Glitch in the God Complex (AmpCore #1)

12 - The Worst Idea Ever

Kirk didn't want to look. 

He really, really did not want to turn around and face the thing, but he knew had to.

With aching slowness, as though a sudden movement might trigger the codewraith to come and tear him to pieces, he started to turn around. He pivoted to stand alongside Arden, taking great care not to make a sound as he looked down the narrow alleyway.

The codewraith skulked there, framed by the dull building walls, the leaking neon glow from the city skyline giving it an eerie aura. This one looked very different to the crazed creature that had chased him and Piper through the streets – humanoid, but skinny, almost like a metal skeleton.

Right now it's three bulbous yellow eye-lights were level with him, but Kirk could see the hunch of its spine, bent over like an animal. If it uncurled it would have towered over him. Its limbs were like blades, thin and gleaming in the gloom. Misfiring sparks crackled through its chest cavity and another undulating shriek of corrupted code ripped through the alley.

A glint of metal caught the corner of his eye and he glanced to his left. Arden had her gun out now, levelled at the thing. It started prowling towards them, those horrible long limbs flicking and probing like a spider.

"Kirk," Arden whispered. "What do we do?"

Kirk shook his head. His heart was slamming against his ribcage and he could feel his breath quickening. Last time the wraith had just attacked, and he had just reacted. It had been easier – instinctive. Now the thing was creeping towards them, forcing him to confront the twisted reality of what was happening.

"I don't think it's after us," he answered, speaking as quietly as he could, certain that the smallest hint of attention would bring the wraith crashing down on them.

"You can't know that!"

Kirk gulped down the lump of fear in his throat and glanced back. The Russell home was just visible in the tangle of houses, marked out by the glow of the repair-works sign.

"I think it's heading for your house."

"Why?"

"Last place they saw Piper." He gave her a nervous glance. "And if they really are after her...?"

"Oh my God." Arden exhaled, her finger tightening around the trigger. "S-so what now?"

"Move slow," Kirk told her, trying not to let it show just how terrified he was. "There's a gap in the buildings a few meters back. We can slip in there, and we'll be out of the way."

The wraith scuttled a few steps forward, its thin head twitching and cocking to one side. The yellow lenses swivelled and whirred. Kirk swallowed hard. Even without pupils he felt the thing staring right at him. Something analogous to a jaw gnashed beneath the eyes, creating a horrible grind of metal on metal.

With a gentle grip on Arden's shoulder, he started edging backwards. She shuffled awkwardly with him, still keeping the gun trained on the wraith. Kirk just hoped, if it came to that, that she knew what she was doing.

Then her heel struck a glass bottle.

It wasn't even that loud. Just a faint tinkle as at spun across the concrete of the alley.

The wraith's head section snapped towards her. The strange metal mouth opened and a shriek erupted with enough volume to shatter the nearby windows. Then it charged.

Arden screamed and squeezed the trigger.

The bang of the gun was deafening in such close quarters, and he heard the sharp clang of the bullet striking the wraith. Something in its upper torso sparked and fizzled but it didn't slow down.