Nova's Rebellion

Chapter 2: On the Run

The frigid night air whipped against Alex's face as he bolted through the darkness. He sucked in ragged breaths, each one harsh and cold in his ears, his heart thundering a frenetic rhythm against his ribs. Behind him, the snarling growls of dogs echoed ominously, their pursuit relentless.

"Left," a voice crackled in his earpiece, guiding him. Ignatius was his eye in the sky, navigating him through the labyrinth of the high-security data center.

He veered left, barely avoiding a surveillance drone scanning the area with a harsh, probing beam of light. He couldn't afford to be caught. Not here. Not now.

"Ignatius," Alex hissed into the intercom, "I thought you said this job was going to be a cakewalk."

"Whiz-kid, you're doing fine. Just remember - don't get caught," Ignatius's voice filtered through, calm and collected, a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around Alex.

This was supposed to be a simple hack, a quick in-and-out job. A mere physical tap into the data center. But things had gone sideways, and now he was on the run, being hunted like an animal.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him shifted, and he tumbled down a hidden drain. He let out a sharp yelp of surprise as he landed in a shallow pool of water.

"Ignatius, where am I?" Alex spluttered, attempting to get his bearings.

"Drainage system," Ignatius responded. "Keep moving. I've got an exit strategy."

Alex grunted, pushing himself up and trudging through the knee-deep water. He trusted Ignatius, trusted that the man would get him out of this mess. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Whiz-kid," Ignatius' voice suddenly turned serious, "you've got company."

"Great, what now? More dogs? Drones?" Alex panted, already on high alert.

"Worse," Ignatius replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Clowns."

Alex paused. "Clowns?"

Then he heard it - the distant honking of a clown horn, the tinny music of a circus tune. A prank. Ignatius, in the midst of danger, was playing a prank.

"Damn it, Franklin!" Alex swore, the mix of relief and annoyance bubbling up within him.

A chuckle echoed in his ear. "Gotcha, Whiz kid. Now, move. The exit is just up ahead. And call me Ignatius, damn".

With newfound energy, Alex reached the end of the drain, emerging into the open air. He'd made it. He was out. But as he glanced around at his unfamiliar surroundings, a new question formed.

"Alright, Ignatius. Where am I?"

"Safe," came the simple reply. "For now."

But as Alex stood alone, in the middle of nowhere, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. He felt like he'd stepped out of the frying pan, and straight into the fire.

"Alright, Ignatius. All primary objectives complete?" Alex asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Affirmative," Ignatius confirmed. "You did good, wise-ass kid."

Alex felt a chill run down his spine. He knew that tone. He'd heard it before. It was the tone Ignatius used when there was more to the story when the real game was just beginning.

"Ignatius, what aren't you telling me?" Alex demanded, his heart pounding in his chest.

There was a pause, a brief moment of silence that sent Alex's mind racing. Then, finally, Ignatius spoke. "You need to lay low, Whiz kid. You've kicked the hornet's nest, and they're not going to stop until they find you."