"A place forgotten by law. Claimed by death. Owned by no one—but feared by everyone. Welcome to Sector 7."
------
The tunnel exploded behind them.
Needle's charge collapsed the vent shaft, fire swallowing the silence. Concrete cracked. Steel twisted. And the team ran—limping, dragging, bleeding—into the underbelly of the Exo-Zone.
Tichala's voice buzzed through the comms.
Tichala: "Tunnel sealed. You've got a two-minute head start—before Ravelight gets eyes back on you. Go dark now."
The exit led them into the fringes of Exo Sector 7. A place abandoned by governance, left to rot in the shadows of war. Buildings stood half-dead, windows like gouged-out eyes. The sky itself felt wrong—thick with smoke and neon static. Trash fires burned in oil drums. And the air reeked of synthetic ash and something far worse.
Eira: "It's colder than I remember."
Juno (grim): "Because the warmth left with the living."
Naked bodies hung from broken signs. Some freshly dead. Some… far from it. Kids with cybernetic limbs stared from alley shadows. Mothers whispered to walls. Drones hovered with makeshift banners tied to them—symbols of local gangs.
Nia: "Sector 7 was a dump. Now it's a graveyard with a crown."
Seer'ah motioned them toward a crumbling chapel wedged between skyscraper bones.
Seer'ah: "Inside. Quiet. Move."
They entered the shattered church. Stained glass cracked, pews burned to charcoal. The place stank of old prayers and older blood.
Kruu set Rav down, his wounds reopening.
Rav: "Nice. A holy place to die. I feel honored."
Needle chuckled weakly, his voice short.
Needle: "Just rest, big guy. Let the angels fetch your broken ass later."
But angels never came. What came instead were boots—loud, echoing. Then a roar of drones outside. A fleet of ragged, armored mercs flooded the streets.
Exo Mafia.
And they weren't here to talk.
The team got into position, trying to defend, but they were outnumbered ten to one. The drones began opening fire. One window exploded inward. Zyn dropped a couple of enemies with phase shots, but ammo ran low.
Then… the noise stopped.
A single voice rose.
Mafia Leader: "Enough. This is our sector. And no one dies here without our price."
The mercs backed off. For a moment.
Seer'ah: "Let us go. We're not your enemies."
The Mafia Leader entered the church—tall, scarred, and wearing a coat made from stitched human skins and Dravh'ari cloth.
Mafia Leader: "Everyone's my enemy. Until they pay."
Soy's eyes narrowed.
Soy: "And what's the price for not shooting us now?"
The leader grinned.
Mafia Leader: "You. Or her."
He nodded toward Seer'ah.
Seer'ah raised her blade.
Soy stepped forward.
Soy: "You don't touch her."
The mafia goons lunged. The team was restrained. The leader grabbed Seer'ah's arm. In a flash, Soy broke free—his fists like hammers. One merc's neck cracked. Another fell with his jaw torn off. Blood sprayed. Soy moved like a storm. Bodies dropped.
Then—the leader raised his hand.
Mafia Leader: "ENOUGH!"
He stepped forward, breathing heavy.
Mafia Leader: "You're Soy. The Echo Killer. The boy who ripped through my cousin's syndicate on Mars."
He looked Seer'ah in the eye.
Mafia Leader: "I'll make you a deal. You leave… but you leave him."
They all froze.
Seer'ah: "No."
Mafia Leader (coldly):
"You want your man back? Fine. Give me Dra weapons enough to arm my sector. You give me fire, I give you flesh."
Soy: "Do it."
Rav (weakly): "What?! Hell no—"
Soy: "We need time. We'll get Needle back. Fix Conn. Get ready. Then you come for me. Deal?"
The Mafia Leader chuckled.
Mafia Leader: "Deal."
They left. Without Needle. Without pride. But with purpose.
------
Back at the hideout a forgotten warehouse beneath the tramlines Tichala waited with scattered blueprints and stacked scrap metal.
Tichala: "Where's Needle?"
Seer'ah: (quiet) "Traded. For peace. Temporary."
Everyone was silent. Until Seer'ah looked up.
Seer'ah: "We fix Conn. We heal. Then we burn them down."
She pointed to a stack of crates.
Seer'ah: "That's your job, Kruu. You and Tichala. Find us a working Conn gateway."
Kruu: "I'll need raw access to dormant Aether cores."
