The alleyway felt like a distant memory now, swallowed by the dense silence of the abandoned district. K's breathing was shallow, the night air cool against his overheated skin. His heart was still racing, but it was slowing, just enough to keep him moving.
He looked over at James, who moved with a sense of purpose, every step measured, every glance deliberate. The weight of the gauntlet on K's arm seemed heavier now, as if it were tethered to him by an invisible string. He could feel its hum beneath his skin, the energy pulsing in sync with his heartbeat, but it was still foreign to him too unpredictable.
James glanced back at K. "We can't stay here for long," he said, his voice low. "We need to find a place to regroup, figure out our next steps before they catch up."
K nodded, though his mind was scattered. He was still processing everything that had happened the explosion, the fight, the gauntlet's strange power. "How long do we have?" he asked, trying to focus on something concrete.
"Maybe an hour. Not more," James replied, eyes scanning the shadows. "Daw, any updates?"
Daw's mechanical voice echoed softly. "Hostiles are regrouping. 712 is already tracking your last position. Immediate pursuit is probable."
K ran a hand through his hair, frustration and fear building inside him. "So, we run again?"
"No," James said, his voice steady, almost calm. "This time, we set the pace."
K looked at him, confused. "What does that mean?"
James met his gaze for a moment, his expression unreadable. "It means we don't just run. We stop running, K. And we fight. We make them play by our rules."
A Change of Pace
They moved deeper into the district, the streets narrowing as they ventured farther away from the city's edge. The buildings around them were abandoned, their facades crumbling, windows boarded up, but there was something about the quiet that made K uneasy.
"You're still processing everything, aren't you?" James asked, his voice cutting through the silence.
K blinked, surprised by the question. "Yeah… I mean, how could I not? That was what just happened? I don't even know what this is, or why I'm involved."
James didn't look back as he walked, his pace steady. "I know it's a lot to take in. But you're already in this, K. It's not something you can walk away from now. And believe me, you're not the only one who doesn't understand the full scope of it."
K frowned, looking down at the gauntlet, feeling its pulse against his skin. "Then why me? Why this thing? I can barely control it."
"Because it chose you," James said, his tone hardening, as if he was saying something that he didn't want to. "And that's something you're going to have to come to terms with, sooner or later."
A Moment of Quiet
They reached an old, crumbling building—its door hanging by a single hinge, the walls marked by years of neglect. James signaled for them to stop, and they ducked inside, the dim light from the streetlamps barely reaching through the gaps in the boards covering the windows.
James leaned against a wall, his arms crossed. "We don't have much time. They're coming, and we need a plan."
K nodded, feeling the pressure settling in his chest. "What's the plan, then? We can't keep running. I can't even keep up with these people. They're faster, stronger."
"We don't need to outrun them," James replied, eyes hard. "We need to outsmart them."
K glanced around the room, the air thick with tension. "How?"
James pulled out a small device from his jacket pocket. It was a sleek, almost clinical-looking piece of technology. He clicked a button, and it expanded into a thin, metallic baton, the edges crackling with energy.
"You're going to need to learn to use that gauntlet of yours," James said, his voice even but urgent. "We'll start with something simple. It's all about control. You have to learn how to focus it, how to direct it."
K stared at the baton, feeling a flicker of uncertainty in his chest. "How? How do I even start?"
James looked at him, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "First, you breathe. Then, you focus."
Training with the Gauntlet
They set up the training module in the center of the room, the hum of the device echoing through the space. K stood across from it, his hands trembling slightly as he faced the object. James stood nearby, watching, his arms folded.
"Start by feeling the gauntlet," James instructed, his voice calm but firm. "You've already used it, but now, you need to understand it. Focus on the sensation, on the energy that's flowing through you."
K closed his eyes, his hand flexing around the gauntlet. For a moment, all he could feel was the pounding of his heart, the weight of his breath in his chest. Then, slowly, there was a shift. The pulse of the gauntlet became more distinct, a steady thrum that seemed to sync with his own heartbeat.
"There," James said, nodding. "Now, channel it. Imagine it as a current, something you can control. Guide it from your chest, through your arm, to your hand. Focus."
K's brow furrowed, and he reached out with his mind, trying to direct the energy that he felt building in his arm. The gauntlet responded, a pulse of light flaring out from his hand. It was weak, but it was something.
"Good," James said. "You felt that, right? It's a start. Keep focusing, and try to increase the flow."
K inhaled deeply, pushing past the doubt that lingered in his mind. He tried again, and this time, the gauntlet surged with more power. A crackling wave of energy shot toward the training module, slamming into the wall behind it. K's eyes widened as he took a step back, staring at the impact site.
"Okay," K said, trying to catch his breath. "That was... a little more than I expected."
James gave a small, approving nod. "You're getting there. The key now is control. You can't just rely on raw power. You need to focus it. Channel it when you need it."
K stood there for a moment, letting the energy settle in his hands, feeling the connection between him and the gauntlet. For the first time since he had put it on, it didn't feel so alien. It felt... right.
Preparing for the Fight
James paced around the room, his eyes distant as he looked out through a crack in the wall. K stood still, the gauntlet still pulsing softly, his mind racing with thoughts of what was to come. They couldn't stay hidden forever. The fight was inevitable.
"We need to stay one step ahead," James said, his voice tight. "They'll be here soon. We have to be ready."
K nodded, more confident now, but a cold knot settled in his stomach. The gauntlet, the power... it wasn't just a tool. It was something that tied him to a much larger conflict—one he wasn't sure he was prepared for. But for the first time, he felt like he had a chance.
James turned to him. "You ready?"
K looked down at the gauntlet, feeling its pulse beneath his skin. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, took a steadying breath, and nodded.
"Let's do this."