"So, Peter, your grand plan is for us to take the public light rail to Heywood?"
Jack's voice was tinged with disbelief as he looked at Peter.
To be honest, Jack had expected some grandiose plan to sneak through Santo Domingo—a scheme filled with twists, turns, and maybe a shootout or two. But Peter's suggestion? Take the light rail.
Peter rolled his eyes at Jack. "What did you expect? A blockbuster action scene? Taking the light rail is the most practical and inconspicuous option. Unless you want to call a Delamain taxi to take us to Heywood. You know, the expensive but safer route."
Jack scratched his head, looking sheepish. "Yeah, uh… I didn't think about that."
V smirked. "Jack, you should take some pointers from Peter. Using your brain every now and then wouldn't hurt. Otherwise, you're just going to slow us down when we're out on jobs."
Jack grinned, unapologetic. "That's why I picked you two as my partners. I don't have to think too much."
The trio continued their banter, paying little attention to the rest of the passengers in the light rail car. What they didn't notice was the man standing quietly in the corner, muttering to himself with his back to the rest of the group.
"Destroy… kill… destroy… kill…"
Peter's sharp eyes scanned the carriage. His attention was momentarily drawn to the muttering figure, but before he could focus on him, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye.
There she was. Short white hair, a sleek, form-fitting outfit, and an air of confidence that made her stand out.
"Lu… Lucy?" Peter muttered, his eyes widening in shock.
It couldn't be. Lucy—the legendary netrunner who had retired from the game long ago—was here, right in front of him. And not just here. She was discreetly stealing a corporate chip from some suit's pocket.
While Peter's mind raced to make sense of the situation, the muttering man in the corner suddenly erupted into a yell.
"Kill!!!"
The entire carriage froze as the man's arm transformed into a deadly weapon. A machine gun barrel unfolded from his prosthetic limb, and he began firing indiscriminately.
"Danger!" Peter shouted, instinctively grabbing Jack and V as they dove for cover. Bullets sprayed through the air, shattering windows and ripping through passengers.
Lucy, still mid-theft, froze in shock as the muzzle turned toward her.
Peter didn't hesitate. Moving at a speed invisible to the naked eye, he lunged toward Lucy, tackling her to the ground just as bullets tore through the space where she had stood.
Lucy barely registered what had happened. One moment, she was bracing herself for death. The next, she was on the floor, staring up at the man who had just saved her life.
"Kill! Kill!"
The cybermaniac wasn't satisfied. He turned his weapon on a terrified passenger nearby, firing without remorse. Blood sprayed across the carriage as the victim crumpled to the floor.
"F***ing cyberpsycho!" Jack growled, tightening his grip on the package they were carrying. "Peter, this is your fault! You had to jinx it by choosing the light rail. We should've just hijacked a car!"
"Stop whining, Jack," V snapped, her face grim. "We've got bigger problems right now."
Jack followed her gaze, his eyes landing on Peter and Lucy sprawled on the floor. He let out a sharp laugh despite the chaos. "Of course, Peter's busy picking up girls in the middle of a firefight."
Peter ignored them, his focus on Lucy. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Lucy nodded shakily. "Yeah… Thanks to you. If you hadn't…"
"Save the thanks," Peter interrupted. "We're not out of this yet."
The cybermaniac's rampage continued, leaving a trail of blood and carnage. Peter clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing. He couldn't let this go on.
"Hey, psycho!" he shouted, zipping across the carriage in a blur of motion.
The cybermaniac froze, his head snapping toward Peter. The speedster's taunt had worked, drawing the man's attention away from the remaining passengers.
"Kill!" the cybermaniac roared. Ten long needles shot out from his arm, glinting menacingly in the light. Peter's sharp eyes caught the faint sheen of liquid dripping from the tips—poison.
"Peter!" V's voice rang out, filled with panic.
"Be careful!" Lucy added, her voice trembling.
Peter smirked. "Don't worry about me."
The cybermaniac lunged, his needles aimed straight for Peter's chest. But Peter was faster. Sidestepping the attack with ease, he delivered a swift punch to the man's side, sending him staggering.
"Is that all you've got?" Peter taunted, keeping the man's attention focused on him.
The cybermaniac roared in frustration, firing another volley of bullets. Peter dodged effortlessly, moving so fast that he seemed to blur out of existence.
Meanwhile, Jack and V worked to evacuate the remaining passengers. "Go! Get out of here!" Jack barked, waving people toward the nearest exit.
Lucy watched Peter with a mix of awe and disbelief. She had heard of people with enhancements, but this? This was something else entirely.
Peter darted behind the cybermaniac, grabbing a fire extinguisher from the wall. With a sharp swing, he smashed it against the man's head. The cybermaniac stumbled but didn't go down.
"Persistent bastard," Peter muttered.
The fight dragged on, with Peter using his speed and agility to stay one step ahead. Finally, with one last burst of energy, he delivered a devastating blow to the cybermaniac's neck, severing the connection between his prosthetics and his brain.
The man collapsed, his body twitching as the lights in his eyes dimmed.
Peter exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Well, that was fun."
Jack and V approached, their faces a mix of relief and exasperation.
"You're insane," V said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, but it worked," Peter replied with a grin.
Lucy stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "You… You saved my life."
Peter shrugged. "I couldn't just let you die."
Lucy's lips curved into a small smile. "Well, I owe you one."
Jack groaned. "Great. Another stray for Peter to pick up."
Peter laughed, but his mind was already racing. Lucy's sudden appearance on the light rail wasn't a coincidence. Something bigger was at play, and he was determined to find out what.
For now, though, they had to get to Heywood—and hope their luck held out.
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