07 The Nexus Awakens
Chapter Seven: The Nexus Awakens
The faint hum emanating from the device on Ethan's wrist grew louder, filling the room with a strange, pulsating energy. The dim light of the setting sun seemed to flicker as the glow from the device intensified, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Ethan's eyes snapped down to the wristwatch-like object. It was no longer the nondescript, battered piece of tech he had picked up. The metal surface now shimmered with intricate patterns, glowing faintly as though alive.
"What the hell…" Ethan muttered, his voice low and tense.
Kara, still sitting across from him, looked just as startled. Her earlier playfulness vanished as she stared at the glowing device. "Ethan, what's going on?"
"I don't know." His voice was cold, his gaze locked on the watch.
The device emitted a sharp pulse, and suddenly, Ethan felt a searing pain shoot through his arm. He clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out, but his body tensed as the energy coursed through him.
Kara moved closer, her worry evident despite her caution. "Ethan! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he hissed through gritted teeth, though the sweat on his brow betrayed the effort it took to endure the pain.
The glowing patterns on the device began to shift and morph, forming what looked like alien runes. Then, as abruptly as it started, the glow dimmed, leaving the room in silence.
Ethan flexed his hand, testing his arm. The pain was gone, but he felt… different. Stronger, somehow.
"What was that?" Kara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ethan shook his head. "No idea. But whatever it is, it's not normal."
---
The next morning, they both woke early, the events of the previous night still fresh in their minds. Ethan avoided talking about the device, brushing off Kara's questions with his usual cold indifference.
Instead, they focused on their routine. They scavenged for supplies, carefully avoiding areas that seemed too quiet or too dangerous. The wasteland had taught them both to trust their instincts.
As they moved through the ruins, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. His senses felt sharper, his reflexes faster. It was subtle, but undeniable.
---
That evening, back in their shelter, Kara finally broke the silence.
"So… you're just going to ignore what happened?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and frustration.
"There's nothing to say," Ethan replied, his gaze fixed on the blade he was sharpening.
"Really? Because glowing alien tech doesn't exactly scream 'nothing to say.'"
Ethan sighed, setting the knife down. "It activated. That's all I know. Until I figure out what it does, it's useless to speculate."
Kara crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "You're impossible, you know that?"
He didn't respond, his cold demeanor unyielding.
---
The next day, they ventured further from their shelter, testing the limits of their territory. They came across an abandoned grocery store, its shelves mostly stripped bare.
As they searched for anything useful, Ethan noticed a faint noise outside—a distant hum, too rhythmic to be natural. He signaled to Kara to stay quiet, and they both moved toward the broken window to get a better view.
Outside, a group of heavily armed scavengers was approaching, their voices carrying through the still air.
"Looks like someone's been here recently," one of them said, his tone casual but menacing.
Ethan and Kara exchanged a glance.
"We need to move," Ethan whispered.
They slipped out through the back, but it didn't take long for the scavengers to notice.
"There! Over there!"
Shots rang out, shattering the silence. Ethan and Kara sprinted through the alleyways, using the crumbling buildings as cover.
Ethan ducked behind a wall, pulling his handgun free. Kara crouched beside him, her machete ready.
"They're not going to let up," she said, her voice steady despite the tension.
"Then we'll make them." Ethan's tone was icy, his gaze sharp.
---
The fight was brutal. Ethan's enhanced reflexes allowed him to take down two of the scavengers quickly, but the rest were well-coordinated and heavily armed. Kara held her own, using her agility to outmaneuver their attackers, but the sheer number of enemies made it a losing battle.
A bullet grazed Ethan's side, and he stumbled, his breath hitching. Kara moved to cover him, slashing at an attacker who got too close.
"We can't keep this up!" she shouted.
Ethan nodded, his cold facade slipping just enough to show the strain. "We need to get out of here."
Using the last of their strength, they managed to break away, disappearing into the maze of ruins.
---
They found temporary refuge in an old subway tunnel, its entrance hidden beneath the rubble. Ethan collapsed against the wall, his breathing labored. Blood seeped from the wound in his side, staining his shirt.
Kara knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she tried to bandage the injury. "Stay with me, Ethan. You're not allowed to die, got it?"
His lips twitched in what might have been a faint smirk, but his eyes soon fluttered shut.
---
Ethan woke a day later, the dim light of the tunnel casting shadows on the ceiling. His body ached, but the pain was duller, a sign that his recovery had already begun.
Kara sat nearby, her own injuries bandaged. She looked up as he stirred, relief washing over her face.
"Welcome back," she said softly.
Ethan tried to sit up, but she stopped him. "Don't. You need to rest."
He didn't argue, his cold demeanor tempered by exhaustion. For now, survival was all that mattered.
---
To be continued…