Chapter 11: Sparks and Surrender

The rooftop buzzed with dying electricity, the air still thick with smoke and adrenaline. Nova stood over Elliot, her glowing eyes narrowed, her chest rising and falling with every ragged breath. The violet lines on her bodysuit flickered erratically, glitching like a broken neon sign—jagged streaks of light dancing across her skin.

Elliot knelt at her feet, his body still crackling from the Neural Overload. His fingers twitched, and his vision blurred—flashes of raw energy still surging through his limbs. His heart was a runaway train, slamming against his ribs in an uneven rhythm.

He felt like he'd been struck by lightning.

Because he had.

Nova's voice was low, dangerous. "What the hell did you just do?"

Elliot swallowed hard. "I… I didn't mean to—"

"Bullshit."

She was on him again, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him to his feet. The sudden movement sent another jolt through his system, and sparks danced across his skin—tiny arcs of electricity that leapt from his fingertips to Nova's hand.

She didn't flinch.

"Your Neural Boost," she said, her voice a growl. "It's not standard tech."

Elliot blinked, his mind still reeling. "No… no, it's not."

Her jaw tightened. "Who put it in you?"

"I don't know!"

The words echoed between them.

Nova studied him—eyes flickering between his face and the stray sparks still crawling over his body. She wasn't just angry—she was curious.

And something else.

Because even now, even after the fight, even after the overload—Elliot could still feel the heat between them.

It hadn't faded.

It had intensified.

The air around them crackled—not just with electricity—but with something far more dangerous.

Her hand was still on his chest, fingers twitching every time another spark jumped from his skin to hers.

"You're unstable," she whispered. "You could've killed us both."

"Wouldn't be the first time today," Elliot muttered.

Nova's lips twitched—not quite a smile. "You're reckless, rookie."

Her fingers trailed down his torso—metal and flesh leaving a burning path behind—until they stopped just above his belt again.

The same place they'd been before Cipher interrupted.

The heat was unbearable now.

And Elliot's Neural Boost?

Still teetering on the edge.

[New Mission: Voltage and Vice]

Objective: …Survive Nova's next move.

Bonus: Don't trigger another Neural Overload.

Hidden Reward: ???

"Nova," Elliot rasped. "I don't think—"

"Thinking's overrated," she whispered.

Then she kissed him again.

This wasn't like before.

Before was violent—desperate.

This was worse.

Her mouth was fire—demanding, relentless. Teeth scraping his bottom lip, her hand already sliding down his stomach, trailing the static that still danced across his skin.

Elliot's body reacted instantly—his Neural Boost sparking to life again, the heat between them turning molten.

Every touch was a live wire—every press of her body against his sending another shock through his system.

His fingers—still shaking—slid over her waist, tracing the glowing lines of her suit. The light seemed to respond—pulsing brighter wherever he touched, flickering like the suit itself was connected to her pulse.

Or his.

Nova broke the kiss, her forehead resting against his, both of them breathing hard.

Her voice was a low growl. "Your Boost—it's reacting to me."

Elliot's head spun. "No shit."

Another spark jumped from his hand to her hip.

Nova hissed—but didn't pull away.

Instead, she pressed closer, her hand slipping beneath his shirt—cool metal and warm skin dragging up his stomach, stopping just below his ribs.

The contact sent a violent crack of electricity through them both.

Nova gasped.

Elliot groaned.

His Neural Boost flared—again.

[WARNING: Neural Overload at 95%. Imminent system failure.]

Nova didn't stop.

Her hand wandered higher, fingers tracing the scars on his side—the ones he didn't remember getting in this world. Her lips hovered at his neck now, teeth grazing his skin just hard enough to leave a mark.

Elliot's head fell back against the rooftop wall, his vision swimming with static.

"Nova," he choked out, "I don't know how much more—"

Her mouth silenced him—biting his neck, leaving another shockwave through his system.

The rooftop lights flickered.

The air crackled.

And Elliot realized—

It wasn't just him.

Nova's bodysuit—still glitching—was reacting to the feedback from his Boost.

Her circuits pulsed in sync with his now, glowing and flickering in time with every jolt of electricity that leapt between them.

They were connected.

Whether by accident… or something far more dangerous.

Nova's voice was ragged against his ear. "You're gonna short-circuit me, rookie."

Elliot's grip on her waist tightened. "I think… we already did."

Another spark jumped between them—this one so bright it lit up the entire rooftop for half a second.

Nova groaned—her body shuddering against his. "I should stop."

Elliot's head spun. "Yeah… probably."

Neither of them moved.

Then—

A faint beeping sound echoed through the rooftop.

Nova's eyes flared. "Shit."

Elliot blinked. "What now?"

She stepped back—breathless, flushed, still glowing—and tapped a flashing icon on her wrist implant.

A holographic screen popped up—grainy and glitching—showing a countdown.

"Someone's tracking us," Nova growled.

Elliot's stomach dropped. "Let me guess—Cipher?"

Nova's jaw tightened. "Worse."

The countdown hit 00:30—thirty seconds until… something.

Elliot's Neural Boost still crackled beneath his skin, his body a mess of leftover electricity and unsatisfied heat.

"Nova—what happens when this countdown hits zero?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "We find out who else wants you dead."

The rooftop lights buzzed—ready to explode.

And this time—there was no time for distraction.

Just danger.

And whatever the hell was coming next.