The remnants of their temporary hideout were still smoldering when Ethan and Mariam finally emerged from the hidden passage beneath the bunker. The scent of scorched metal and burned wiring lingered in the air, mixing with the acrid stench of explosives. Ethan's jaw clenched as he surveyed the wreckage. Whoever was hunting him had sent a clear message—they knew exactly where he was, and they were willing to destroy everything to get to him.
But what infuriated him most wasn't the damage to his equipment or the danger to himself. It was that Mariam had almost been caught in the crossfire. He had brought her into his world, thinking he could protect her, yet she had nearly paid the price for his enemies' ruthlessness.
"Ethan," Mariam said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She placed a hand on his arm, grounding him amidst the storm of rage swirling in his mind. "We have to keep moving. They'll be back."
He turned to her, his eyes—still human, despite the modifications beneath—softening for a moment. For years, Ethan had sacrificed parts of himself to become the weapon he was today. Beneath his flesh were layers of reinforced bone, enhanced neural networks, and cybernetic implants that amplified his reflexes to superhuman levels. But outside, he was still just a man. And Mariam reminded him of what little humanity he had left.
"Stay close to me," he said, his voice harsh but laced with concern. "I don't care how capable you are, Mariam. They nearly got you, and I'm not letting that happen again."
Mariam nodded, but the defiance in her eyes was still there. She knew Ethan was trying to protect her, but she wasn't about to let him fight this battle alone. Not anymore.
With a flick of his wrist, he activated his Holoshield projection, a semi-transparent force field that surrounded them. It flickered to life, casting an ethereal blue glow around them, providing temporary protection from any more sudden attacks. The shield wasn't perfect—it was still a prototype Ethan had developed, using stolen military tech he had upgraded with his own modifications. But right now, it was their best shot at getting through the city undetected.
"Stay behind me," he instructed, adjusting the settings on his wristband that controlled the Holoshield. Mariam nodded, and they set off through the shadows, moving quickly but cautiously.
Flashback to Ethan's Cybernetic Upgrades
Years ago, when he was still just a legend on the darknet, Ethan had stumbled upon a black-ops facility conducting experiments on human augmentation. Breaking into their systems had been the easy part; the hard part had been deciding to use the tech on himself. Ethan hadn't turned himself into a machine; instead, he selectively enhanced what was already there. Reinforced muscles, cybernetic reflexes, and a neural interface that allowed him to process data faster than any supercomputer.
But as he glanced at Mariam beside him, keeping pace, he knew why he had chosen to remain human on the outside. He still needed to feel, to connect, to protect what he cared about. And Mariam was at the center of that.
The Safehouse
They reached one of Ethan's hidden safehouses—a dilapidated building that appeared abandoned from the outside but was fortified with layers of security within. As soon as they stepped inside, Ethan deactivated the Holoshield and scanned the area with his enhanced vision. It detected no signs of life. They were safe for now.
Mariam collapsed onto the nearest chair, her face flushed with exhaustion. "Ethan... you need to let me help," she said between breaths. "You can't keep protecting me like this."
Ethan was already at his workstation, fingers flying over the keyboard as he ran diagnostics on the security systems. "You don't understand," he growled, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Whoever this enemy is, they're coming for me—and they don't care who they have to go through to get to me. I can't lose you, Mariam."
She stood up, crossing the room to stand beside him. "I know you're scared, but I'm not as fragile as you think," she said, her voice steady. "I can handle myself."
Ethan paused, staring at her. He knew she was capable, that she had a fire in her that couldn't be extinguished. But he also knew she wasn't enhanced like he was. She didn't have cybernetic reflexes or a Holoshield to protect her. If they got to her, she wouldn't stand a chance.
That's when the thought hit him. Not augmentation. He couldn't—wouldn't—turn her into what he had become. But he could protect her another way.
"I've been working on something," he said slowly, opening a small compartment under his workstation. He pulled out a vial filled with tiny, silver-like particles—self-healing nanobots.
"What is that?" Mariam asked, her eyes widening.
"These are self-healing nanobots," Ethan explained. "They're designed to protect the human body from damage. I developed them using tech I... acquired. If you get injured, they'll heal you almost instantly. No permanent changes to your body, no cybernetic enhancements. Just... protection."
Mariam looked at the vial, then back at Ethan. "You want to inject me with those?"
He nodded. "You won't lose who you are. It's not like what I did to myself. But it will give you a fighting chance."
After a moment of hesitation, she took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. If it means keeping both of us alive, then I trust you."
The Attack
Before Ethan could administer the injection, alarms blared throughout the safehouse. Ethan's eyes darted to the monitors—movement detected on the perimeter. A team of armed mercenaries, cloaked in the latest stealth tech, was converging on their location.
"Damn it," Ethan muttered, grabbing Mariam's hand. "We need to move, now!"
Without a second thought, he activated his Holoshield, expanding it to cover both of them. The mercenaries burst through the door just as they slipped through a hidden exit at the back of the safehouse.
As they raced through the darkened alleyways, Mariam's heart pounded in her chest. She could feel the vibrations of the pursuing footsteps behind them. Ethan's grip on her hand was tight, almost painfully so, as he pulled her along.
Suddenly, Ethan skidded to a halt, turning to face their pursuers. "Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice a low growl.
Mariam watched in awe as Ethan's cybernetic reflexes kicked in. He moved faster than her eyes could track, a blur of fists, feet, and kinetic force. The mercenaries barely had time to react before he was upon them. In seconds, it was over. Ethan stood amidst the fallen bodies, his breath coming in harsh gasps, the rage still burning in his eyes.
Turning back to Mariam, he quickly injected the nanobots into her arm. "This is just the beginning," he said grimly. "But next time, you'll be ready."
Mariam looked down at the small puncture wound, already healed. She met Ethan's gaze, understanding the unspoken promise between them. Whatever came next, they would face it together.
But now, there was no turning back.