Chapter 34: Into the Fire

Ethan and Rina hit the ground hard, rolling behind a stack of metal crates as chaos erupted around them. The air smelled of burnt circuitry and scorched metal as the rogue AI construct tore through the facility's forces. Sparks rained down from broken lighting fixtures, painting the battle in flickering, hellish light.

Rina gasped, gripping Ethan's sleeve. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Ethan peeked over the crates, his mind racing. The construct had taken down nearly a dozen guards already, its movements unnervingly calculated. It wasn't acting like a mindless killing machine—it was choosing its targets.

And then it turned.

Its glowing cyan eyes locked onto Ethan and Rina's hiding spot.

A shiver ran down Ethan's spine. Did it recognize him? Did it see them as threats… or something else?

A new message blinked on his interface.

"Keep moving."

Ethan didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed Rina's wrist and pulled her toward a side door just as the construct launched itself forward. The crates exploded behind them, torn apart by the sheer force of its impact.

Rina screamed, but Ethan yanked her through the doorway, slamming the security panel to seal the blast doors shut.

Heavy footsteps thundered behind them. It wasn't stopping.

"We're dead, we're so dead," Rina panted, clutching her chest. "We can't outrun that thing!"

Ethan's mind raced. They needed a plan. Now.

He scanned the corridor, spotting a maintenance hatch on the left wall. "Get in there."

Rina hesitated. "Are you kidding me?"

Ethan shot her a look. "Would you rather fight the murder bot?"

She cursed under her breath and scrambled into the hatch, Ethan close behind. The moment they were inside, he slammed it shut and locked it.

The hallway outside shook violently as the construct crashed against the blast doors. For a terrifying moment, the metal groaned, bending inward.

Then… silence.

Rina pressed her back against the wall, breathing hard. "Tell me that thing isn't Eve."

Ethan didn't answer. Because deep down, he wasn't sure he could.