The faint hum of the monitors was Zane's only comfort as he sat on the edge of the cot, still recovering from the brutal energy test. Rhea had returned to her terminal, typing furiously, while Kade was cleaning his rifle, occasionally shooting Zane a glance that said, You survived. That's what matters.
"Next session starts in an hour," Rhea said, her tone as casual as if she were scheduling a dentist appointment. "Get used to the burn."
"An hour?" Zane groaned, rubbing his sore arms. "I'm not even sure I can stand up in an hour."
"You don't have to stand to learn," Rhea replied without looking at him. "You just have to survive."
Kade grinned. "She really knows how to motivate people, huh?"
Before Zane could fire back, the lights in the train car flickered. The hum of the generator cut out, plunging the space into an eerie silence. Rhea froze, her hands hovering over the keyboard.
"Rhea?" Kade said, his tone immediately shifting to one of alertness. "What's happening?"
Rhea didn't respond. Instead, she pressed a button on the console, and a small screen lit up, showing a grainy feed from an exterior camera. Zane leaned forward, his heart sinking as the image came into focus.
A Sentinel.
It stood just outside the rail yard, its sleek black frame illuminated by faint pulses of red light. Its glowing visor scanned the area, and even through the grainy footage, Zane could feel the malice in its mechanical gaze.
"Eidolon's found us," Rhea said, her voice calm but cold. "That's a scout. The main force won't be far behind."
Zane's stomach churned. "What do we do?"
Rhea turned, her eyes sharp. "We move."
The train car erupted into motion. Rhea pulled a satchel from under her desk, tossing a bundle of gear to Kade. "Grab what you can carry. Leave the rest."
Kade caught the bundle, slinging it over his shoulder. "You got an exit plan?"
"Of course I do," Rhea said, strapping a pistol to her thigh. "But it's not going to be pleasant."
Zane stumbled to his feet, clutching the Cipher Core. "Where are we going?"
"Out," Rhea said curtly, already moving toward the door. "And if you want to live, you'll keep up."
The rail yard was a maze of rusted train cars and crumbling infrastructure, the perfect place to get lost. Rhea led the way, her movements swift and precise as if she'd memorized every twist and turn. Kade followed close behind, his rifle at the ready, while Zane struggled to keep pace, his legs still weak from the test.
The Sentinel's footsteps echoed faintly in the distance, a slow, deliberate rhythm that sent shivers down Zane's spine. The thing wasn't in a hurry. It didn't need to be. It was hunting them, and it knew the prey had nowhere to hide.
"How many of these things are we talking about?" Zane whispered, his voice shaky.
"One for now," Rhea replied without turning around. "But when it sends a signal, the rest will come. That's why we need to move fast."
"And if it catches up?" Kade asked, his tone almost playful.
"Then I deal with it," Rhea said flatly.
Zane didn't doubt her. There was a calm confidence in her voice that suggested she'd faced worse than a single Sentinel. But that didn't make him feel any better.
They reached the edge of the rail yard, where the tracks disappeared into a crumbling tunnel. Rhea stopped, her hand raised in a silent signal. Zane and Kade froze behind her, their breathing heavy.
"It's close," she murmured, her eyes scanning the shadows. "Kade, cover the rear. Zane, stay with me."
"What about—" Zane started, but his words were cut off by a deafening metallic screech.
The Sentinel emerged from the shadows, its glowing visor locked onto them. It moved with terrifying speed, its sleek limbs cutting through the air as it closed the distance.
Rhea didn't hesitate. She drew a small device from her belt—a palm-sized disc that hummed with energy—and hurled it at the ground. The disc emitted a blinding flash, followed by a burst of electromagnetic interference that sent the Sentinel staggering.
"Go!" Rhea shouted, shoving Zane toward the tunnel. "Now!"
They ran.
The tunnel was dark and claustrophobic. Zane's legs screamed in protest, but the sound of the Sentinel's footsteps spurred him forward. Rhea was just ahead, moving with an ease that made Zane's stumbling look pathetic.
Behind them, the Sentinel recovered, its visor glowing brighter as it resumed its pursuit. Kade turned, firing a burst of plasma that struck the machine's chest. The shots slowed it down, but only for a moment.
"This thing's persistent," Kade muttered, reloading as he ran.
"They're designed to be," Rhea said. "But persistence doesn't mean invincible."
She stopped abruptly, spinning on her heel to face the Sentinel. With a fluid motion, she pulled two small, cylindrical devices from her belt, activating them with a flick of her wrists. The cylinders extended into twin batons, their edges crackling with energy.
"You've got to be kidding me," Zane muttered, skidding to a halt.
"Keep moving," Rhea barked, her eyes never leaving the Sentinel. "I'll catch up."
Kade grabbed Zane's arm, dragging him deeper into the tunnel. "Don't argue with her, kid. You won't win."
The fight was brutal and fast.
Rhea was a blur of motion, her batons striking the Sentinel with precision and force. Sparks flew with every impact, the crackling energy of her weapons countering the machine's strength. The Sentinel fought back, its limbs swinging with deadly precision, but Rhea anticipated every move, weaving around its attacks like water flowing through cracks.
"Come on," Kade muttered, watching from a distance. "Don't let it get the upper hand."
Zane wanted to believe she had it under control, but the Sentinel wasn't slowing down. Its visor glowed brighter, and its movements became faster, more erratic. It was learning.
Rhea seemed to notice. With a sharp motion, she struck the Sentinel's knee joint, sending it crashing to the ground. She didn't waste time celebrating. Instead, she grabbed another disc from her belt and slammed it onto the Sentinel's chest. The device emitted a high-pitched whine, followed by a pulse of energy that left the machine convulsing.
"Let's move!" Rhea shouted, running past the disabled Sentinel. "It won't stay down for long."
They emerged from the tunnel into a sprawling junkyard. Rhea led them to a battered vehicle hidden beneath a tarp—a small hovercraft that looked like it hadn't run in years.
"Is this thing even going to start?" Zane asked, eyeing the craft skeptically.
"It'll start," Rhea said, yanking the tarp off and climbing into the pilot's seat. "The question is whether it'll keep running."
Kade jumped into the back, pulling Zane in after him. "Buckle up, kid. This is going to be bumpy."
The hovercraft sputtered to life, its engines groaning in protest. Rhea's hands flew over the controls, and the vehicle lurched forward, hovering a few feet above the ground. Behind them, the Sentinel emerged from the tunnel, its visor blazing like a beacon.
"Hold on!" Rhea shouted, slamming the throttle forward.
The hovercraft shot into the night, leaving the Sentinel behind—for now. Zane clutched the Cipher Core tightly, his heart pounding as the junkyard blurred around them.
"That was insane," he muttered, glancing at Rhea.
She didn't look back, her focus on the path ahead. "Get used to it, scavenger. This is just the beginning."
And as the hovercraft sped into the darkness, Zane couldn't shake the feeling that she was right.