Ares and Jones burst out of the room, their feet pounding against the sterile white floor as chaos unfolded around them.
People were running, their faces twisted in panic.
People were screaming, their voices raw with terror.
And worst of all, people were dying.
Gunshots rang out in the distance, sharp and merciless, like a death toll counting down. Ares' breath hitched as his eyes darted across the corridor, his instincts screaming at him.
Something was coming.
He wasn't sure what, but the way everyone fled in the same direction right without hesitation told him all he needed to know. They were running from something they couldn't fight.
Ares felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He too was afraid no, terrified. But before he could take off with the others, a deep, mechanical whirring sound filled the air.
It wasn't gunfire.
It was something else.
Something... inhuman.
His entire body tensed as he instinctively turned his head, following the sound—
And froze.
Jonathan, who had also turned, let out a strangled gasp. "Oh, my god..."
A few feet ahead of them, the corridor was painted in red.
Bodies lay sprawled across the once-pristine white floor, lifeless, blood pooling around them in sickening puddles.
Some were missing limbs.
Some had gaping holes where their chests should've been.
And some, some still had their eyes wide open, forever frozen in sheer terror.
Ares felt the bile rise in his throat. His knees nearly buckled.
Then, a shadow loomed over the corpses.
Heavy. Unyielding. Unstoppable.
It stepped forward, slowly but purposefully, revealing itself in full.
A massive humanoid machine.
Its body was pure white, blending almost too well with the sterile walls, making it look as if it belonged here—like it was part of the facility itself.
Four glowing red eyes flickered to life on its smooth, featureless face, scanning the area with an eerie sense of awareness.
And then the arms shifted.
Ares' breath caught in his throat.
Those weren't arms.
They were guns.
Before he could react, a sharp voice cut through the thick air.
"What's happening out there?"
Sylvia's angry shout echoed behind them as she stomped forward, scowling. "What the hell are you two standing around for—"
Her words died the moment her eyes landed on the scene before her.
For a single moment, silence.
Then, she screamed.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!"
The rest of the group—Nia, Jones, and even Emily—had already stepped outside by now.
And the moment their eyes fell on the mechanical monstrosity, fear gripped them all.
Emily, who had barely reacted to anything before—visibly trembled, her normally blank expression cracking as she spun on her heel and bolted.
The others followed.
The air filled with frantic footsteps, heavy breathing, and raw desperation.
Ares ran, pushing his body to its absolute limit, knowing that slowing down even for a second would mean death.
He wasn't the only one who knew it.
Everyone ran like their lives depended on it. Because they did.
Two minutes passed. It felt like hours.
Sweat dripped down Ares' face as his legs burned, his lungs screamed for air, but he refused to stop. He risked a glance over his shoulder.
The machine was still following them. Slow. Methodical. Relentless.
It wasn't shooting.
Yet.
Ares had no idea why, but he wasn't about to question it.
Then he saw it.
A massive metal door.
And it was closing.
His heart leaped into his throat. "The door's closing! Run faster!"
His voice was raw, desperate.
Jones was the first to react, immediately picking up his pace.
Sylvia and a smiling Nia followed, pushing their exhausted bodies to their limits.
Ares makes it rolling across the cold ground. Jones was right behind him, then Sylvia, then Nia.
Ares turned, panting heavily. His gaze landed on Jonathan.
Jonathan who was carrying Emily on his back.
Ares' eyes widened. "Jonathan! Hurry!"
Jones stepped forward. "Come on, kid! You're almost there!"
Jonathan was running on pure adrenaline, his breaths ragged, his body barely holding on. But he was close so damn close.
He was going to make it.
And then
Jonathan tripped.
Ares' shivered.
Jonathan hit the ground hard, Emily tumbling off his back.
Ares surged forward instinctively—only for Jones to yank him back.
"Wait!" Jones hissed. "Look!"
Ares' head snapped toward Jonathan—
And his stomach dropped.
Emily who had landed beside him stood up first.
Jonathan groaned, trying to push himself up. "I-I'm okay, just give me a sec—"
Emily looked down at him.
Then, she stomped on his chest.
Hard.
Jonathan gasped, his back slamming against the floor again, his breath knocked out of him.
Ares froze in shock.
Jones' expression twisted.
Even Sylvia who had shown nothing but anger so far looked shaken. Nia simply gave a cold stare at the scene not feeling any pity or shock at the scene.
Emily?
She simply stepped over him.
And ran.
By the time Jonathan finally managed to push himself up, it was too late.
The massive metal door slammed shut.
Jonathan was still outside.
Alone.
Ares slammed his fist against the door. "JONATHAN!"
Jonathan turned, his face pale, his body trembling uncontrollably.
The machine stood over him.
Its red eyes glowed brighter.
Jonathan's lips quivered. His eyes filled with tears.
He sobbed.
"D-Dad… M-Mom… please… save me…"
A loud click echoed through the empty hallway.
The gun fired.
BANG.
Ares' breath caught in his throat as he heard the gunshot.
Silence loomed over the room, Ares didn't know what to say, Jones in the same position as him and Sylvia trying to catch her breath.
Cold. Suffocating. Absolute.
Ares stood there, unable to move.
His fingers curled into tight fists, shaking with rage.
He turned slowly.
His gaze locked onto Emily.
She was sitting on the floor.
Smirking.
Ares' blood boiled. His veins bulged. His entire body shook with uncontainable fury.
Through clenched teeth, he roared, his voice filled with nothing but rage—
"EEEEEMMMIIIILLLLYYY!"