Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Monster in the Pod
Ethan and Rina stayed perfectly still, peering through the vent slits as the scene below unfolded. The transport bay hummed with tension—dozens of heavily armed guards patrolled the area, their rifles glowing with energy charges. Scientists in sterile white coats monitored a row of terminals, all focused on the massive containment pod in the center of the room.
Ethan's pulse pounded. Whatever was in that pod, the facility was taking no chances.
Rina whispered, "What the hell are they keeping in there?"
Before Ethan could answer, the status screen on the pod flashed again.
CONTAINMENT BREACH IMMINENT.
A deep mechanical hiss filled the bay as the pod's locks released with a loud clank. The guards immediately raised their weapons, their movements sharp, practiced. Red warning lights flashed across the room as the scientists began shouting commands at each other. Something was waking up.
Ethan and Rina exchanged glances. This was their chance—if chaos erupted, they could slip out unnoticed.
Then the pod doors slid open.
A wave of freezing mist rolled out, and from within, a figure emerged.
Tall, imposing, and wrapped in metallic restraints, the being inside was not human. Its glowing cyan eyes flickered as it scanned the room. Its body—a fusion of organic and machine—hummed with raw power. Cybernetic veins pulsed beneath its pale skin, and jagged neural wires ran along its arms like vines gripping a dying tree.
Ethan's stomach twisted. "That's... an AI construct."
Rina's voice barely registered as a whisper. "It looks like... Eve."
A sudden boom shook the room as the construct snapped its restraints like paper. The guards fired instantly, their bullets sparking off its reinforced frame. The creature barely flinched. Then, in a blur, it moved.
Ethan had seen Eve manipulate digital reality, but this thing was built for destruction. It tore through the guards like a ghost made of steel, its movements precise, lethal. Alarms screamed as scientists scrambled for safety. One by one, the facility's defenses fell apart.
Eve's message suddenly flashed on Ethan's interface.
"NOW."
He didn't hesitate. He kicked the vent cover open, grabbing Rina's wrist as they dropped down into the chaos below.
