Aftermath and Warning
The alley was eerily silent after the destruction of the Revenant. Smoke still lingered in the air, and the faint hum of malfunctioning cybernetic parts crackled from the wreckage. Kairo's breathing was heavy as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, his knuckles still aching from the final blow.
The Eclipse Syndicate had sent a monster after them.
And they had won.
But the victory didn't feel complete.
Lena was leaning against the wall, catching her breath. Sorin was holding his ribs, wincing with every movement. Darius rolled his injured shoulder, muttering curses under his breath. Arin was already scanning the debris, looking for anything useful, while Ronan reloaded his weapons, ever cautious.
They were alive. But they weren't unharmed.
Kairo glanced at the smoldering remains of the Revenant. Its cybernetic body twitched slightly before going still. The red glow in its veins had completely faded.
This thing was an experiment.
And the Eclipse Syndicate wouldn't just let this loss slide.
His system sent a notification.
[ Threat Eliminated: Revenant Prototype ]
[ Analyzing Remains… ]
[ Warning: Biological Signature Detected. Hybrid Experiment Confirmed. ]
Kairo's stomach tightened. "Hybrid?"
Arin looked up from the remains, her face pale. "This thing… it wasn't just a cyborg. It had… biological components. Augmented flesh, artificial vampiric enhancements, and—" She hesitated. "There are traces of something else."
Lena frowned. "Something else?"
Arin exhaled sharply. "I'm not sure yet, but I need time to analyze it." She looked at Kairo. "We need to get out of here before reinforcements show up."
Kairo nodded. "Agreed. Let's move."
The team moved quickly through the back alleys, avoiding security drones and patrolling enforcers. They couldn't risk being caught with the remains of an Eclipse Syndicate experiment.
As they reached a safe house—a rundown storage facility on the outskirts of the district—Kairo's system flashed another message.
[ New Enemy Alert: The Eclipse Syndicate – Retaliation Imminent. ]
"Looks like they're already making moves," Kairo muttered.
Darius cracked his neck. "Let them come."
Ronan scoffed. "You sure about that? Because I'd rather not get killed in my sleep."
Lena tossed her knives onto the table. "We need to figure out what's going on. That thing we fought wasn't just a normal cybernetic experiment. The Syndicate is working on something bigger."
Kairo agreed. This wasn't just about taking over the underground.
This was something far worse.
His system's warning echoed in his head.
Hybrid Experiment Confirmed.
The Eclipse Syndicate wasn't just making cybernetic soldiers.
They were creating something else.
Something not fully human.
Something far more dangerous.
A few hours later, as the team was patching themselves up and discussing their next steps, a notification appeared on Kairo's system.
[ Incoming Call Request: Unknown Source. ]
He narrowed his eyes. His system wasn't connected to any communication network. How was this possible?
Against his better judgment, he accepted the request.
A distorted voice came through the line.
"You've made a mistake, Kairo."
His grip on the device tightened. "Who is this?"
The voice chuckled. "Someone who knows the storm you've just walked into. The Eclipse Syndicate won't let this slide. You killed their experiment—now they'll come for you."
Kairo stayed silent, letting the voice continue.
"You need to disappear, or you need to get stronger. Because what's coming next… you're not ready for it."
The call ended.
The team exchanged uneasy glances.
Lena was the first to speak. "That's not ominous at all."
Sorin sighed. "As if we didn't already know we're in deep."
Darius crossed his arms. "So what's the plan?"
Kairo exhaled.
The Eclipse Syndicate was preparing something big.
They had hybrid experiments—and who knew what else?
If they wanted to survive, they couldn't stay on the defensive.
It was time to strike first.
"Rest up," Kairo said. "Because starting tomorrow… we're taking the fight to them."