Caden's Night Skimmer cut through the night sky toward Graven Hollow.
Below him, the city burned with scattered fires and flashing lights. Sirens wailed in the distance while gunfire echoed between buildings.
Eli's voice crackled over the comm.
"Courthouse is two blocks ahead. Rooftop entry should be clear."
Caden nodded beneath his helmet.
"I see it."
The abandoned courthouse stood dark and crumbling in the center of a shattered block. Broken windows, graffiti, barricades in the streets.
He hovered briefly above the roof before lowering the Skimmer silently onto the building.
Caden slipped inside through a shattered skylight.
Inside, the scene was worse than he expected.
Dozens of people sat tied together in the main courtroom, surrounded by armed thugs patrolling the halls.
Caden pulled a small EMP charge from his belt.
"Lights out," he whispered.
He dropped the device.
Pop.
The entire courthouse went dark.
Shouting erupted instantly.
"Power's out!"
"Grab the hostages!"
Caden's night vision activated.
Green outlines filled his visor as he moved silently through the darkness.
One thug dropped before he could react.
Another had his weapon twisted from his hands.
A third collapsed unconscious against a bench.
Caden moved quickly, cutting zip ties and whispering to the hostages.
"Get out. Back door. Go."
They scattered into the night.
Caden released the last hostage when,
ROOOOOAR.
A massive engine thundered through the building.
Caden turned.
A hover truck smashed through the courthouse wall, debris exploding across the room.
Caden dove aside just before it crushed the floor where he had been standing.
The vehicle screeched to a halt.
The door slammed open.
A huge man stepped out, covered in glowing demon-tech armor, metal plating fused with dark alien machinery that pulsed with red energy.
Way too advanced for a normal gang member.
The man charged.
Caden rolled aside and fired an electrical shot from his gauntlet.
The blast hit.
The armored man staggered for half a second.
Caden lunged forward and landed a clean strike,
But the man barely reacted.
The demon-tech absorbed most of the blow.
The giant swung a fist toward Caden's head.
Caden barely dodged.
"Yeah… that's not good."
He fired another shock blast and ran for the exit.
But the armored man was faster.
Heavy footsteps closed the distance behind him,
Then,
BANG.
A gunshot echoed through the courthouse.
The armored man stopped.
For a split second he stood perfectly still,
Then collapsed.
Dead.
Caden didn't wait to investigate.
He sprinted back up the stairwell, launched onto the rooftop, and jumped into the Night Skimmer.
The vehicle lifted instantly.
He hovered above the burning city and opened the comm.
"Eli… I think I'm not alone out here."
"What happened?"
"Some guy in demon-tech armor almost took me out."
A pause.
"And then someone shot him."
Eli's voice sharpened.
"You didn't see who?"
"No."
Caden scanned the rooftops below.
"But someone's watching me."
Eli responded immediately.
"Get home. But don't fly straight back. Zigzag routes. Make it hard to track you."
Caden nodded.
"Got it."
Thirty minutes later, the Skimmer descended back into the bunker.
Caden stepped out, removing his helmet.
"What a night."
Eli leaned back in his chair.
"Yeah… and if someone's taking out demon-tech mercs behind you, that's not random."
Caden frowned.
"You think it's the STF?"
"Either them or the ISB," Eli said. "With all the news coverage, they probably already know something's happening here."
Caden sighed.
"I guess."
He sat down heavily.
"But tomorrow I still have to go back out. The gangs grabbed more hostages after tonight."
Eli nodded slowly.
"Then we investigate."
He looked at Caden seriously.
"But this time… we play it smarter."