Chapter 25: Shockwaves, Shootouts, and Stupid Plans
The rooftop was seconds from collapsing.
Cracks spidered across the concrete, glowing with molten plasma, while sparks rained like electric confetti. Hovercrafts circled above, plasma cannons charging with a low, bone-rattling hum. The Chrome Reapers, Spire Syndicate, and Ghost Circuit were closing in — gunmetal limbs clanking, energy blades hissing, plasma rifles glowing.
But none of that mattered.
Because Elliot's Neural Boost was still roaring at 160% — a live wire of untamed electricity surging through his body — and the feedback loop with Nova's bioluminescent suit was worse than ever.
Every time Elliot's Boost pulsed, Nova's suit reacted — the glowing lines along her ribs, waist, and thighs flaring brighter like they were synced to his heartbeat.
They weren't just a glitch.
They were a walking disaster.
Cipher, still bleeding and half-sparking from his fried plasma arm, leaned against the cracked rooftop wall, his red visor flickering with static. "You're not a malfunction," he rasped. "You're a time bomb."
Elliot panted, electricity still snapping from his fingertips to Nova's hip — sending another crackling jolt through her suit, lighting up the neon lines running down her inner thigh.
Nova twitched. "Rookie — you're going to fry me again."
Elliot's voice cracked. "I'm trying not to!"
The System buzzed.
---
[New Mission: Explode Less, Escape More]
Objective: Get off the rooftop without dying, blowing up Nova, or causing a citywide blackout.
Bonus: Don't get shot by three rival factions.
Hidden Reward: Freedom… or public humiliation.
---
A plasma bolt screamed through the air — a blue-hot blur — and Elliot barely ducked in time.
It struck the rooftop behind him, detonating a chunk of concrete.
He stumbled. "Why is everyone shooting at us?!"
Nova, her blade humming with energy, slashed through a Spire Syndicate merc, the glowing lines of her suit still flickering violently from the feedback loop. "Because you're glitching like a human EMP."
Cipher's visor flared. "And because you're valuable."
The System chimed.
---
[Pro Tip: You're not valuable. You're just a shiny target with a death wish.]
— Sun Tzu… probably.
---
Elliot scowled. "That's not helpful—"
Another plasma blast roared past his head.
He ducked behind a broken air vent. "We need to get off this rooftop before it turns into a crater."
Nova, still glowing with every pulse from Elliot's Boost, parried another strike from Rend — the Chrome Reaper leader — before driving her knee into his gut. Sparks flew as her suit flared brighter, neon circuits flickering across her ribs and thighs.
Rend staggered back, clutching his smoking chest. "I'm gonna tear you apart, girl."
Elliot's Boost snapped again — another jolt of electricity jumping from his arm to Nova's waist — sending a pulse of neon down her back.
Nova jerked. "Rookie—"
Her blade slashed harder — cutting a glowing line across Rend's cybernetic arm — and a violent crack of static shot between her and Elliot, sending out a shockwave strong enough to knock a Spire Syndicate merc off his feet.
The rooftop groaned.
Chunks of concrete broke loose, crumbling down into the dark alley below.
Elliot's stomach dropped. "This place is gonna collapse—"
Cipher laughed — a broken, electric rasp. "Then you'll die before I have to kill you."
Another hovercraft descended — the Ghost Circuit's mark glowing on its hull — its plasma cannons locking onto Elliot and Nova.
The System buzzed.
---
[New Mission: Run Now, Panic Later]
Objective: Escape the collapsing rooftop and avoid getting vaporized.
Bonus: Don't let Nova throw you off the building.
Hidden Reward: Survival… probably.
---
Elliot grabbed Nova's arm. "We need a plan."
Nova's bioluminescent suit flared again at his touch — the glowing lines rippling down her thighs. She tensed. "The plan is: run."
The feedback loop snapped again — sending another shockwave through both of them.
Elliot groaned. "That's not a plan!"
Nova's blade slashed through another Chrome Reaper, her voice a growl. "It is if you run fast enough."
Cipher raised his plasma arm — damaged but still glowing — aiming for Elliot's head.
Elliot's Boost flared.
The feedback loop roared.
The rooftop shuddered.
And then —
The building started to collapse.
Chunks of the rooftop broke away — falling into the alley below — while the hovercraft above powered up its plasma cannons, locking onto Elliot and Nova.
Nova grabbed Elliot's jacket — her fingers still sparking from their connection — and yanked him toward the ledge. "We jump."
Elliot's brain glitched. "We WHAT?!"
The System chimed.
---
[New Side Quest: It's Not the Fall That Kills You…]
Objective: Survive the leap off the collapsing rooftop.
Bonus: Don't scream like a child.
Hidden Reward: Slightly less humiliation… again.
---
Cipher fired his plasma blast.
It screamed through the air — a blue-hot streak — just as the building beneath them gave way.
Nova jumped.
And she took Elliot with her.
"HOLY SH—"
The rooftop collapsed behind them — plasma blasts ripping through the night — and the hovercraft fired again, narrowly missing Elliot as he plummeted through the air.
The wind roared in his ears, his Boost snapping out of control, sending wild arcs of electricity flying as he and Nova hurtled toward the next rooftop below.
Elliot's heart slammed against his ribs. "THIS WAS YOUR PLAN?!"
Nova smirked mid-fall. "You're still alive, aren't you?"
The System buzzed.
---
[Achievement Unlocked: Flying is Just Falling with Style]
Reward: +2 Reflex Boost.
Penalty: Ego damage.
---
Elliot's Neural Boost flared again — the feedback loop still burning between him and Nova — as they crashed onto the next rooftop with a brutal thud.
Concrete cracked beneath them.
Plasma bolts rained from above.
And the factions?
They were still coming.
Cipher's hovercraft circled overhead — plasma cannons glowing — while the Spire Syndicate and Chrome Reapers leapt from the collapsing rooftop, weapons raised, ready to finish the job.
Nova staggered to her feet — still glowing from Elliot's Boost — her blade hissing at her side.
Her eyes met Elliot's. "Hope you like running, rookie."
Elliot wiped blood from his lip. "I hate running."
The System chimed one last time.
---
[New Mission Unlocked: Run, Rookie, Run]
Objective: Escape Nexus-9's factions as they hunt you through the city.
Bonus: Don't die. Don't kiss Nova. Don't cause a blackout.
Hidden Reward: A way out… or deeper into chaos.
---
And with three factions in pursuit, a crumbling city behind them, and a feedback loop still spiraling out of control —
The chase through Nexus-9 began.