The artificial body runs

7:43 PM on the main street in southwest Brooklyn.

Dave drove his car at high speed after Alex and the others had broken into it, fleeing from a predatory employee of Berry Company, "Hudson."

Hudson chased them under the cover of shifting white and red car lights. Though he was running on foot alone, his speed nearly matched the car's on the same main road.

Most who glimpsed Hudson from their vehicles assumed he was either a madman or an athletic runner with iron lungs. Yet, most humans would fear a man like him—a beast outpacing the wind. Hudson overtook a limited number of cars, closing in on his primary target: that old car. It was no more than sixty steps away, large and small strides spaced unevenly, and the destination was imminent.

Dave drove with rising panic and tension, wondering why this man was still chasing them in such a deranged manner. Hesitation and doubt gripped his mind, prompting him to shout: "Why is this man after you? By the Lady of Liberty, what forced him to chase you?!"

Dave glanced at everyone, from the front passenger seat to the three back seats, where Salim sat in the middle, Amy to the left, and Alex on the other side. He asked with feigned suspicion: "Did you rob that poor man? Jeremiah, I'm asking you!"

Jeremiah, in the seat closest to him, replied in a choked, loud voice: "Do we look like criminals to you? Maybe I do in some cases, but I truly apologize—I didn't do anything to him!"*

Jeremiah recalled a past event involving his older brother and Dave. His voice cracked as he forced a smile: *"Sorry for what Daniel caused, really, but that machine-man just wants to kill us—that's all! Let's focus on the ro—"*

His words were cut off as Dave nearly collided with a car on the road, swerving into the opposite lane and narrowly avoiding a crash with a truck transporting canned sardines! But Dave regained control and returned to the correct lane.

Alex peeked through the rear window, pushing Salim forcefully to make space, causing Salim's head to bump into Amy's. Amy showed only mild annoyance, unlike Salim, who flushed crimson with embarrassment.

From the rear window, Alex saw no trace of Hudson—only the blinding white traffic lights searing his pupils. The boy concluded Hudson might have left or grown bored of chasing them. Alex muttered: *"Guys, I think no one's following us anymore—"*

A loud *crunch* interrupted him, warping the car's roof inward and outward. The sound came from above the car—and everyone knew its source... He was on the roof!

---

Dave deliberately shouted, though his tension showed:

*"Don't tell me that lunatic is on my car's roof! Is he really up there? It just came out of maintenance recently, you—"*

Suddenly, a hand pierced through the roof and settled between Jeremiah and Dave, leaving them stunned. Cold sweat on Jeremiah's face mirrored his tension, his heavy features amplifying the eeriness. Everyone in the seats knew this hand belonged to Hudson.

Hudson began moving his hand as if searching for someone inside. Shock froze their faces. In that moment, Amy swiftly drew a dagger from its sheath hidden behind her black carbon-fiber outfit. She seemed ready to sever Hudson's hand, deeming it acceptable since Hudson was just a "disowned man"—a modified human entity from Berry Company's independent facility.

Before she could act, Hudson abruptly retracted his hand. He repeated the motion, causing chaos inside the car. Amy's dagger lodged near Jeremiah's headrest, missing him but terrifying the man in the face of this petite woman.

Hudson kept thrusting his hand in and out, forcing everyone to duck and shield their heads and backs from his steel fists. Finally, Hudson punched multiple holes in the roof. The gaps let wind rush violently into the car, alongside the sharp gaze of Hudson, the predatory employee, still watching them from above.

Dave shouted angrily, gripping the steering wheel without regard for the man standing on the roof, yelling:

"Are you insane?! I got this car from a friend on an installment plan, you idiot! Stop making those ventilation holes—you're ruining my car and its looks! I haven't even finished paying it off yet!"

Hudson ignored his words, clinging fiercely to the roof.

A fleeting idea crossed Dave's mind to stop Hudson. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, feeling the breeze seep into his brain through his nose and ears. He focused on the road: a speed bump… another bump… He visualized the path—three cars ahead, others behind, three more to his left, and a motorcycle to his right.

