The transport rumbled forward, kicking up dust and debris as it tore across the wasteland. The burning wreckage of the Hellion facility shrank behind them, but Ryo knew better than to feel safe.
Because they were still being watched.
And now?
They weren't just escaping.
They were being hunted.
The Calm Before the Storm
Karin gripped the controls tightly, eyes flicking between the cracked windshield and the navigation display.
"Where the hell are we going?" she muttered.
Vos exhaled, reloading his shotgun. "We need a safehouse. Something off-grid."
Ryo sat in the back, hands still coated in blood—some his, some not.
His body was still changing.
Faster reflexes. Stronger bones. New instincts creeping into his mind.
> "Oh yeah, rookie. You're evolving real nice. But guess what?"
The system pinged.
> [WARNING: MULTIPLE DRONES TRACKING TARGET.]
[RECOMMENDED ACTION: EVASIVE MANEUVERS.]
Ryo's blood ran cold.
"We've got company."
The Chase Begins
Karin didn't hesitate. "How many?"
Ryo's eyes sharpened, scanning the horizon.
Three—no, five Hellion pursuit drones. Sleek, black machines, hovering effortlessly as they closed in.
> [DRONE CLASS: HUNTER-KILLER UNITS.]
[WEAPONS SYSTEMS ONLINE.]
Vos gritted his teeth. "They're locking on."
A sharp beep filled the cabin.
Then—
Missiles launched.
Evasive Action
Karin slammed the controls left. The transport lurched violently, barely dodging the first missile.
The second clipped the side, sending metal shrapnel flying.
"Shit! We won't outrun them!" Karin snapped.
Ryo's mind raced. He wasn't just thinking—he was calculating.
Every movement. Every possible trajectory.
> [TACTICAL ANALYSIS ONLINE.]
A plan formed instantly.
He grabbed Vos's shoulder. "Get to the turret."
Vos raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. He scrambled up the ladder, climbing to the mounted railgun on the roof.
Karin dodged another missile, barely missing a canyon wall.
Ryo moved to the side hatch, gripping the handle.
Karin glanced at him. "What the hell are you doing?"
He grinned. "Something reckless."
Then—he jumped.
Mid-Air Combat
Wind roared around him as he launched himself onto one of the drones.
His fingers dug into the cold metal, servos whining as it struggled against his weight.
The drone swerved wildly, trying to throw him off.
> [STABILITY OVERRIDE ENGAGED.]
Ryo's mind linked to the machine.
For one brief second—
He was inside its systems.
He saw what it saw.
And that was enough.
He tore open a panel, grabbed a bundle of wires—
And ripped them out.
The drone sputtered, spiraling out of control.
Then it exploded.
Back to the Fight
Ryo flipped mid-air, crashing onto the transport roof.
Vos gawked. "The fuck was that?!"
Ryo grinned. "Improvisation."
> "Damn, rookie. That was sexy. Now do it four more times."
The remaining drones adjusted, switching to rapid-fire mode.
Karin cursed. "They're adapting!"
Vos didn't wait—he unloaded the railgun, the thunderous blasts ripping through another drone.
Three left.
Ryo had no more time to think.
So he acted.
Finishing the Fight
One drone swooped in low.
Ryo caught it by the wing, twisted—
And slammed it into another.
Both machines exploded in a fiery mess.
The final drone hovered, analyzing.
Then—it turned around.
Vos narrowed his eyes. "It's retreating."
Ryo's fists clenched.
They hadn't just sent these things to kill them.
They were tracking him.
Marking his location.
Hellion wasn't done yet.
> [WARNING: HELLION STRIKE TEAM EN ROUTE.]
The system pinged.
> "Time's up, rookie. You're officially the most wanted man on the planet."
Ryo exhaled.
"Let them come."
Because now?
He wasn't running anymore.
He was going to hunt them back.