The cloaked figure stepped fully into the flickering neon light — the face unmistakable, twisted with cold triumph.
"It's been a long time, Aeris," the voice said, smooth but venomous. "Did you really think you could outrun your past?"
Aeris's breath caught. It was Dax—her former partner, once trusted, now the syndicate's ruthless enforcer.
Kael's eyes narrowed, fists clenched. "You're dead if you think we'll let you stop us."
Dax smirked, fingers twitching toward a concealed weapon.
Suddenly, the room exploded into motion — alarms blaring, lights strobing wildly. Security bots surged forward, metal limbs whirring with deadly precision.
Kael dove, taking down the nearest bot with a brutal strike, while Aeris scrambled to finish the decryption.
"Almost there!" she shouted, sweat mingling with rain dripping from her soaked hair.
Lira fired at advancing guards, her movements a blur of lethal grace.
Dax circled them, relentless, his betrayal cutting deeper than any blade.
The fight was fierce — sparks flying, fists colliding, hearts pounding.
But with every second, the NeuroNet core edged closer to being theirs — or lost forever