The stairwell door slammed behind Arin, the metallic echo rolling down the narrow space like a warning siren. He paused on the landing, chest rising and falling as he tried to control his breathing. The rain outside had faded into a distant hiss, but inside the building, alarms still screamed through hidden speakers. Red emergency lights blinked overhead, painting the grey walls in pulses of danger.
He stepped into the corridor.
The hallway stretched endlessly, lined with glass offices and dark computer screens. Papers lay scattered across the floor, abandoned in a hurry. The city lights outside flickered through the windows, casting moving reflections that made every shadow feel alive.
Arin slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out the metal chip. It was warmer now, almost hot. Thin blue lines of light crawled across its surface like living veins. He frowned. "What are you…?" he whispered.
A low mechanical hum answered him.
The ceiling vents hissed open.
Two security drones descended silently, their black metal bodies hovering in the air. Bright blue beams scanned the floor in steady patterns. Arin crouched instantly, pressing himself against the wall. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he studied the rhythm of the beams — left, right, pause.
Now.
He slid forward on the polished tiles, the light passing just inches above his back. For a moment, he thought he had made it. Then the hallway speakers crackled.
"You cannot run forever, Arin."
His name echoed again, colder the second time. His jaw tightened. Whoever controlled this building knew exactly who he was. Panic tried to rise, but he forced it down. Fear would slow him — and slowing down meant getting caught.
He sprinted toward the emergency exit at the end of the corridor. The chip vibrated violently in his palm, glowing brighter with every step. As he pushed the door open, a gust of cold air rushed in from the stairwell below.
Footsteps echoed from above.
Not drones. Not machines.
Someone human was coming.
Arin didn't look back. He dashed down the stairs two at a time, the red lights flickering like a countdown. The chase wasn't over — it was evolving. And the glowing chip in his hand felt less like stolen tech… and more like a key to something far bigger than he ever imagined.