The gunfight didn't last long—in fact, it burned out almost immediately.
Once Arthur and Jackie's shots grew sharper, they quickly seized control of the fight.
If this had been nothing more than a regular Maelstrom hideout, the resistance wouldn't have seemed unusual. But with the place backed by a major corporation, its defenses felt far too weak.
Maybe that was because they'd already destroyed the turret.
When the gunfire finally ceased, Arthur and Jackie stepped out from cover.
Arthur scanned the area and grabbed a rifle from one of the corpses.
A Copperhead. Mass-produced junk from Norco Arms.
Not meant as an insult—back in the last century, the rifle that saturated the market like this was the AK-47.
He crouched and stripped three magazines from the body before he and Jackie resumed their search.
The objective hadn't changed: find that damned lab.
They gave a quick look at the rooms along the iron stairway circling the hall.
Only sleeping quarters and some slaughterhouse gear—nothing worth attention.
As always, the real secrets were hidden underground.
When they found a passage leading down, it was sealed off by a massive steel gate.
A flashing red light on it blinked like an obnoxious car alarm.
"This door… doesn't look like it's opening anytime soon."
Jackie slapped it twice. The echo rang heavy, like striking solid stone.
"Guess we'll have to use that blasted hole."
They had spotted the gaping hole upstairs earlier. The floor sagged downward, rebar jutting out, sparks flickering across its edges.
They approached cautiously. Below was nearly pitch black, lit only by the occasional spark that flared across a corner.
The slab of concrete had been pulverized by the explosion and now dangled loosely between the first floor and the basement.
Arthur and Jackie exchanged a look, then began climbing down along the broken flooring.
It looked unstable, but the cracks offered footholds.
If they moved carefully, it would hold—so long as there wasn't another collapse.
The blast had knocked out power below. Only scattered, flickering emergency lights struggled to illuminate the vast space.
It resembled a server room. Box-shaped machines lay toppled and scattered across the floor.
The damage was worse here. Despite being far from the blast's center, the walls had caved in.
Through a breach in one wall, they slipped into a side corridor.
Eerie green emergency lights glowed faintly at the corners. The far end lay in total blackness, like a gateway straight to hell.
The silence was suffocating, broken only by the occasional crackle of electricity behind them.
"Shit, I'd rather face a firing squad than this."
Jackie's voice echoed down the corridor.
He hunched his shoulders as goosebumps prickled across his skin.
Arthur raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to stay quiet. No telling what lurked in the dark—it was best not to announce their position.
They checked both sides. The corridors were nearly identical, except the one on the left was shorter.
Arthur didn't hesitate—he led them left.
Even with cautious steps, the scrape of their soles on the ground sounded loud. The silence here was crushing.
As they rounded the corner, only darkness greeted them—no light at all.
Then, two crimson points flared in the blackness.
The glow of cybernetic eyes.
"Well, look what I've found—two lost rats."
Arthur and Jackie raised their guns instantly. The faint sparks from their muzzles barely lit the figure ahead.
A hulking man, nearly as tall and broad as Jackie, with arms so long they nearly dragged the ground.
As expected, the bullets had no effect.
These psychos who turned themselves into melee weapons usually packed subdermal armor thick as tank plating.
Bullets clanged and ricocheted off harmlessly.
Then he charged like a raging bull, footsteps rumbling like a tank.
"Damn bugs—I'll crush you!"
His fury hit them like a gust of wind.
They bolted without hesitation.
A massive metal arm lashed out like a whip, smashing into the corner they'd just passed.
The thick concrete wall cracked apart, chunks crashing to the ground.
Joseph ripped his cyberware free, his glowing red eyes locking onto the fleeing pair once more.
He gave chase.
"What now? Bullets can't pierce this freak's armor."
Jackie's voice was low as they ran, the thunder of destruction pounding behind them.
Luckily, the brute wasn't fast. That gave them a chance to maneuver.
Arthur had no clear solution.
He fired a few shots over his shoulder—pointless—and hurled the rifle aside.
By then, they had reached the room they'd descended through.
Sparks still snapped and flashed. Arthur and Jackie traded a glance.
"You go set it up. I'll keep him busy."
Jackie muttered beneath the gunfire.
This wasn't the time to argue about who had the riskier job.
Arthur acted fast. He drew the Prelude from his waist and lined up on the monster's eyes.
Two shots fired—both blocked by reinforced arms. He guarded his weak spot.
Arthur wasn't disappointed. He hadn't expected them to land.
In the instant the brute shielded his eyes, Arthur slipped into the adjoining room—the same one they'd crawled through earlier.
"Hey big guy, what'd you do—mod yourself into a pig?"
Jackie's mocking voice rang out. The effect was immediate—the brute went berserk, roaring with rage.
Though he'd only been with Arthur a couple of weeks, Jackie had already learned: swearing meant nothing, but words that struck soft spots cut deep.
Arthur didn't wait to see how Jackie lured him. Instead, he scanned the ceiling.
His target was obvious—the sparks flashing like a beacon in the dark.
Above, in the collapsed concrete floor, a damaged cable jutted out, though most of it remained buried.
Arthur had to pull it free.
He swallowed hard and climbed up the rubble, stopping before the wire.
He drew a deep breath and reached out.
Sparks leapt wildly, the hairs on his arm standing on end—proof the voltage was high.
He felt along the insulation. Only one hand could grip it.
Gathering all his strength, Arthur clenched tight. If he slipped and touched the bare wire, it would be a cruel joke.
Then he pulled.
Once it gave, the cable slid out more easily until it reached the end.
Arthur yanked off his jacket, wrapped it around the sparking tip, and crouched low in the rubble, waiting for the brute to take the bait.
Meanwhile, Jackie sprinted into the longer corridor.
The enraged psycho chased at full tilt, burning energy recklessly. The corner ahead loomed closer.
Counting the seconds in his head, Jackie prayed Arthur's plan would work.
The time he'd bought wasn't much. If it failed, their only option would be to climb back out through the hole.