Tichala: "Already mapped three salvage sites. We'll raid 'em after this."
Rav groaned. James handed him a drink.
James: "You sit this one."
Eira: "Everyone does. We patch wounds first. Then missions."
Seer'ah turned.
Seer'ah: "We still need Rayne."
Tichala: "I'll go."
Soy stood.
Soy: "No. I'll get him."
Tichala: "He'll kill you, man. You teased him enough."
Seer'ah: "Let him try. Maybe he'll knock some sense into him."
Soy grinned.
Soy: "Exactly what I'm counting on."
------
Scene: Hadrek Vorinn's Private War Room – 12 Hours After the RaveLight Breach
The room reeked of synthetic wood polish, cigars, and pressure. A massive obsidian table stood at the center, its surface lit with real-time war feeds and looping security footage from RaveLight—blurred shadows, mechanical chaos, and bodies disappearing into smoke.
Twelve military officers and board executives sat in sharp, formal silence.
The door slammed open.
Hadrek Vorinn stepped in—perfectly pressed suit, thunder in his eyes.
Hadrek (low, lethal):
"Who. Let. This. Happen?"
No one moved.
Hadrek (sharper, louder):
"Thirty-two billion credits in hardware. Classified neurotech. Three vault layers. Gone. And not a single one of you saw it coming?"
A general cleared his throat, trying to stand.
General:
"Sir, it was... unexpected. The infiltration was surgical. We've traced—"
Hadrek (grabbing his collar, slamming him against the holo-screen):
"Surgical? This was an execution. Whoever did this knew exactly where to hit. They didn't guess. They followed blueprints. Who gave them the map?"
The screen cracked behind the general's back.
From the corner, a calm voice cut in.
Souris Vorinn (coolly):
"Calm down, Hadrek. Barking won't bring your ghosts back."
Hadrek (not turning to face him):
"You're still breathing in my company, Souris, because your contracts keep printing money. Don't confuse that with immunity."
Souris (chuckling darkly):
"And you're still standing because I made sure half the Defense Council depends on your weapons."
The room went quiet. Everyone knew this wasn't just family bickering—this was old power flexing muscle.
------
Just then, the doors reopened.
Kael Vorinn stepped inside. His face carried a thin cut from the earlier . No guards. No flair. Just silent steel.
Hadrek's tone changed instantly.
Hadrek (almost proud):
"Kael. Still bruised. Still here. That's my boy."
He crossed the room, placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder.
Hadrek:
"You could've stayed home. Nursed your wounds. But no—you came. That's the mark of a man who understands legacy."
Kael (flatly):
"I didn't come for the company."
Hadrek (smiling slightly):
"No. You came for your future. Same thing."
Before Kael could respond, Souris stood, adjusting his cufflinks.
Souris (to Kael):
"I know you're not here for empire or power. You're here because of Rayne."
Kael's eyes narrowed—slightly caught off guard.
Souris:
"And I'm happy. But jealous too. I used to have a friend like you, once."
He glanced at Hadrek. The tension between them wasn't just business—it was old, buried pain.
Souris (softly):
"Our glory faded with time. I miss those days."
He stepped forward, lightly clapping Kael's arm.
Souris:
"Don't worry. You can leave now. This meeting's for old men , not young fire."
Kael paused. Then:
Kael:
"But I need those videos."
Souris (stiffening):
"Why?"
Kael:
"Because the guy in them... was the one who took Rayne."
A quiet beat passed. Souris nodded in understanding.
He looked toward Hadrek.
Souris:
"He's not here to spy. Let him have them."
Hadrek sighed, but didn't argue.
Hadrek:
"You want the footage? Fine. It's in your Conn already. I had it sent the moment you walked in."
Kael (surprised):
"You expected me to ask?"
Hadrek (smirking):
"I expected you to act like my son."
Souris: "Do what you will. But tread carefully."
------
The wind sliced past as Soy rode through the lower tunnels on a stolen prototype hover-bike. His armor was cracked, and blood still caked his wrist from the fight with Echo-17. But his eyes burned sharp.
Tichala (over comms):
"Soy… Are you sure about this? Rayne won't be happy seeing you drag him in."
Seer'ah (calmly):
"He'll kill you, Soy. Stop teasing him. Just bring him back in one piece."
Soy smirked, popping a stashed stim tablet.
Soy: "Relax. I'm his sunshine."
