The city was still ablaze with red light, and Kael knew the Syndicate wouldn't let up. The artifact in Zara's hands was glowing a soft blue, stabilized by her concentration.
"We've gotta move," Kael said, keeping an eye on the side street where Lira's drone was leading the way.
Zara rolled over in the air, smiling like a maniac. "Escaping is boring, but at least we have a toy."
Rex looked left and right. "Patrols are all over the place. If we don't find a quick way out, we'll fall into a bigger trap."
Lira climbed on top of a building nearby to scope out the area. "We've got a few escape routes. One goes through the warehouses, and the other goes through the sewers. I can clear the tracking systems in the warehouses, but the sewers are safer."
Taro stared at the terminal, looking at the artifact's energy pulses. "If the Syndicate detects the emissions, they can track us in seconds. We have to be careful and move quietly so we don't trigger the artifact's automatic response."
Kael nodded. "The sewers are better. Zara, keep the artifact steady. Rex, you're covering the entrance. Lira, keep an eye out for red flags. Taro, get the emergency disconnection ready."
Zara rolled through the air, holding the stabilizer. "Let them try to catch me!"
The group headed towards the sewers. The metal door made a quiet creaking noise as Kael opened it. The air was cold and thick, and the echo of their footsteps reverberated through the narrow passages.
Rex checked every turn. "This place is too quiet. Prepare for an attack from any direction."
Zara rolled in the air, drawing her weapon. "Let them try to stop us!"
Lira sent a scout drone deep into the sewers. "It's clear, but I see heat signatures at the other end. Someone's following us."
Kael felt the artifact react to the enemy. "Zara, keep it together. We can't make the artifact react all of a sudden."
Taro watched the terminal screen. "Their signals are chaotic. It looks like the Syndicate has split up and is coming in two groups. If we hit the corridor, we can separate them."
Zara rolled in the air, laughing wildly. "Let them try to catch me! This is fun!"
The first group of enemies appeared at the end of the tunnels. The artifact emitted a pulse of blue light, destabilizing their systems and sensors. Confused and unable to maintain their balance, the enemies began to retreat.
Kael nodded. "Good. Keep up the pace. If we get through this section, we have a chance to get out of their patrol range."
Rex eliminated enemies on the flank. "We can't let them take the initiative!"
Zara tumbled through the air, holding the artifact's stabilizer. "Let them try to stop me!"
The tunnels were narrow and dark, and the echoes of Kael and his group's footsteps reverberated off the metal walls. The artifact in Zara's hands pulsed with a calm blue light, but Kael felt the tension mounting—every moment in the tunnels was a game of life and death.
"We can't slow down," Kael said, watching the heat signatures on Taro's terminal. "The Syndicate won't let up."
Zara rolled in the air, smiling wildly. "There's no boredom, and the adrenaline is pumping like never before."
Rex moved along the side corridor, eliminating the first group of enemies who tried to stop them. "I can't let them get behind us!"
Lira sent a scout drone to the next intersection. "There's a patrol. Several enemies are coming our way, and the rest are setting up an ambush at the tunnel exit."
Kael nodded. "Zara, keep the artifact's pulse stable. Rex, flank the left side. Lira, right intersection. Taro, keep your hand on the terminal, ready for emergency disconnection."
Zara somersaulted in midair, raising her weapon. "Let them try to catch me!"
The first group of enemies entered the sewer, and the artifact automatically generated a field that destabilized their sensors. The enemy drones vibrated, their rotors stopped working, and the cybernetic soldiers lost their balance.
Rex took aim and eliminated several opponents. "We have to move quickly; we can't give them time to reorganize."
Zara rolled in midair, firing another burst. "Let them try to stop me!"
A second group of enemies approached from the tunnel exit. The artifact reacted with a sudden defensive impulse, creating a force field that deflected some of the shots and slowed the attackers.
Lira tumbled through the air, manipulating the electronic systems near the exit. "We control the pace. If the artifact stays in sync, we can stop them without any losses on our side."
