The simulated jungle stretched endlessly, the air humid and oppressive. Somewhere in the distance, a river's steady current mocked the silence we'd earned after taking down Karen and Jax.
My HUD flickered with data from my drones, scanning for heat signatures, tracking movements, mapping every nook and cranny. It was supposed to feel victorious—three fights down, a hundred tags to go.
But the way the system subtly shifted the environment told me one thing: the real challenge was just warming up.
Atlas adjusted his rifle, his expression locked in that perpetual scowl of focus. "What's the drone feed showing?"
"Clear for now," I replied, frowning at a suspicious lack of movement on the radar. "Too clear. Either they're hiding, or GEA's about to spring something nasty on us."
We advanced cautiously, my drones spreading out ahead like mechanical scouts. The path led us toward a shimmering river cutting through the jungle, its water unnaturally pristine. I hated it already. No terrain in these simulations ever existed for decoration. If it looked harmless, it was probably deadly.
Atlas tapped my shoulder. "You hear that?"
I froze, straining to catch the sound. It was faint but distinct—rustling leaves, the crunch of movement too controlled to be wildlife.
System Notification: Two hostiles detected. Hostiles incoming...
"Ambush," I muttered.
No sooner had the word left my mouth than chaos erupted. A blur of motion shot out from the shadows, and before I could react, my pack was lighter. A quick glance confirmed my suspicion—our hard-earned tags were gone.
System Notification: 3 tags stolen. 0 tags in possession.
"Too slow, rookies," a smug voice teased from somewhere to our left.
I turned, catching a glimpse of Maureen, her sleek form darting between the trees like a phantom. She was fast—inhumanly fast. The kind of speed that made you question whether the simulation was tweaking the laws of physics.
"Maureen," Atlas growled, raising his rifle. "Stay on her!"
"Yeah, sure," I muttered, deploying a drone to give chase. Easier said than done. Tracking her was like trying to pin down a beam of light in a hall of mirrors. Every time I thought I had her cornered, she'd vanish, reappearing in another spot just as quickly.
Before I could strategize, a roar of flames erupted behind us. The heat was immediate, searing through the air like an open furnace. I spun around to see Toren standing on the other side of the river, flames dancing in his palms, his grin almost as bright as the fire he controlled.
"Focus on the flames," Atlas barked. "I'll handle her."
"Easy for you to say," I shot back, dodging as a fireball scorched the ground where I'd been standing. My drones zipped into defensive positions, circling me like a metallic shield.
Toren didn't let up, his barrage relentless. Every tree, every rock, every bit of cover in his line of sight was either engulfed or turned to ash. The river offered no escape; crossing it would leave us exposed. He was herding us, cutting off our options. I hated being predictable.
"Maureen!" Toren called, his voice carrying over the crackle of flames. "Hurry up, or I'll roast them before you can show off!"
"Relax," she replied, appearing briefly in the corner of my vision. "They're too slow to make this fun."
Atlas fired a shot in her direction, but she dodged effortlessly, vanishing again. "Stay still!" he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
I toggled my wrist device, my drones humming with power. "Forget her. We deal with him first."
Atlas nodded, shifting his aim to Toren. But the guy was smart. He raised a wall of flame between us, blocking any clean shot.
"Fine," I muttered. "Let's play dirty."
I activated an Electrostatic Pulse. The drones buzzed angrily before releasing a surge of electricity that crackled through the air, hitting Toren's flames head-on. The fire flickered, sputtered, then died, leaving him momentarily exposed.
"Now!" I yelled.
Atlas didn't hesitate. His rifle barked, a glowing projectile streaking toward Toren. The impact knocked him off his feet, sending him skidding across the ground. His flames didn't vanish completely, but they dimmed significantly.
"Nice shot," I said, already turning my attention back to Maureen.
"She's mine," Atlas replied, his tone cold and determined.
Maureen made her move, darting in to retrieve Toren. But Atlas anticipated her path, his rifle already aimed at the spot where she'd reappear. Sure enough, she materialized, reaching out for her fallen partner.
Atlas fired—not to hit her, but to block her escape route. The shot struck the ground at her feet, forcing her to stop mid-motion. It was all the opening I needed.
I deployed my drones in a net formation, cutting off every possible direction she could flee. Maureen froze, her eyes darting between the mechanical swarm and Atlas's rifle.
"Looks like we're not as slow as you thought," I said, stepping forward.
She smirked, but there was a flicker of annoyance in her expression. "Lucky shot."
"Sure," Atlas replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
I reclaimed the tags Maureen had stolen, along with a few extras from her pack. Toren groaned from the ground, his flames completely extinguished now.
"We'll take these," I said, securing the tags to my belt. "Better luck next time."
System Notification: Tags retrieved. 5 tags in possession.
Atlas kept his rifle trained on them until we were a safe distance away. The jungle was quiet again, but I knew it wouldn't last.
"Think they'll come back for round two?" Atlas asked.
"Probably," I replied. "But they'll be smarter about it next time."
"Good. I like a challenge."
I glanced at my wristband, noting the timer ticking down. We were making progress, but the toughest fights were still ahead.
"Come on," I said, signaling for my drones to scout ahead. "Let's see what other surprises the seniors have in store for us."
As we moved deeper into the jungle, the air seemed to grow heavier, the trees denser. Somewhere ahead, the faint sound of mechanical whirring reached my ears—a new challenge, and something told me it wasn't going to be as simple as outsmarting a couple of rookies.