The tunnel smelled of damp stone and old electricity. Pipes snaked along the ceiling, dripping condensation that fell in slow, heavy plops. Jack sat cross-legged on the cracked concrete, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead. His arm was still bandaged, but he clenched his fists as if that could keep them from shaking.
Eve's hologram hovered a few feet away, faint blue light casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping impatiently. "You're doing it wrong," she said for the fifth time.
Jack scowled up at her. "I'm literally doing what you told me."
"No." She floated closer, crouched so her glowing eyes were level with his. "You're flailing like a drunk pigeon. Pulse Strike isn't just shouting the name and throwing your hand forward. It's a focused release of bio-electrical energy aligned with my system. Focus, then strike."
Jack dropped his hand, exhaling hard. "Focus. Right. Easy to say when you're a hologram goddess and I'm—" He gestured at himself, at the hospital gown and grime. "—this."
Susan sat against the far wall, knees pulled up to her chest, watching them with wide, wary eyes. She hadn't spoken much since they'd fled the substation. Her hands twisted the hem of her shirt as she glanced between Jack and Eve.
Jack noticed and forced a smile. "You're safe here," he said, voice gentler. "At least for now."
Susan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Safe? You're bleeding, your phone talks, and something out of a horror movie is hunting us. This isn't safe, Jack."
He opened his mouth to argue, but Eve cut him off. "She's not wrong. The retrieval unit will recover. And now there's a host involved. We have hours at most before they track us."
Susan flinched. "Host?"
Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "Long story. Basically, there are… others like me. People with systems."
Susan stared at Eve. "So you're real. Not some… glitch."
Eve tilted her head. "Of course I'm real. And if you want him to survive, you might want to stop distracting him."
Susan bristled. "Excuse me?"
Jack groaned. "Please don't fight. She's—uh—always like this."
"I am not 'always like this,'" Eve snapped, then caught herself, cheeks flickering pink. "Just… focus, Jack. Again."
He stood, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. Focus. Strike." He took a deep breath, let the world narrow to the point of his palm. The faint hum of the tunnel faded. He felt the buzz in his veins—electricity like a coiled snake.
He thrust his hand forward. "Pulse Strike!"
A crackle of blue energy shot from his palm, sputtering against the far wall with a weak pop. A scorch mark the size of a tennis ball appeared.
Eve pinched the bridge of her nose. "Pathetic."
Jack sagged. "Better than last time."
"Marginally." She floated around him like a teacher circling a student. "Again. Until you can make it lethal."
He glanced at Susan. "You hearing this? She's trying to kill me."
Susan's mouth twitched despite herself. "You're still alive."
"Barely."
"Then train harder," she said softly, almost like encouragement.
Jack blinked at her, surprised. She looked away, cheeks faintly pink.
Eve smirked. "See? Even your girlfriend thinks you're weak."
"She's not—" Jack started, then stopped at Susan's look. "I mean, she is, but… ugh."
Susan gave a small laugh, quick and nervous. The sound made something in Jack's chest ache. For a heartbeat it was like they were back before everything, sitting in the campus cafeteria, teasing each other over coffee.
"Again," Eve said, voice firm.
Jack squared his shoulders. "Alright. Again."
---
They trained for hours in the dim tunnel. Jack's hands trembled from the effort, his muscles burned, but each Pulse Strike grew sharper, louder, brighter. Sparks skittered across the concrete like living things. Eve barked corrections, insults, and the occasional grudging praise. Susan watched, her fear slowly replaced by fascination.
Finally, Jack collapsed onto the floor, chest heaving. His palms glowed faintly with residual energy. "If I do one more, I'm gonna pass out."
Eve hovered above him, arms crossed. "Acceptable for now. You've improved."
He rolled onto his back. "Wow. High praise."
Susan crawled closer, offering him a bottle of water from her bag. "Here."
He took it, their fingers brushing. "Thanks."
She hesitated. "You're… different. Determined."
Jack laughed weakly. "I've got a scary hologram drill sergeant."
Susan's eyes softened. "No. I mean you. You're not the guy who just slacked off in class anymore."
He looked at her, but before he could answer, Eve stiffened. "Silence."
The tunnel fell quiet. Jack's heart thudded. "What is it?"
Eve's eyes glowed. "Something's coming."
Susan's hand gripped his arm. "What do we do?"
Eve materialized a blue holographic sigil in front of Jack. "Mini-boss. Level One. Your training is about to be tested."
From the shadows ahead came a low, wet clicking. Jack pushed himself to his feet, scanning the darkness. "What kind of mini-boss?"
Eve's mouth tightened. "A scavenger. One of my creators' old sentinels. It must have woken when I activated."
A shape crawled into the faint light. It was like a centipede made of black steel, dozens of bladed legs scraping the concrete. Its head split open into a triangle of mandibles dripping green fluid.
Susan choked back a scream. "That's a—"
"Stay behind me," Jack said, stepping forward. His pulse hammered in his ears. "Eve. What do I do?"
Her voice was cool. "Focus. Remember your training. Strike where the armor's weakest—between the plates."
The creature hissed, lunging.
Jack threw his hand forward. "Pulse Strike!"
A blue bolt blasted from his palm, slamming into the scavenger's head. Sparks exploded, but the creature barely slowed. It reared back, mandibles clacking.
Jack stumbled back. "Didn't work—"
"Again!" Eve barked.
He dodged a swipe of its bladed leg, rolling across the floor. "Little busy!"
Susan grabbed a loose pipe and swung it at the creature's tail. It clanged off harmlessly. "Jack!"
He scrambled to his feet. "Okay. Focus. Focus." He felt the energy gather in his chest, stronger than before, his panic sharpening it. He thrust both hands forward. "Pulse Strike—full burst!"
The tunnel lit up blue as a wave of energy erupted from him, slamming into the scavenger. Its armor cracked, green fluid spraying. It shrieked, legs scrabbling. Jack surged forward, driving his glowing palm into the gap between its plates.
There was a flash of light, a sharp crack—and the scavenger went still.
Jack staggered back, gasping. The creature collapsed, limbs twitching, then melted into black dust.
Silence.
Susan stared, eyes wide. "You… you killed it."
Jack wiped sweat from his brow. "I think I'm gonna puke."
Eve floated closer, eyes gleaming. "Not bad. Sloppy, but effective."
Jack dropped to one knee. "That… was a mini-boss?"
"A weak one," Eve said. "But a necessary test."
Susan moved to his side, hands on his shoulders. "Jack. Are you okay?"
He looked up at her, trying to smile. "Never better."
Eve's gaze softened for a fraction of a second. Then she flicked her fingers, summoning a holographic screen in front of Jack. Text scrolled across it:
> [Quest Complete: Survive the Scavenger]
Reward: +10 System Points. Skill Unlock Available.
Jack blinked. "System points?"
Eve smirked. "Your first taste of growth. Spend them wisely."
He reached for the screen, but it vanished. "Hey—"
"Later," Eve said. "We're not out of danger yet."
Susan frowned. "What does that mean?"
Eve turned toward the darkness ahead. "It means we're not the first to use this tunnel."
Jack followed her gaze. On the far wall, half-hidden under grime, were symbols scratched into the concrete—strange, looping glyphs that pulsed faintly red.
Susan shivered. "What is that?"
Eve's voice was low. "A marker. Another host has been here."
Jack felt the hair on his arms rise. "Rylan?"
"Or someone worse," Eve said.
The tunnel echoed with a distant, metallic laugh.