He fell silent for moments, running multiple scenarios through his mind as if they were real, programming his grip and resolve. Then he took a deep breath, holding it in his lungs until he felt blood rush to his head.

He roared with a powerful voice, erupting from his chest and scraping his throat before echoing through the car:

"HOLD ON TIGHT!"

At first, no one understood what Dave intended with his frantic plan, but they trusted him.

Suddenly and unpredictably, Dave slammed the brakes with brutal force. The tires screeched violently against the asphalt, skidding between three cars to the left. Friction sent thick smoke billowing, forming a white haze of carbon dioxide vapor behind the car, obscuring visibility for incoming and passing vehicles.

Dave continued driving this way, tires squealing and smoke blanketing the street like a curtain of white clouds. Finally, the car came to a perilous stop on the crowded road after sliding past three cars on the left and three ahead in a single skid.

The car settled in the middle of the road, trapped between oncoming and departing traffic.

At that moment, Hudson was hurled forward by the sudden stop. He slammed violently onto the hardened asphalt, rolling across the old road.

Everyone turned to stare at him as if he'd died from the impact. Other cars halted, and people began murmuring: "Is this a traffic accident? Did someone get run over?"

Dead silence filled Dave's car until Jeremiah cheered excitedly: "He's finally dead!" He shoved Dave's shoulder in fleeting joy—but it was short-lived.

Amy tensely interrupted, "We're not done yet," lying back in her seat and stretching her neck to peer ahead at Hudson's rigid corpse on the black road.

Hudson slowly rose to his feet, exhausted and unsteady. Parts of his body were deformed from the lethal fall, his black employee suit torn to shreds.

The damage revealed his mechanical components—circuitry powering his non-human entity. The synthetic human skin covering his body was severely torn, but there was no blood—unsurprising, as he was fully robotic.

Instead of blood, clear fluid leaked from his exposed electronic circuits and mechanical frame beneath the artificial skin. This fluid served as a coolant, regulating his mechanical body's heat while mimicking a natural human's warmth.

Finally, Hudson stood glaring fiercely with bloodshot eyes, their gaze sharp and calculating. His eyes were smeared and clouded with chaotic thoughts.

On the street, cars began moving again, clearing paths. Hudson was the cause of this severe traffic jam. All bystanders—whether in their cars, parking, or standing on the cracked sidewalk—whispered: "What is this creature? How did it stand up again? Is it a man or…? Either way, this is terrifying!" Everyone stared at Hudson, and Hudson stared back.

Inside Dave's black car—its color blending with the night and the old road—the atmosphere grew tense.

Jeremiah, in the front seat, couldn't believe his eyes. Dave and Alex felt worse than expected, while Salim had already surrendered to despair.

Amy leaned forward until she was close to Dave and whispered sharply into his ear, her voice laced with anxiety: "You need to hit him before he comes at us again." Her words carried an unusual urgency to Dave. Hit him? How?

Dave replied with confusion, his face twisting in hesitation: "I can't… I really can't. It'd be brutal. He's barely even human—a half-destroyed machine that somehow moves and breathes. But he won't kill… Even if Hudson's just a robot, he might still be more human than—"

Before he could finish, Hudson charged toward them at lightning speed, his body slamming against the wind as he ran, fueled by primal, electronic fury.

Dave's car remained frozen in place. His trembling hand hovered over the key for a moment before he finally turned it. The engine roared violently, and the car shuddered to life.

Dave's voice rose with grim resolve: "Damn it, I'll regret this later!"

He accelerated toward Hudson, who was hurtling toward them with maddened speed.

Dave's speed hit 130 km/h, while Hudson showed no intention of slowing down, racing toward the car as if on a suicidal path.

The distance between them shrank rapidly, pressure mounting on Dave's nerves—but he refused to let it stop him.

Everyone believed collision was inevitable. Only one meter separated them… then mere centimeters. A man versus a car.