—
He found Rayne cuffed in a containment cell, eyes dull with rage and hunger.
Soy leaned in, slapped him lightly.
Soy: "Wakey wakey, princeling."
Rayne (dry mouth):
"I'll kill you."
Soy (grinning):
"Now that's gratitude."
He threw a protein bar at him. Rayne devoured it like a starved dog. Soy just watched, head tilted.
Rayne:
"This… this was your plan from the start, wasn't it? You people tracked me like prey—kidnapped me like some lab rat!"
Soy (chuckling):
"Bro, please. You think this was random? We've had eyes on you for three years. We know everything. When you wake up. When you sleep. When you eat. When you… you know. Even your pepe size—though honestly? That's disappointing."
Rayne (fuming):
"I'll kill you for this."
Soy:
"You tried. Now hop on."
He dragged Rayne to the bike. Rayne struggled, but he was cuffed and weak.
Rayne:
"You knew I'd be at that plaza. How?"
Soy:
"You go there every last day of the month. Sit there. Cry. Look at a burned building where no one died. You think no one noticed?"
Rayne:
"Don't you dare step there again."
Soy (playfully serious):
"Chill. I didn't touch anything. Just… pissed on the wall."
Rayne's eyes turned feral. With unexpected strength, he kneed Soy in the groin.
Soy (yelping):
"OHHH—man! My future kids just evaporated!"
Rayne (smirking):
"Good."
Then he headbutted him. Soy staggered but caught himself.
Soy (laughing):
"God, I missed this chaotic energy."
Rayne spat on him.
Soy (wiping his face):
"That's hot. You trying to flirt?"
Rayne launched himself at Soy. Despite being cuffed, he wrapped his legs around Soy's neck, choking him out. The hover-bike wobbled violently.
Soy gasped, trying to break free.
Soy:
"My balls… my lungs… all dying together…"
He collapsed to the ground, Rayne pinning him.
Rayne (furious):
Rayne (screaming):
"I HATE YOU! I hate your team! I hate Seer'ah! I hate these machines! I hate the Dravh'ari! I hate the humans! I hate the rebels! I hate the leaders! I hate the liars!"
His voice cracked into something inhuman. He wasn't just angry—he was unraveling.
Rayne (eyes burning):
"I hate those who let it happen…
I hate those who smiled and moved on…
I hate the stars for watching…
I hate the world for surviving without her…
I hate this life for continuing.
I hate myself for still breathing.
I hate everything.
Every system. Every person. Every being who dares to be alive."
Rayne (voice shaking, eyes wild):
"I hate them.
I hate the men who laughed while they ate her flesh.
I hate the dogs who tore her apart, like she was nothing.
I hate the ones who took her, again and again, and called it victory.
I hate the system that let it happen.
I hate the people who turned away.
I hate the guards who heard her scream and chose silence.
I hate those who let her die as a body, not a person.
I hate the rules, the walls, the names, the laws.
I hate you,
I hate me,
I hate everyone who still breathes like this world is clean.
I hate the sun for rising.
I hate the stars for watching.
I hate the system.
The system.
THE SYSTEM.
It made her suffering normal. It made my silence survivable.
And now… I don't want to survive."
For a second—just one—he looked like something torn out of time. Broken. Scorched. Hollowed.
Soy (hoarse, choked):
"…What about Kael?"
Rayne froze mid-choke.
Soy:
"Your best friend. The only one still looking for you. Do you hate him too?"
Soy: "He's breaking himself to find you. You really hate everyone? Even the ones who never left you?"
Rayne's grip shook. His breath faltered. Silence.
And in that hesitation, Soy moved fast—flipping the hold and landing a clean, brutal punch to Rayne's jaw.
THWACK.
Rayne collapsed, finally out.
Soy (panting):
"…And you say I'm dramatic."
He lifted Rayne over his shoulder, muttering as he mounted the bike.
Soy (quiet):
"We all scream, Rayne. Just some of us… have no voice left."
------
Later, at the base:
Seer'ah: "That him?"
Soy: "Yup. Little accident."
James: "No one's following?"
Soy: "Just his bad attitude."
Rayne groaned awake.
Soy: "Welcome to the war, rich boy."
---
End of Chapter 11 – The Price of Escape
And beneath Sector 7, in a cell lit by electric dust…filled with darkness , Needle whispered: "I'm still here."