pulling it into the dark. That's where you're going, Blue. Into the dark. Why resist?"
Another slice—this time across his thigh, poison mixing into his bloodstream. His vision flickered again, the suit's systems struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Nova's nanites were working overtime, but it wasn't enough.
"You're already mine," Yellow whispered, her voice soft like the caress of the tide. "You feel it, don't you? The heaviness. The pull. Just let go..."
Blue fought against the fog, forcing himself to keep moving, but every step was a battle. The poison weighed him down, his reflexes dull, his body sluggish.
"Three-point-six clicks," Nova's voice was strained, the nanites fighting the toxins but only managing to slow them. "You need to push harder, Joseph."
Another roar from behind, and Blue barely had time to dive out of the way as Black crashed through another tree, his ax gleaming in the fading light.
"I'll tear you apart!" Black bellowed, the ground shaking with each step. "You're not getting away!"
The sheer power of Black's advance sent shockwaves through the jungle, branches snapping like twigs as he barreled through everything in his path. Blue stumbled, struggling to keep up the pace as his body betrayed him.
"Joseph, we need more time," Nova's voice was insistent, almost pleading. "Your systems can't take much more. We have to get ahead."
Another flash from above—a cryo round this time, shattering into the ground in front of him, ice spreading in sharp spikes. Blue slipped, barely catching himself as the cold seeped into the air around him, the temperature dropping drastically.
"Oh, Blue," Pink's voice was a sultry purr, thick with desire. "You're just slipping through my fingers... I love it when you struggle, though. It makes me want you even more."
She leapt from the trees, her silhouette barely visible in the shadows above, moving like a predator on the hunt. The taunting was relentless, every word sinking into his mind, pulling at the cracks in his resolve.
"Just think about it," Pink's voice lowered, her tone dripping with dark seduction. "When I catch you—and I will—how sweet it's going to be. You and me, alone... I'll make sure you feel every. Single. Second."
The imagery that flooded his mind made Blue's skin crawl, but he couldn't shake it. Pink was relentless, her voice weaving through his thoughts, making it harder to focus, harder to move.
"Three-point-two clicks," Nova's voice was quick, almost panicked. "Joseph, you have to snap out of it."
Red's voice cut through the comms, cold and authoritative. "Pink, enough. Yellow, box him in. Black, keep flanking."
The shots from Red's guns came fast and controlled, hitting the trees around him with deadly accuracy. One round clipped his shoulder, the force cracking the armor, sending a jolt of pain through his body. His HUD flashed warnings, his suit's integrity at critical levels.
"Armor down to 50%," Nova's voice was tight with concern. "We can't take another hit like that."
Blue pushed himself forward, every step heavier than the last. He could feel his strength draining, his body slowing as the poison continued to work its way through his system. He was running out of time.
Another shot from Pink—this time a concussive round—exploded near him, the blast sending him flying into the air before crashing hard into the ground. His HUD blinked out completely, his systems struggling to reset. Pain shot through his limbs as he tried to push himself up, his breath ragged.
"Oh, Blue," Pink's voice was a soft, dangerous whisper, closer now. "You know, I think I'm going to enjoy breaking you. When I'm done, there won't be anything left of you... except what I want."
Her words slithered into his mind, twisting and warping his thoughts. He could feel the weight of her voice pulling him under, the toxins from Yellow slowing his body, Pink's taunts breaking his will.
"Two-point-eight clicks," Nova said, her voice barely holding onto its calm. "Joseph, please—move."
Blue dragged himself to his feet, the clearing still impossibly far away, the jungle around him closing in. They were surrounding him, tightening the noose, and he could feel himself slipping. But he had to keep going. He had no other choice.
The jungle was alive with chaos, every sound amplified, every shadow shifting like it was closing in on him. Blue's muscles burned, his body weighed down by the poison coursing through his veins, his limbs moving slower with each step. His suit was stifling, the air trapped inside turning thick and humid, clinging to his skin like a second layer of restraint. Every breath he took felt like he was inhaling through mud, the oppressive heat of the jungle seeping into his very core.
"Two-point-eight clicks," Nova's voice echoed inside his helmet, calm but edged with desperation. Even she could feel it—the world closing in, his enemies tightening around him like predators toying with prey. "You're almost there. Don't stop."
But the jungle seemed endless now, the trees towering above him like sentinels waiting to see him fall. The underbrush tangled around his legs, pulling at him, trying to drag him down into the earth. Every step forward felt like fighting a current pulling him under, and the poisonous fog in his mind was clouding his thoughts, his vision warping.
Behind him, the sound of crashing trees and thundering footsteps grew louder—Black. Blue didn't need to turn around to know the juggernaut was closing in. The earth trembled beneath Black's weight, his heavy footfalls tearing up the jungle like a rampaging beast. Every crack of a branch, every thud of his massive ax against the trees, sent shockwaves through the ground.
