Chapter 46 - Cain
Eden breathed below him like a slumbering god. Neon veins pulsed through the veins of the city—constant, synthetic, alive. Cain stood atop the skeletal framework of a half-collapsed spire, the wind tugging at the hem of his coat like a restless ghost. His synthetic eye adjusted to the gloom automatically, infrared overlays marking every point of movement within two kilometers.
He ignored most of it.
His attention was fixed on the southern block—Sector Thirteen. On the surface, just another crumbling zone of dead buildings and forgotten storefronts. Beneath it, he knew, was the Godhunter base.
He exhaled slowly. Measured. Like a machine cooling down.
The scent of rain mixed with copper filled the air, distant storm clouds rolling over the city's broken skyline. Cain's synthetic fingers curled slightly. He could still feel phantom pressure in the ruined flesh beneath the prosthetic—nerve endings that weren't supposed to exist. Ghost pain. A reminder.
Behind him, a soft footstep.
«You're early,» Abel said.
Cain didn't turn around. «So are you.»
Abel stepped beside him, arms crossed over his chest. His expression, as always, was unreadable—calm in a way that seemed practiced. Not like Cain, who wore calm like a mask and prayed no one noticed the cracks.
«They'll be on edge after the prison break,» Abel said. «Especially Talos. You know he doesn't take challenges lightly.»
Cain nodded once. "He already thinks I'm unstable."
"You are."
Cain's lips twitched. Almost a smile. "Then let him keep thinking that."
Silence stretched between them. Eden's winds howled through broken glass and twisted metal. Somewhere far below, a car alarm went off and died seconds later.
Abel didn't look at him, but his voice lowered. «Cira will be there.»
Cain didn't answer. Not right away.
He adjusted the scope on his visor, zooming in past collapsing rooftops, down to the alley behind a boarded warehouse. No movement. No sentries. But the air shimmered faintly in infrared—a cloaked energy field. Cain marked it.
He said, finally, «She activated the tracker.»
He said, finally, «She activated the tracker.»
«Maybe by accident.»
"She doesn't do accidents." His jaw clenched. «Liora made a choice.»
Abel's silence this time was heavier.
Cain turned, scanning the eastern approach routes. «The base is buried at least six levels down. They think it keeps them safe. But safety is always a delay. Never a guarantee.»
«She won't expect you to come yourself.»
Cain's synthetic fingers flexed.
«She will,» he said softly. «That's the point.»
He closed his left eye—just for a moment—and felt the world warp in his vision. The synthetic one kept going. A grid of data lit up over Eden, parsing elevation, movement, structural weaknesses.
«They'll bunker down when they realize Liora's gone,» Abel said. «Talos is paranoid.»
«And Cira's loyal,» Cain said. «She'll stay. Even when she knows it's a trap.»
«You're sure she knows?»
Cain looked down. His voice was cold now. Quiet. «Cira always knows. She just chooses to walk into fire anyway.»
Abel didn't respond. He knew better than to pry further.
Cain tilted his head. «How are the teams?»
«Four groups in place. Drones circling perimeter. We disable their exits, jam communications, cut the power. I'll lead Group One. You lead Two.»
«No.» Cain's tone brooked no argument. «You stay out. This isn't your fight.»
Abel hesitated. «You sure?"
Before Cain could answer, another voice joined them.
«He's sure.»
Valkyrie emerged from the stairwell access behind them, her boots silent on the metal framework. Sleek body armor hugged her form, matte black with iridescent lining that shimmered when she moved. Her eyes glowed faintly under her visor—a different kind of synthetic. Faster. Sharper.
Cain inclined his head. «Status?»
«Tunnels mapped. Entry points confirmed. Talos has three fallback bunkers. One leads to the rail tunnels beneath Eden. We'll collapse them if needed.»
«And the girl?»
Valkyrie didn't flinch. «She's in the command sector. Hasn't left it since last night.»
Cain nodded once. «She's yours.»
Valkyrie gave the barest smile. Not cruelty. Just promise.
Abel glanced between them. «You two are going in alone?»
Cain turned back to the edge, the lights of Eden shifting in his synthetic eye. «Not alone. Just first.»
He pulled a small device from his coat and tapped the interface. Across the city, power grids flickered. Drones whirred to life. Jammer nodes activated. On his HUD, the base below began to light up in red—a heartbeat about to flatline.
Cain adjusted his coat.
«Time to wake the dead.»