The heavy breathing behind them wasn't human. It was a rhythmic, pressurized exhalation coupled with the horrifying sound of metal scraping metal, getting steadily louder.
"We're not alone," the Original whispered urgently, twisting around in the narrow duct.
"I know!" Kael hissed, frantically fumbling with the loose vent latch beneath them. "We don't have time—get ready to kick this open and drop!"
The scraping intensified. A low, crimson light flickered into existence in the absolute blackness behind the Original. It wasn't the uniform beam of a drone, but a single, angry optical sensor.
Then, a low, guttural voice—synthesized and eerily calm—filled the duct, amplified by the confined space.
"DESIGNATED TARGET IDENTIFIED. HALT AND COMPLY."
A monstrous form materialized in the beam of the red light. It was a Hunter Unit, a specialized security construct built for tight-space tracking. It wasn't human-sized; its frame was long and articulated like a gigantic insect, built to snake through the utility tunnels. Its primary limbs ended in razor-sharp, multi-jointed claws designed to grip and tear.
"It's a G-5 Hunter!" Kael shouted. "They're virtually indestructible up close!"
The Hunter Unit lunged. The Original barely had time to throw their arms up. The metallic creature's claw missed their head by inches, instead ripping a jagged, screaming hole through the sheet metal of the duct just above them. Sparks rained down.
The sudden breach of the duct's integrity was catastrophic. The shaft shrieked as the metal warped, and the support structure groaned ominously.
"Kael, open that vent now!" the Original yelled, scrambling back, using their feet to brace against the Hunter's relentless forward crawl.
The Original had nothing but their bare hands and sheer desperation. As the Hunter raised a second, segmented arm, the Original saw their chance. They kicked out, catching the creature right in the centralized optical sensor.
CRACK!
The red light shattered. The synthetic voice distorted into a high-pitched electronic whine: "CRITICAL SENSOR DAMAGE. RECALIBRATING."
The temporary blindness bought them a crucial three seconds. Kael simultaneously shoved the latch open. With a heavy groan of rusty hinges, the vent cover dropped, revealing a vertical shaft leading down into darkness and the smell of industrial soap.
"Jump!" Kael screamed, shoving the Original through the opening.
The Original dropped, falling into the black abyss. Kael followed immediately, the metallic screams and grinding claws of the enraged Hunter Unit echoing just above them.
They landed hard, tumbling onto a massive, rotating metal cage—the industrial drum of a high-capacity cleaning machine. They were in the main laundry drop-off point, exactly where Kael had planned.
As the Original scrambled off the rolling drum, they looked up. The Hunter Unit had breached the vent completely, its segmented body hanging halfway out, snarling and calculating its next move.
"TARGET ACQUIRED. TERMINATION SEQUENCE INITIATED."
The Hunter was preparing to drop. They had mere seconds before the metal spectre landed on them.
They've made it out of the duct but are now exposed in a large, industrial area with a lethal Hunter Unit about to drop on them.