"Run all you want!" Black's voice boomed, a deep, primal roar that vibrated through the air. "I'm going to break you, Blue!"
The ground shook violently as another tree splintered and crashed to the jungle floor behind him, sending debris flying in all directions. Blue veered left, narrowly avoiding the massive trunk as it shattered into the undergrowth, but his body was weakening, and it showed in every labored movement.
His HUD flickered again, resetting for what felt like the hundredth time, leaving him momentarily blind as the warnings flashed in rapid succession: Suit integrity critical. Energy reserves: 20%.
"Oh, Baby Blue," Pink's voice slithered through the trees, dripping with amusement. "Look at you… barely holding it together. I bet you're sweating under all that armor, aren't you? I'll help you peel it off when I catch you… slowly."
The plasma shot that followed her words missed by a hair, the searing heat sizzling past Blue's head. His vision flared red as the heat seared into his suit, the air around him shimmering from the blast. He could feel the heat even through his helmet, as if his entire body was being cooked alive.
"Armor integrity down to 30%," Nova reported, her voice clipped and mechanical as she tried to keep track of his failing systems. "You can't take another hit like that."
"Oh, don't hide from me, Baby Blue," Pink's voice purred, filled with mock affection. "Let me see you squirm. I'll be gentle… at first."
Another plasma round—this one aimed lower, hitting the ground just in front of him. The blast sent a wave of heat crashing over him, and he stumbled forward, almost losing his footing as the burning embers sprayed up and licked at his suit.
He had to keep moving. But the jungle was a maze now, each tree looking the same as the last, every sound blending into a cacophony of crashing footsteps and taunting voices.
Yellow's voice joined the chaos, calm but insidious, wrapping around Blue's thoughts like the tightening coil of a predator. "You feel it, don't you? The way the tide pulls you down… It's just like the ocean, Blue. You can struggle, but in the end, the current always takes what it wants."
The poison in his veins throbbed with every heartbeat, and his vision swirled, the jungle warping as Yellow's words burrowed deeper into his mind. The weight of the poison dragged him down, his legs heavy as if they were sinking into quicksand.
"You're just like a fish caught in a net," Yellow whispered, her voice soft and hypnotic, lulling him deeper into the fog. "Fighting only makes it worse. Why not let the ocean take you? It's so much easier to let go…"
Her blade sliced across his side again, the sharp pain barely registering through the numbing haze that was spreading through his body. Paralytics. More poison. His limbs felt like lead, his steps faltering as the world spun around him. The jungle felt like it was closing in, the trees bending inward, their shadows stretching like fingers ready to grasp him.
"You're already mine," Yellow murmured, her voice a soft lullaby. "Like a shark smelling blood in the water, I'll take you to the depths. Stop fighting, Blue. Let the sea consume you."
Blue blinked hard, forcing himself to stay upright, to stay conscious. But her words… they echoed in his mind, the poison making it harder and harder to resist. Each breath felt heavier, like the weight of the ocean was crushing him from above, pulling him under.
"Two-point-five clicks," Nova's voice cut through the fog, a lifeline pulling him back. "Just two-point-five more, Blue. You're almost there."
He shook his head, trying to clear it, but the jungle was a blur now, the ground swaying beneath him. He pushed forward, stumbling, barely managing to stay on his feet. But they were closing in. The jungle wasn't endless anymore—it was a trap, and they were the hunters.
From above, Pink's laughter rang out again, closer this time, her voice twisted with sadistic glee. "Oh, Baby Blue, you're making it too easy. Look at you… barely holding it together. When I catch you, I'm going to make you beg. You'll scream for me before I'm done."
Another shot from her sniper rifle—a concussive round this time—exploded near his feet, sending him flying forward, crashing into the ground with bone-jarring force. His HUD blinked out, the helmet vibrating from the shockwave as his ears rang with the impact.
"Oh, Blue," Pink's voice was a dangerous whisper now, filled with dark desire. "You know I like it when you struggle. When I finally get you, I'm going to take my time… make you feel every little bit of pain until you beg me for more."
The sonic vibrations left his mind disoriented, the jungle spinning as he tried to push himself up. But the ground was shifting beneath him, the shadows warping, closing in, as if the jungle itself was alive and ready to devour him.
"Two clicks," Nova's voice barely held together, her urgency palpable now. "Blue, you have to move. They're closing in."
He forced himself to his feet, but his limbs were sluggish, his muscles burning with exhaustion. The world was spinning, the jungle stretching out into infinity, and every sound seemed to echo louder, heavier, suffocating.
