TIME : T-47:35 → T-46:20
Dumpsters stacked a maze in the alley.
Rusted metal spikes pointed up, like fangs.
I panted, right shoulder probably cracked, blood and glass soaking my tac-suit, heavy as lead.
Rhea crouched beside me, Orchid to her eye scanning the entrance: "…three… all hybrids…"
At the alley mouth, Cook, flashlight girl, chicken-kid—pupils flickering, gliding forward silent.
"Fuck…" I rasped, groping my waist—half a tactical knife left.
Fuck! Even the blade snapped.
Rhea pressed something into my hand—EMP grenade, black iron, copper coils rough.
"Cover me." She whispered, melting into dumpster shadows.
Cook lunged!
Bone blade slashing for my neck!
I dropped, rolling, snatching a broken chair leg—wood splinters biting my palm, carved Chinese stool leg.
Swung it full-circle into his knee!
CRACK!
He staggered, blade deflecting, grazing my cheek—slitting a line, blood welling.
Girl struck, nails lengthening—black, keratin-hard.
I hurled the leg at her hand!
CLANG!
Splinters flew, her grip didn't falter, clamped my ankle—hydraulic strength!
Ghk! I wrenched my leg, boot half-torn, sock shredded, three gashes on my foot—stinging.
Kid leapt onto a dumpster, looming, throat clicking.
Fuck! Triple flanking!
Rhea exploded upward!
Orchid jammed into the force-field pillar—
ZZT-PAK!
Blue sparks erupted, field flickered dead 0.5 seconds!
"Kai! Go!" She roared.
I sprinted deeper—
Dumpster gaps narrow as coffins.
Rot and iron stench choking me.
Cook pursued, blade whooming for my neck!
I kicked off the wall, grabbing shattered glass—
Jade curtain shard, serrated like shark teeth.
Slashed upward at his throat!
HISS-SLASH!
Glass-on-flesh—wet, sticky, with tracheal hiss.
Blue gel spurted my face—cold, almond-scented.
He clutched his neck, staggering, pupils flickering.
Throat hissing: "…pain feedback… 99.5%…"
Girl dove from the side!
I flung glass at her eye!
She dodged—too slow.
Glass grazed her lid, slitting a line, blood beading—hanging 0.3 seconds (gravity disrupted).
Kid dropped, hand grabbing my ankle—
Nails driving for my Achilles!
Fuck!
I roared, jamming the EMP into his mouth!
"Three…"
He bit down, copper coils sparking blue.
"Two…"
I yanked free—
"One—!"
BOOM!!!
EMP detonated, blue-white arcs crackling!
Kid convulsed, pupils fizzing gray-white.
Cook lunged, blade wild.
I stepped back, spine hitting a dumpster—
On top, a discarded hydraulic clamp, black iron, jaws dripping blue gel.
Marcus's "gentle scalpel."
Fuck! Heaven-sent!
I snatched it, jaws clicking shut on his bone blade!
CRUNCH—!!!
Blade shattered!
Blue gel and bone shards spraying.
He froze.
Pupils snapping to pinpricks.
Now.
I swung the clamp into his temple!
CLANG!
He staggered, clamp slipping.
I twisted his wrist, clamp reversed, jaws aiming at his pineal copper ring!
Thumb mashed the lever—
Click!
Ring loosened half a millimeter.
He froze.
Sclera flickered cloudy.
"Cook!" I yelled, voice tearing. "Red-bean buns—less sugar!"
His throat pulsed: "…Xiao… Ya…"
Jaws tightened—
CRACK!
Copper ring popped free!
Blue gel blooped, he convulsed, pupils fading to cloudy human eyes.
Last whisper: "…tell… Xiao Ya…"
Hand fell.
At the entrance, girl retreated, hand over her eye—blood seeping between fingers—dark red threaded with blue (hybrid blood).
She fled.
Rhea emerged, boots crunching glass—grit-grit.
"97.5%." She panted. "They're almost full."
I released the clamp, copper ring still in my fist.
Looked down—boot half-gone, sock shredded, foot gashes stinging.
Alley end, an iron door ajar.
"B3." Rhea pointed. "Data Spire."
I wiped my face, sweat and blood gumming my eyes.
Looked up—
Sunset pierced clouds, lighting Eidolon's spires—jade patina peeling, revealing silver nano-skeletons beneath.
T-46:20.
Minute Twelve: complete.
Clamp still dripping blue gel.
But in my palm—
Half a loosened copper ring.
Thanks for surviving the garbage alley maze. When Kai jammed the EMP into the kid's mouth—did you hold your breath? 💣
Comment "💣"—1 winner gets Hydraulic Clamp Takedown Physics Breakdown!
Fear peak: 97.5%. Still rising. #Chrono60