The woods pulsed with menace as a low, guttural laugh slithered through the trees, Shade's blade catching slivers of moonlight that pierced the clouded sky. Aadi's hand shook on the pistol, blood dripping from his stitched calf, the hum in his chest a wild, desperate roar—fight or reset, no time. Manisha stood rigid beside him, the rusted pipe raised, her bloodied arm trembling but her eyes blazing with defiance. Neha clutched the notebook, her bruised temple throbbing, her breath shallow as she leaned against a gnarled trunk, the faint glow of the facility's flood lights fading behind them. The air was thick with pine and damp earth, but the scent of blood—theirs, Shade's—hung heavier, a promise of what was coming.
"You think you've slipped the noose, don't you, kid?" Shade's voice was a slow, venomous drawl, each word dripping with cruel amusement as he stepped closer, his limp slight but his blade steady, blood crusted on its edge from their factory clash. "Axiom's jaws don't open once they clamp."
Aadi's jaw clenched, the hum screaming—he knows too much. "You're bleeding just like us," he spat, steadying the pistol despite the fire in his calf. "Talk's cheap—back off, or you're done."
Shade's scarred face twisted into a grin, his milky eye glinting like a dead star, the other burning with malice. "Done? Oh, boy, I'm just warming up. You're limping meat, and your friends are scraps. Drop the toy, or I'll skin you slow."
Manisha stepped forward, pipe gripped like a spear, her voice a low growl. "Try it, creep. We'll bury you first."
Shade's blade twirled, a lazy arc that belied its threat. "Bury me? Sweetheart, I'm the one who digs graves. Yours is waiting—just say when."
Neha's voice cut through, soft but sharp, her eyes narrowing despite the haze of pain. "He's alone. No backup—yet. We take him, we buy time."
Aadi's pulse surged, the hum syncing with her words—time, always time. East ridge was hours away, the 3 a.m. drop their only lead, but Shade was the blade at their throats now. He nodded, the pistol's weight a vow. "Together," he whispered. "Hit hard, no mercy."
Shade lunged, a blur of steel and shadow, blade slashing for Aadi's chest. The hum roared, slowing the world—Aadi twisted, the blade grazing his shoulder, blood welling hot and fast. He fired, the pistol's crack splitting the night—Shade ducked, the bullet splintering a tree, bark flying. Manisha swung the pipe, a brutal arc that caught Shade's ribs—bone crunched, and he staggered, snarling, but slashed back, the blade slicing her thigh. She screamed, stumbling, blood soaking her jeans, but swung again, pipe glancing off his shoulder.
Neha hurled a rock, her aim shaky but true—it cracked against Shade's wrist, his blade dipping for a split second. Aadi seized it, tackling Shade, the pistol clattering as they hit the dirt. The hum drove him—fists slammed into Shade's jaw, blood spraying, but Shade's knee drove into Aadi's calf, tearing stitches. Pain blinded him, a raw howl ripping free as he rolled off, blood gushing, his leg a useless ruin.
Shade rose, blade flashing—Manisha dove, pipe cracking against his knee. He buckled, cursing, but grabbed her arm, twisting until bone snapped. Her scream pierced the night, the pipe falling as she crumpled, clutching her broken arm, tears streaming. Neha rushed forward, no weapon, just fury—she clawed at Shade's hood, tearing it back, revealing a scarred face, one eye milky, the other burning with hate.
"Pathetic," Shade spat, shoving Neha down, her head hitting a root—she gasped, still, blood trickling from her nose. He raised the blade, aiming for her heart, his voice a venomous hiss. "Time's up, little bird. Scream for me."
Aadi screamed, crawling, the hum a frantic wail—reset, now, do it. A shot rang out—not his pistol. Shade jerked, blood blooming on his chest, the blade dropping as he staggered back. Another figure emerged from the trees—Kael, pistol smoking, their scarf loose, goggles glinting in the moonlight. "Stand down, Shade," they snapped, voice cold. "You're done."
Shade coughed, blood bubbling at his lips, but his grin held, twisted and defiant. "Kael… you backstabbing rat. Axiom I'll flay you for this."
Kael fired again—Shade's head snapped back, and he collapsed, a lifeless heap in the dirt. The woods fell silent, save for Aadi's ragged breaths, Manisha's sobs, and Neha's faint groan as she stirred. Aadi dragged himself to them, the hum a broken pulse, his calf leaking blood, his vision swimming—no reset, not yet.
Kael stepped closer, pistol lowered but ready, his voice flat. "You're a pain, kid. Lucky I was tracking him, not you."
Aadi glared up, clutching the dirt, the hum flickering. "Why? You're Axiom—why help?"
Kael's goggles hid their eyes, but his jaw tightened. "Not your friend. Shade was rogue—too reckless, drawing eyes. Command wants you alive, not him. Doesn't mean you're free."
Manisha hissed, cradling her broken arm, blood dripping from her thigh. "Go to hell—get us out, or I'll—"
"You'll what?" Kael cut in, holstering the pistol. "Bleed out? Your call." He tossed a small medkit from their belt, landing near Aadi. "Patch up. Move fast—Axiom's not far. East ridge, 3 a.m.? You're walking into a trap."
Aadi's blood ran cold, the hum spiking—he knows. "How—"
"Shade talked," Kael said, turning away. "Too much. Cell 7's ready—baited you clean. Good luck, kid. You'll need it." They melted into the trees, gone as fast as he'd come.
Aadi crawled to the medkit, hands shaking, ripping it open—gauze, tape, a syringe of painkiller. He jabbed the needle into his thigh, the burn dulling his calf's agony, then tossed bandages to Manisha. "Wrap your leg—help Neha."
She nodded, teeth gritted, taping her thigh as she dragged herself to Neha, who coughed, sitting up, blood smearing her face. "Aadi… we're alive?"
"Barely," he muttered, binding his calf, blood soaking the gauze. The hum steadied, a vow—east ridge, trap or not, we hit them. "Neha, the notebook—frequency, code. Still got it?"
She fumbled, pulling the notebook, pages torn but intact. "142.7… 4-7-2-9. It's here."
Manisha's voice shook, her broken arm limp. "A trap? After this? We're shredded, Aadi."
He met her eyes, the hum a fire he wouldn't let die. "We've got no choice. Cell 7's our shot—trap or not, we take it. I'm bait, like always. You flank, hit hard. I reset if it breaks."
Neha wiped blood from her nose, her voice faint but fierce. "Ramesh's code worked. His intel's good. We can do this."
Manisha snorted, pain lacing her smirk. "Crazy bastards. Fine—let's burn them down."
Aadi stood, leaning on a branch, the pistol reclaimed, the hum a war drum. "East ridge by noon—scout, set up. 3 a.m.'s ours." Shade's body lay still, a warning of Axiom's reach, but Kael's betrayal was a crack—trust breaks them. The ridge was a gamble, a trap, a chance. He'd reset a thousand times to make it right.