The night was soaked in misty rain.
Droplets fell endlessly, weaving a veil of gloom over Hell's Kitchen. Darkness pressed down on the streets, and the drizzle made the silence feel heavier, lonelier.
Outside, a dozen armed men crept closer to Jessica Jones's apartment. They moved like shadows under the cover of night, each one a member of the Irish mob. Their boots splashed in shallow puddles, their hands tight around cold steel. Death lurked in their every step.
Inside the apartment, Jessica Jones was unaware of the danger tightening around her home. She sat on the couch, muttering to herself as usual. Her voice filled the quiet room, half in irritation, half in distraction.
On the other end of the phone, Nolan listened. Or rather, he pretended to. Out of every ten sentences Jessica said, maybe one truly registered in his mind.
For everyone else, he rarely offered even the courtesy of a grunt.
Nolan's focus was elsewhere. His workbench was scattered with metallic components, scraps of alloy, and glowing cores. He was deep in the process of refining the design between his SAR-01 combat robots and the Alpha Slayers. Two of his Slayer units had already been destroyed in earlier battles, their twisted remains now lying in pieces. Worse, one wreck had been confiscated by the police.
Fortunately, Nolan himself had assembled every part of the Slayers. Their design was etched into his memory. He salvaged and stitched together what pieces he could. The result was crude but functional an imperfect reconstruction, weaker than the original, but still better than nothing. Even scraps had a use in war.
Just as he adjusted a component into place, the sound tore through the quiet.
A gunshot.
Nolan's eyes narrowed, pupils contracting instantly. That wasn't from his side. It came from the phone.
Gunfire. Why was there gunfire where Jessica was?
A heartbeat later, her voice cut through the line, panicked and furious.
"Damn it! Who are you people?!"
Her tone confirmed his worst fears. Jessica had been attacked.
Another shot cracked in the background, followed by a volley of rapid-fire bursts. The mobsters weren't trying to scare her. They weren't leaving her alive.
Jessica's mind raced. Staying put was death. The walls of her apartment were thin protection against bullets. If she wanted to survive, she had to run. Escape meant the slimmest chance at life.
Clenching her fists, she bolted forward. With her superhuman strength, she charged straight at one of the gunmen who had forced his way inside.
The thug raised his weapon and fired. Pain exploded in her abdomen as the bullet tore into her side. Jessica staggered but didn't stop. If she faltered now, she would die. With a guttural cry, she closed the distance and drove her fist into the man's chest.
The impact sent him flying ten meters back, crashing into the pavement. He didn't get up.
Jessica didn't even glance at the body. She sprinted into the rain-slicked street, her breaths ragged.
"Damn it, she's getting away! After her!"
The mobsters shouted as they gave chase.
Back in his lab, Nolan's face darkened. He shouted into the phone, desperate for an answer. But the line was chaos no words came back. Only silence and gunfire.
"Slayers, SAR-01 units, converge on my signal!"
Within moments, more than twenty combat machines stirred from their hidden posts. The air hummed with their metallic limbs as they assembled.
Nolan stormed into his underground garage, mounting a black motorcycle in one fluid motion. As he revved the engine, the Delta-6 High-Velocity Combat Suit locked into place around his body, plates clicking over his chest and limbs.
The roar of the bike split through the storm, followed by the metallic cadence of his robotic army surging into the night.
"Jessica, hold on," he growled under his breath. His mind seethed with one name.
Morse.
That bastard. Of all the schemes, Nolan never imagined he would stoop this low to target a woman who had nothing to do with their war. He had crossed every line.
Meanwhile, Jessica's breaths came shallow and sharp as she tore down the alleyways toward the police station. In Hell's Kitchen, neighbors weren't saviors. Doors locked tight at the first sound of gunfire. Lights went out. In this part of the city, everyone minded their own survival.
The police were her only hope.
But the mobsters weren't fools. They predicted her move and cut off her escape. Rain pounded harder, washing away blood and footprints alike. The storm itself seemed intent on erasing her existence.
Jessica pressed her hand against her bleeding side. The bullet wound burned, weakening her with each step. She had killed three men in her flight, but at least thirty more hunted her. Her strength was waning. Despair gnawed at her resolve.
A black car screeched into her path, headlights cutting across the rain. From the windows, snarling faces glared at her, rifles aimed.
Her eyes widened. She ducked into the side street, knowing that at this range, even her durable skin wouldn't stop rifle fire. Bullets clattered against brick and pavement, sparks scattering dangerously close.
Behind her, more pursuers closed in.
Trapped.
Jessica bit down hard. Perhaps running was useless. Maybe she should stop here, make a final stand. If death was inevitable, she could at least drag a few of them to hell with her.
But before she could commit to that grim resolve, a metallic screech echoed above.
From the rooftops.
Her head snapped up, dread coursing through her veins. Was it more enemies?
Then it leapt.
The figure landed before her, sleek and deadly. Its four bladed legs gleamed in the rain, front claws raised like scythes. Its silver body shimmered even under the storm's veil. It looked like a monstrous mantis forged entirely of steel.
Jessica froze. Her heart skipped a beat.
But instead of striking her, the creature vaulted past. It landed amidst the mobsters.
Screams erupted. Gunfire rattled. Then silence.
In seconds, the street was littered with dismembered limbs. The metal mantis stood tall amid the carnage, unflinching, awaiting orders.
And from the shadows stepped a figure clad in battle armor, rain sliding down his mask.
"...Nolan!"
Jessica's voice cracked with shock and relief. She could hardly believe he had arrived so quickly and with such terrifying reinforcements.
Nolan's eyes met hers. His chest eased. She was bloodied, but alive. Not fatally hurt. For now, that was enough.
He crossed the distance and caught her in his arms.
"It's over. I'm here now."
Jessica nodded weakly. Relief, terror, and exhaustion collided within her. The tension drained from her body. Within seconds, she succumbed to unconsciousness, resting against him.
Nolan held her gently as the sound of sirens pierced the rain. The Clinton precinct was close; the police had heard the firefight and were already on their way.
By the time they arrived, Nolan was gone. He couldn't risk being seen. Not tonight.
All they found was Jessica, carefully placed under a roof's shelter, wrapped in a jacket that wasn't her own.
The scene was a nightmare. Blood, bullet casings, and torn bodies painted the street. Even seasoned officers shivered.
"What the hell happened here?" one whispered.
"God's punishment, maybe," muttered another.
"Watch your tongue," an older officer snapped. "This is Hell's Kitchen. Speak carelessly and you'll regret it."
They carried Jessica to safety, muttering about reports, superiors, and the growing pressure from Locke Technologies' unsolved murders.
High above, Nolan watched from the rooftops. Only when he was sure Jessica was safe did he turn away. His gaze lifted to the endless rain, the sky as black as his thoughts.
"Morse…" he whispered.
The word was not just a name. It was a vow.
Behind him, rows of combat robots loomed in silence, waiting.
Tonight, the city would not sleep.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Caught in the currents of this adventure? Tell us what hooked you—your thoughts and reviews keep the story blazing! Every 300 Power Stones unlocks a bonus chapter, propelling the journey even further!
Nolan's path is just getting started, and the story of justice is only unfolding. Keep riding the waves with Unbound Evolution and sail beyond the horizon!
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.