Suddenly, the suit expanded to full size right in front of Scott, startling him. He stared in shock at the very outfit he had worn before.
At the same time, a swarm of ants appeared from nowhere, forming a countdown on the ground—ten… nine… eight…
Scott heard footsteps approaching—the police were coming.
Realizing what was happening, he wasted no time. He quickly put on the suit, and at the very last second of the countdown, slammed the helmet on and pressed the button on his right hand.
Whoosh!
He shrank instantly.
At that exact moment, a police officer passed by the cell—only to find it completely empty.
Meanwhile, Scott had already slipped past the officer's feet and made his escape.
"A wise choice. Looks like you're finally getting it, kid."
The old man's voice guided him, directing him where to go.
Alarms blared throughout the station as soon as the officer realized Scott had vanished. Within seconds, the entire precinct was thrown into chaos.
Following the route to the back exit, Scott finally made it outside.
"I'm out. What now?"
He jumped down the steps and asked urgently.
"Not so fast…"
The old man's voice came through the earpiece.
Suddenly, a swarm of ants surrounded Scott.
Behind him, the police station erupted into activity.
"Lock down the entire building—now!"
Officers scrambled in full gear, searching for Scott.
But Scott was already on the verge of losing it.
Insects—arguably the most terrifying creatures on Earth—only seemed harmless because of their size. But now, standing among ants as large as humans, Scott felt sheer, primal terror.
"Back off! Oh hell no—!!"
He nearly broke down. The sight alone was enough to shatter his sanity.
"Scott, these are just my assistants. Relax."
The voice remained calm.
An ant with a small camera mounted on its back stepped forward, studying Scott curiously.
Around him, the ants waved their antennae, gathering his pheromones—learning his scent.
Unlike humans, insects identified allies and enemies through pheromones. It was a far more precise system than human recognition, which relied heavily on sight and could easily be deceived.
But pheromones?
They didn't lie.
Each individual had a unique chemical signature—impossible to replicate under normal circumstances.
"Well… if you say so… So where's the car? I don't see anything."
Scott assumed he'd be driving out of here—even if it was a toy car.
"A car? Useless for you. We're flying."
Before Scott could react—
A loud buzzing filled the air, like a helicopter.
A winged ant swooped overhead and landed in front of him, kicking up a gust of wind.
Scott collapsed to the ground, frozen in fear.
A giant flying ant.
That was new.
On its back was a small saddle-like device, clearly meant for riding.
"Get on. Like riding a horse. I think you'll enjoy it."
"You've got to be kidding me. Ride THAT? You've got jokes—seriously!!"
Scott backed away, refusing to get closer. The ant's glossy exoskeleton gleamed like armor, and its massive mandibles looked more than capable of tearing him apart.
"Get on it. Or do you want to go back to jail?"
The voice grew impatient.
Left with no choice, Scott forced himself—despite nearly wetting his pants—to climb onto the flying ant.
Just then, police burst out of the back door.
None of them noticed as a tiny flying insect slipped past them unnoticed.
Who would pay attention to a bug?
Especially at night.
---
Police cars flooded the streets, lights flashing as they searched the area.
Meanwhile, Scott clung to the insect as it landed briefly on the window of a patrol car.
"Why are we still near police cars? Can't this thing just fly us out of here?"
"Just catching a ride. Easier to get past the perimeter—they're looking for you."
"Alright… what now?"
"Hold tight."
"That I can do. Like riding a horse, right? Pull up to go up, left to go—"
"You're pulling too hard. 247 is losing balance. Ease up."
Scott blinked. "247? You named it 247?"
"It doesn't have a name. That's its designation. Do you have any idea how many ants there are?"
Suddenly, a gust of wind hit.
The ant wobbled violently and was blown upward. For insects, even a mild breeze could be catastrophic.
"Hold on—hold on! I think I've got it! This is AWESOME!!"
Scott whooped with excitement, imagining himself as a dragon rider soaring through the skies.
"Just so you know—I'm controlling it, not you."
That killed the mood instantly.
"…What?! Then can I make one small request? Just one—"
"No."
The response was immediate and merciless.
The flying ant sped through the city, weaving past buses, newspapers, and even a woman swatting at it, before finally catching an updraft from a drainage pipe and stabilizing itself once more.
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