The Predator awaits

The city roared.

Not with noise, but with presence—an oppressive weight pressing down on Ethan and Noah as they sprinted through the twisting alleys. The streets stretched and contracted like breathing lungs, the walls narrowing to funnel them deeper into its labyrinth.

Ethan's heart pounded—not just from exertion, but from recognition.

He had felt this before.

But this time, it was different.

The city wasn't just reacting.

It was hunting.

Anna and Victoria—Unlikely Allies

Anna's car skidded to a halt at the coordinates Victoria had sent. The abandoned airstrip stretched out before her, bathed in the cold, sterile glow of portable floodlights.

Victoria was already there, her tailored suit pristine, as if she wasn't standing in the middle of nowhere about to confront the impossible.

Anna slammed the car door shut and stalked toward her. "Cut the theatrics. Where is he?"

Victoria raised an eyebrow, her expression infuriatingly calm. "Nice to see you too, Vasquez."

Anna's jaw clenched. "Don't test me."

Victoria's smile didn't waver. "Relax. He's in the city."

Anna's fists curled. "What city? St. Augustine is gone."

Victoria's gaze darkened slightly. "Gone? No. Shifted."

She tapped a tablet, bringing up a map that shouldn't have existed. Streets and buildings flickered on the screen, warping and shifting in real time.

Anna stared, her stomach twisting. "That's not possible."

Victoria's eyes gleamed. "And yet, here we are."

Anna tore her gaze from the screen. "So what's the plan? We walk in and hope it lets us out?"

Victoria's smile faded. "There is no plan. There's only the game."

Anna exhaled sharply, stepping back. "You're insane."

Victoria's gaze hardened. "No. I'm prepared."

She tossed Anna a small device, its surface humming faintly.

Anna caught it, frowning. "What's this?"

Victoria turned, heading toward a black, unmarked vehicle parked nearby.

"A key," she called over her shoulder. "But whether it opens a door or locks you inside? That's up to you."

The City Tightens Its Grip

Ethan and Noah rounded another corner, their footsteps echoing in the too-quiet streets.

Noah gasped for breath, his voice ragged. "What the hell is following us?"

Ethan didn't answer immediately.

Because he knew.

It wasn't just the city.

It was something within it.

A presence he had felt before, but now it was stronger, more focused.

Not just a predator.

A hunter that knew exactly who it was chasing.

The shadows above them shifted, and Noah's eyes darted upward.

"Shit," he whispered.

A shape moved across the rooftops, its form fluid, inhuman, yet unmistakably intelligent.

Ethan grabbed Noah's arm, pulling him into a nearby doorway.

"Don't look at it," he hissed. "If you acknowledge it, it gets stronger."

Noah's eyes were wide, his breath coming in sharp gasps. "That's not how things are supposed to work!"

Ethan's expression darkened. "Nothing here works the way it's supposed to."

They pressed themselves against the cold metal of the door, listening as the thing moved past, its footsteps silent but its presence deafening.

Noah swallowed hard. "What happens if it finds us?"

Ethan's jaw tightened. "It's not about finding us."

Noah frowned. "Then what?"

Ethan closed his eyes.

"It's about whether we let it in."

The Doorway Between Worlds

Anna followed Victoria into the vehicle, the tension between them thick enough to choke on.

Victoria handed her a headset, her expression serious for the first time since they'd met.

"We're going in blind," she said quietly. "But that's the only way this works."

Anna slid the headset on, adjusting the strap. "And you're sure this is going to get us to him?"

Victoria's eyes flicked to the horizon, where the faint outline of the city shimmered like a mirage.

"No," she admitted. "But it's going to get us somewhere."

The vehicle lurched forward, and the world around them shifted.

The air grew heavy, the colors outside the windows bleeding into each other like wet paint.

And then—

They were there.

The city rose before them, silent and waiting.

Anna's breath caught in her throat.

It was alive.

Victoria's voice was a whisper in the quiet.

"Welcome to the game."

The Hunter Reveals Itself

Ethan and Noah moved through the twisting alleys, the city's grip tightening around them.

Then—they hit a dead end.

The wall in front of them wasn't just a barrier—it was pulsing, alive with the same energy that thrummed beneath the streets.

Noah cursed under his breath. "Now what?"

Ethan didn't answer.

Because the shadows behind them had stopped moving.

The city had gone silent.

And then—the hunter spoke.

A voice, low and familiar, echoed through the narrow space.

"You can't run from yourself, Ethan."

Noah froze, his eyes darting to Ethan. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

But Ethan wasn't listening.

Because he knew that voice.

And the realization hit him like a punch to the gut.

It wasn't just a hunter.

It was him.