Augment: 2370

Chapter 2

Axel pressed his back against the cold, crumbling wall, trying to quiet his breathing. The faint glow of his newly formed tattoos pulsed under his skin, sending shivers up his spine. He stared down at his hands again-white lines like circuitry mapping across his veins, subtle but impossible to ignore. What the hell had happened to him?

Outside, the muffled voices of the Darkfangs echoed in the alley. They weren't far, but the sound was distorted by the rain pattering on the shattered roof above him. Axel wiped the sweat from his forehead, his mind racing. He needed a plan. He couldn't run forever, especially now that something inside him was changing.

The sound of a door creaking open snapped him out of his thoughts. Axel's muscles tensed, his hands clenching into fists. Slowly, a figure entered the abandoned building-a Darkfang scout. The man moved cautiously, his eyes scanning the dimly lit interior, a pistol clutched tightly in his hand.

Axel crouched lower, his heart pounding against his chest. He needed to get out, but the exit was blocked. His eyes darted to a rusted metal pipe lying a few feet away.

The scout took another step, his boots crunching on broken glass. Axel's grip on the pipe tightened, adrenaline flooding his system. He had to make a move.

Just as the scout turned his head in Axel's direction, Axel sprang forward, swinging the pipe with all his strength. It connected with a sickening crack, and the scout crumpled to the ground. Axel's breathing was heavy, but he didn't have time to waste. He grabbed the scout's pistol and shoved it into his jacket before slipping back into the shadows.

The rain was coming down harder now, making the alleys slick and dangerous. Axel moved quickly, the weight of his new abilities bearing down on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, even though he couldn't see anyone nearby. The city always had eyes-whether they belonged to the gangs, the cops, or the corporations.

He needed to disappear, at least for a while. But where could he go? Every hideout he knew would be compromised soon enough. The Tempest and Darkfangs would have already spread word of his new... condition.

Axel's mind flickered to the underground-a loose network of people who lived outside corporate control, people who didn't care about power or money, just freedom. He didn't know much about them, but it was his only option. He had no choice.

---

Across the city, Miria sat in the dimly lit control room of a Neo Cividus facility, her eyes scanning the multiple holo-screens in front of her. She leaned back in her chair, the tension in her muscles easing slightly. Her target, the third Augment, was somewhere in the slums. The Kilronomia prototype had been stolen, and now it had bonded with some street kid.

A kid who had no idea what kind of power he was wielding.

Her orders were clear-find the Augment, neutralize the threat, and recover the Kilronomia. It was the usual assignment for her. As a Tank Born, she had been created for jobs like this, honed for efficiency. But something about this mission felt... different. The reports she'd received from the scouts were disjointed, chaotic. Axel Vain was unpredictable, and that made him dangerous.

Miria exhaled, brushing a lock of silver-white hair from her face. She would give him time-enough to run, to feel safe, but not too much. The hunt was always more rewarding when the prey thought they had a chance.

"Coordinates uploaded," a voice chimed through her earpiece. "He's on the move again. Should we deploy now?"

Miria tapped her fingers on the armrest, considering the options. She wanted to see how far Axel could go. She wanted to see what this so-called Augment was capable of before making her move.