Another shot rang out—a cryo round this time—shattering the ground just in front of him, ice spreading in jagged spikes. The temperature dropped sharply, the air freezing around him as the icy mist swirled through the trees. He slipped, crashing into the cold ground, the frost biting into his skin even through his armor.
"Oh, you're slippery, aren't you, Baby Blue?" Pink's voice slithered through the cold air, mocking, twisted with amusement. "But don't worry… I'll catch you. And when I do, you'll wish you'd let me take you sooner."
Another roar from behind—Black, smashing through trees, his ax carving through the jungle like a force of nature. His steps were thunderous, the ground trembling as he bulldozed his way forward, relentless and unstoppable.
"I'll tear you apart!" Black's voice was pure fury, shaking the very earth with his rage. "You can't outrun me, Blue! You're finished!"
The ground shook violently as another tree came crashing down, sending splinters flying. Blue barely managed to roll out of the way, but the impact jarred his entire body, pain shooting through his limbs.
The world around him was crumbling, the jungle twisting into a maze of shadows and violence. Blue's breath came in ragged gasps, every inhalation labored, the poison from Yellow's daggers still surging through his system, despite Nova's nanites struggling to keep it at bay. His legs felt like lead, his vision flickered as his HUD blinked in and out, and the relentless voices of his pursuers seemed to echo inside his skull.
He stumbled forward, forcing himself to keep moving, but the jungle felt endless, as if it was growing thicker with every step, pulling him back, trapping him.
"Oh, Baby Blue," Pink's voice slithered closer, her tone both playful and sinister. "You're slowing down. I can hear it in your breath. Don't worry, though... I'll be right there to catch you. And when I do..." Her laugh was dark, dripping with twisted delight. "I'll make sure you feel every bit of it."
A shot from her sniper rifle screamed through the air, this time a homing round, locking onto Blue's signature and curving through the trees with terrifying precision. Blue ducked, twisting his body at the last moment, but the round still clipped his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through his arm. His suit's HUD blinked angrily, red warnings flashing as more cracks appeared across his armor.
"Suit integrity at 10%," Nova warned, her voice strained, almost as if she could feel the suit struggling to keep him functional. "We're not going to make it like this, Blue."
But there was no time. He had to move.
"You can't run forever, Blue," Yellow's voice floated from the shadows, her tone soft, almost soothing, but beneath it lay a cold, predatory edge. "The way you're moving... it's like a dolphin caught in a net, thrashing, wasting energy. Just stop struggling... let it end."
Another graze from Yellow's dagger slashed across his leg, and the poison hit him hard this time, sending a wave of dizziness through his already exhausted mind. His legs buckled, and for a moment, the world tilted—trees swayed, the ground shifted, and he felt like he was sinking into the earth.
"You feel it, don't you?" Yellow's voice was like a lullaby, hypnotic. "The way the sea pulls at you... it's inevitable, Blue. You're already sinking. Just give in."
His limbs felt heavy, his body slowing under the weight of the paralytics and poisons coursing through him. Each step forward was a monumental effort, and Yellow's voice, weaving through his thoughts, made it harder to resist. His body ached for rest, for relief from the relentless chase.
"One-point-five clicks," Nova's voice cut in, sharp and desperate. "We're close, Blue. Just hold on."
But holding on was becoming harder with each passing second. The jungle had become a nightmare—every shadow hid a threat, every sound was an echo of his own exhaustion. And his enemies were relentless, their confidence growing with each moment that passed. They knew he was weakening. They knew he was on the verge of breaking.
Another shot from Pink—a concussive round—exploded behind him, sending shockwaves through the trees. Blue was thrown forward, slamming into the ground with bone-jarring force. His HUD flickered again, resetting as his vision blurred.
"Oh, Baby Blue," Pink's voice was closer now, and he could hear the smirk in her words. "You're not even trying anymore. Are you giving up? Because when I catch you, I'm going to make sure you know just how much fun I'm having."
Her words slithered into his mind, making his skin crawl. He pushed himself to his feet, his legs shaking beneath him, his body screaming in protest. But he couldn't stop. Not yet.
"You're already mine, Blue," Yellow whispered, her voice wrapping around his mind like tendrils of smoke. "Just sink... let the current take you."
Another shot from Red now, controlled bursts aimed with deadly precision. One clipped his side, the force cracking the remaining integrity of his suit's armor. His HUD lit up in a blinding flash of red, alarms blaring as the damage mounted.
"Armor failing," Nova's voice was almost drowned out by the chaos. "We're not going to make it like this."
But Blue pushed forward, his body a mass of pain and fatigue, his mind slipping into darkness as Yellow's poison continued to drag him under. The jungle seemed to close in around him, the shadows stretching out like claws, and the voices of his enemies circled him like sharks.
"One click," Nova's voice cut through the haze. "One click left, Blue. You're almost there."