Chapter 4 The Hunter and the Prey

His legs seemed to burn as Jill ran toward the industrial site, dodging his glances sideways to the shadows in each of the narrow alleyways around him. He couldn't get out of that building for good. It was temporary at best. Not a chance in hell the Nexus would let him get away now. He needed a secure place to regroup to think about what to do now.

"SEA-Z, bring up the map of the city," he instructed breathlessly, his voice in short gasps as he continued to run.

A semi-transparent map imposed itself in his vision over the streets surrounding him. SEA-Z began highlighting possible routes and safe zones, but the underground parking garage a few blocks away caught Jill's attention. He used to observe from there during his patrol office days. The dimness and twisted corridors would, at least for a temporary period, hide him from anyone who was after him while he figures out how to shake those pursuers off his back.

That parking structure, show me the quickest route there," Jill said, turning sharply down a side street.

"Routing now, Host," SEA-Z replied, the map adjusting in real-time to guide him.

Jill navigated through the maze of alleys onto the course SEA-Z had set out for him-the parking structure. He slipped inside through an emergency exit and took off running down to the lowest levels. The air was damp and cold; above, the cruel fluorescent lights flickered on and off, casting eerie shadows across the cracked concrete.

He paused for breath, casting a sidelong glance at the darkness, wary not to overlook a hint that the place wasn't deserted. His ears strained for the silence as if he strained them to detect any other noise than his breath and the distant hum of cars passing over the street. For now, it was as if he had managed to steal himself for a few minutes.

Alright, SEA-Z," Jill said, keeping her voice low. "Strategy talk. If The Nexus has a mole feeding them information, then we're at a disadvantage right from the start. How do we even the playing field?

"There are a number of things we can do, Host," SEA-Z said. "First, we need to find the mole. But in our situation right now, the closer to imminent would be obscuring our movements and laying down some false trails to throw The Nexus off our scent."

Jill thought about the options, nodding her head. "You're saying we go off the grid-ditching anything that can be tracked, change our appearance, maybe even leave the city for a while?"

"That would be wise," SEA-Z agreed. "I also recommend getting hardware that can put out counter-surveillance and jam tracking signals."

Jill was about to say something when a sound echoed through the parking garage-footfalls, quiet yet distinct, from above. His heart quickened as he sidled behind a pillar, peering upwards toward the entrance ramp. He could make out silhouetted outlines of several figures entering, their black clothes and deliberating gaits speaking volumes of their motives.

SEA-Z, how many are there?" Jill whispered, his muscles tensing in readiness for the worst.

"I detect five lifeforms, Host," SEA-Z replied. "They are approaching cautiously; likely searching for you."

Jill's mind was racing. He didn't have the firepower to take them all on, yet he couldn't hide forever. He needed a distraction-a way of turning the hunters into the hunted.

SEA-Z, can you hack into the electrical systems of this building? We need to douse those lights," he said, his gaze racing around the room for anything he might use to gain an upper hand.

"Accessing now...," her voice growled with effort for a second. "Lights will go out in three... two... one.

Suddenly, there was a loud buzz, and the parking structure's fluorescent lights shut down, leaving it black. Jill's eyes quickly adapted to the darkness, aided by the low-light enhancement overlay SEA-Z that had activated in his vision. He could still see the stumbling forms now, approaching him in the blackout.

Jill slipped out from behind the pillar, silent against the wall. He needed to get closer to them, catch them off guard before they even realized what was going on. He picked up a loose piece of metal pipe off the ground and clutched it hard as he closed in.

The next thing he knew, one of the men yelled out, "Spread out! He's here, somewhere!" The operatives started fanning out, their flashlights flicking on and cutting through the darkness.

Jill tensed, realizing that his window of opportunity was closing fast. He made a swift, controlled swing of the metal pipe toward the nearest operative and caught him across the back of the head. The man went down to the ground with a grunt, and Jill darted back into the shadows before the others could react.

"Man down!" another operative yelled, raising his weapon. "Keep your eyes peeled!

Jill's heart was racing in his chest as he paced along the perimeter of the group, making use of the array of parked cars for cover. He couldn't take them all down one by one-not without being caught out in the open. He didn't need to, though. His goal was to cause chaos and disorientation.

"SEA-Z, activate car alarms," Jill whispered, kneeling behind a nearby SUV.

"Activating alarms," SEA-Z replied.

A jarring chorus of car alarms began shrieking all over the parking structure, the loud din reverberating back and forth off the walls. The operatives whirled around, disoriented by the sudden violence of noise. It was just the break Jill needed.

He launched himself forward, tackling one of the men from behind and bringing him down to the ground. The operative never saw it coming, and before he could get a word out, Jill whipped up a swift strike to his jaw, dropping him cold. The other three operatives whirled in his direction at the noise, but the confusion Jill had created won them precious seconds.

"Host, I detect reinforcements en route," SEA-Z warned. "We must vacate the area immediately."

Jill gritted his teeth; he knew he could not stay there and fight for a long time. He scrambled up to his feet and darted towards the exit ramp, cut from side to side to avoid being an easy target for still-standing operatives.

Shots erupted behind him, the bullets rebounding off the walls as Jill ran up the ramp. He spilled out onto the street as another black SUV skidded to a stop alongside, more reinforcements spilling out. In one smooth motion, Jill took off down the sidewalk, his lungs on fire, forcing himself to move.

As Jill ran, his mind spun between anger and frustration. The Nexus was onto him, and with an intensity that went far too high for coincidence. They had information, resources, and an unyielding determination that spoke volumes of not mere reaction but anticipation.

"SEA-Z, we need answers," he growled under his breath. "And we're not going to find them running forever. It's time we take the fight to them."

"Agreed, Host," SEA-Z said. "I recommend that we identify one of their known facilities and start our inquiry there. We may gain some information on their operation and learn who is behind the leaks."

Jill narrowed her eyes as he darted into another alley; his direction was now certain. Time to flip the script and balance the tables against the hunters.