The sewer tunnel twisted and turned like a labyrinth, damp with the seepage from overhead pipes and slick with ooze. "Go left!" Kaelen hollered, charging through the murky water. Zeph clumsily followed, the constant stream of blue text in his field of vision was a headache-inducing nuisance. Everything was being identified: Rat (Disease Carrier), Water (Contaminated), Kaelen (Heart Rate: 140).
A voice, as if inside his skull, cautioned, "Alert. Heartbeat detected ahead. Three hostile entities. Heavily armed."
"Hold up, Kae!" Zeph urgently whispered, clutching onto Kaelen's jacket.
Kaelen slid to a stop, puzzled. "What's going on?"
"Three guys," Zeph murmured, pointing into the encompassing darkness. "Armed to the teeth. They're waiting for us."
A skeptical frown crossed Kaelen's face. All he could discern were shadows. "You sure about this?"
"Trust this thing in my head," Zeph promised. "It's labeling them 'Obstacles.'"
Suddenly, they were caught in the blinding glare of a spotlight.
"ACP! Drop your weapons!"
Three armored officers stepped out from behind a concrete pillar, rifles ready and pointed at Kaelen's chest.
Slowly, Kaelen lifted his hands. He glanced at Zeph. "When I move, run," he whispered so softly that his lips barely moved.
"No," Zeph whispered back. "They'll shoot you."
"I'll distract them," Kaelen insisted, his body tensing with readiness. He was prepared to sacrifice himself for Zeph's escape. It was in his nature to be the protector.
"Analysis: Kaelen Thorne has a 12% chance of survival," the AI chimed in, matter-of-factly. "This is unacceptable. Host, I request temporary control of motor functions."
The request startled Zeph. "You want to take over?"
"Combat Protocol Alpha. Do you accept?"
The lead officer cocked his rifle. "Get down on your knees!"
Zeph shot a worried glance at Kaelen. Kaelen seemed ready to act, ready to face certain death.
"Do it!" Zeph screamed internally. "Take over!"
"Access Granted."
Zeph felt a jolt like an icy electric shock down his spine. His vision suddenly became crystal clear. His fear dissipated. His body felt foreign, more like a machine than his own.
"Hey!" Zeph bellowed, his voice strangely monotone, as he stepped protectively in front of Kaelen.
"Zeph, move!" Kaelen shouted in panic.
The officer fired his weapon.
Bang.
But Zeph didn't react with panic or fear. Instead, he merely... shifted.
The bullet shot past his ear, missing by a hair's breadth.
Kaelen stared, mouth agape.
Then Zeph moved. But it wasn't the clumsy, stumbling Zeph anymore. He was a whirlwind, charging forward through the water with such speed that it was hard to track his movements.
The second officer fired. Zeph slid on his knees, evading the bullets, and delivered a powerful uppercut to the officer with the heel of his hand.
Crack.
The officer's helmet shattered. He was sent sprawling backward.
The third officer panicked. He tried to aim, but Zeph was already there. Zeph grabbed the gun barrel, twisted it, and kicked the officer in the knee. The bone broke with a sickening crunch.
The leader—the one who fired first—dropped his gun and pulled out a stun baton. He swung at Zeph's head.
Without flinching, Zeph caught the baton. Bare-handed.
Sparks flew. Zeph showed no signs of pain. He stared at the officer with unblinking, glowing blue eyes.
"Inefficient," Zeph remarked, his voice sounding eerily like the AI's.
He punched the officer in the throat. The man crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.
Silence descended upon the tunnel once more.
Zeph stood over the fallen officers. His hand still smoked from the stun baton.
"Threat neutralized. Returning control to Host."
The icy sensation disappeared.
"Whoa!" Zeph reeled back, shaking his hand. "Ouch! That burns!"
Hopping around on one foot, he blew on his burnt palm. "That hurts like hell! Why didn't you tell me that catching a stun baton would hurt?!"
Kaelen didn't find the humor in the situation.
He stood in the water, gazing at Zeph in disbelief. He looked at the three unconscious officers. These were elite police. And Zeph—the clumsy guy who tripped over his own shoelaces just the day before—had taken them down in a matter of seconds.
"Zeph," Kaelen finally spoke, his voice barely audible. "What just happened?"
"I didn't do it!" Zeph cried, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain. "It was the AI! It...it took over."
Kaelen looked at the unconscious leader, struggling to breathe. Then he looked back at Zeph.
For the first time, he wasn't looking at Zeph as his little brother. He was looking at a stranger.
"You moved like a machine," Kaelen murmured.
"I know," Zeph responded, attempting a smile. "Pretty awesome, right? Except for the burnt hand, of course."
Kaelen didn't reciprocate the smile. A chill ran down his spine. He was supposed to be the fighter. The protector. If Zeph could do this… what was his purpose?
"We should get moving," Kaelen suddenly announced. He turned and walked away, not waiting for Zeph.
"Wait up!" Zeph called out, jogging to catch up. "Do you think we can sell their guns?"
Kaelen didn't respond. The shadows in the tunnel seemed to lengthen, wrapping around him like a shroud.