Taro watched the energy pulse. "The field remains stable, but any sudden movement could trigger it. Kael, we need an exit route before the heavy units arrive."
Kael looked ahead. "Zara, prepare the artifact for defense and offense simultaneously. Rex, flank the enemies. Lira, keep an eye on the exit. Taro, monitor the pulse."
Zara rolled in the air, smiling maniacally. "Let them try to stop me!"
The group was nearing the end of the tunnels when, suddenly, a heavy unit of a cybernetic soldier in full armor, armed with an energy launcher and artifact field suppression systems, burst out of a side door. Kael felt the artifact react to the new threat, pulsing more intensely and creating irregular force fields around the enemies.
Rex opened fire, but some of the shots bounced off the soldier's force field. "This isn't over, their technology is adapted to the artifact's field!"
Zara somersaulted in the air, firing a burst at the heavy unit. "Let them try to catch me!"
Kael raised his hand to Zara. "Use full control. We have to survive this section."
The artifact pulsed, modulating the field so that some of the enemies were immobilized and the rest were forced to retreat toward the side corridors. Kael knew that another wave of enemies could completely block the exit, but the artifact had shown new, unpredictable offensive and defensive properties, giving them the advantage.
The tunnels ended abruptly, opening onto a wide city thoroughfare lit by red neon lights. Kael looked ahead and felt the tension of another, much larger group of Syndicate enemies waiting on the street.
"Looks like this is their main force," Kael said, gripping the hilt of his weapon. "We can't go in there normally."
Zara rolled in the air, smiling wildly. "No problem. I'm curious to see how the artifact performs in open space."
Rex scanned the street, noting the enemy's positions. "Heavy armor, energy launchers, and drones. We can't let them engage us directly."
Lira climbed onto the roof of a nearby building. "If the artifact stays in sync, we can cause a wave of destabilization in the enemy's technology. That will give us time to maneuver."
Taro monitored the artifact's energy pulse. "Stay focused. Any sudden movement could cause an unpredictable reaction. The artifact responds to our tension."
Kael nodded. "Zara, keep the artifact stable, but be ready to defend and attack. Rex, flank their right side. Lira, they're left. Taro, watch the pulse."
Zara rolled through the air, firing another burst. "Let them try to stop me!"
The artifact suddenly increased its pulse, creating an irregular force field around the group. The enemy drones vibrated chaotically, their sensors malfunctioning, and the cybernetic soldiers began to lose their balance.
Rex fired, taking out several enemies on the flanks. "We need to move quickly before their heavy unit arrives."
Zara tumbled through the air, firing from the hip at the approaching drones. "Let them try to catch me!"
A heavy unit rolled onto the street, an armored vehicle with energy launchers, supported by several cybernetic soldiers. Kael felt the artifact pulse even harder, modulating its field toward the threat.
Lira rolled through the air, sending jamming signals to the enemy vehicle. "Keep up the pace. The artifact can stall their systems for a moment."
Taro monitored the energy pulse, ready for an emergency disconnection. "The field is stable, but one mistake and we'll all be trapped."
Kael nodded. "Good. Zara, full control. Rex, flank their heavy unit. Lira, secure the side exits."
Zara tumbled through the air, laughing maniacally. "Let them try to stop me!"
The artifact generated a wave that destabilized the heavy unit's systems. The enemy drones veered off course, and the soldiers became disoriented. Kael used the moment to move the group into a side street, leading them out of range of the enemy's main force.
Rex looked ahead. "This gives us a chance to catch our breath. But I know it's not over. The Syndicate is just laying its cards on the table."
Kael nodded. "Agreed. But at least now we have a moment to assess what else the artifact can do. And we need to plan our next move."
Zara rolled in the air, looking at the artifact. "I can't wait to see what happens next. This is just the beginning of the fun."
The street was deserted, and the blue light of the artifact reflected off the metal facades. Kael knew that the next battles would be even more unpredictable and that the artifact could change everything.