Ch 4. Harpy

The aftermath of the turbine's latest spin left the air tinged with the scent of rust and a charged tingle against the skin. Sammy held tightly onto a cable Diaz had put out behind him for them, while Eury kept a wary eye on the holloway.

A few glances from the underground worker clued him in further on the situation they were in. The child's clothes billowed around his frail frame, covering more of the space around him than his actual body, his fingers gripping weakly and shakily. The girl, on the other hand, seemed relatively normal for someone from above-prosthetic fingers, a cosmetic silver neck etched with geometric markings. "Her hair is oddly cute," he thought. "I thought everyone above preferred it long, but medium length and mint-colored actually look good on her."

His gaze lingered a bit too long, though, enough for Eury to notice, even in her paranoid state.

"What?" she asked, confused by his intensity. "Was there something back there?"

Diaz-"Oh, uh, no." Caught off guard, Diaz scratched his head, scrambling for an excuse. "I was just wondering why your hair is like that."

Eury-"Like what?" she asked, genuinely unsure what he meant.

Diaz-"You know, shoulder length? Is that what it's called?"

Sammy-"Lob?"

Raising a brow, Diaz looked between the child and the girl. "Guess you two have known each other for a while now. But yeah, lob. I thought every office worker had to have long hair or something."

To his mild embarrassment, Eury let out a chuckle, then a full, healthy laugh. "Oh my god, that’s hilarious. Is that what people from the base level think about us?"

Diaz shrugged.

Eury-"I needed that. Thanks. And no, there's no such rule. I have no idea how that rumor even started."

Diaz-"Cool. I like yours as it is, by the way. Glad to hear you won’t be forced to change it or something."

A sudden heat rushed through Eury’s veins, and for a moment, something strange happened-her brain stalled, actually thinking about what words should come out. A new exercise for her, resulting in a simple but efficient response. "Oh... than-"

The harpy screech deafened the trio, its piercing cry announcing the hunt. The thin hunter had managed to sneak up just a few meters behind them.

"JURATION!" the man bellowed at the sight of his prey. "You, vermin worker! Step away from these fugitives and leave. Now!"

Instead of listening to the screeching demand, Diaz immediately hoisted Sammy onto his shoulder and quickened his pace, letting go of the rail, with Eury close behind.

"Rapturing! But the love of the mighty's thunderous projectiles will bewitch you soon, infidels!"

The yells gave Eury a clue about the kind of bullets flying toward them, and she managed to push Diaz and Sammy out of the paralyzing pellet’s trajectory.

Then, the air shifted once more, and the trio felt their stomachs drop to their knees. Their feet slipped as they struggled to regain their grip on the rail, their bodies being dragged toward the center. The hunter held tight and took determined steps, annoyed at the thought of his target being sliced by a rotating blade.

Eury was the first to slide too close, saved at the last second by Diaz’s outstretched leg.

"Thanks," she tried to yell, but the wind stole her voice.

The hunter’s grip on the rail was unsteady-like an alligator biting into foam-causing him to lose his balance a few times as he advanced.

Both teens noticed it, locking eyes. They both understood: this was their only chance. While Eury was determined, Diaz still felt guilty about damaging such a system.

Diaz-"I'm sorry, Ubala Ornius," he whispered before shifting his foot closer to the wall.

Eury clung tightly to his leg, moving in parallel with him. Once close enough, she reached out, her metallic fingers grabbing onto the horizontal bar. Diaz was somewhat surprised-she had far more grip strength than he expected from prosthetics like hers.

It was slower and more difficult than the hunter’s movements, but after nearly bursting her cheeks with effort, Eury managed to bend the bar, breaking the only thing preventing people from coming face-to-face with the turbine.

Unfortunately for them, the hunter caught onto their plan and stepped back, putting more distance between them. Not exactly the victory they had hoped for, but enough for Diaz to feel the air beginning to settle again.

Diaz started a countdown with his fingers behind his back, in full view of Eury. Once the last finger curled in, he grabbed Sammy, and the trio bolted toward the turbine room.

Eury-"He's firing bolts again!" she warned.

Diaz-"Thanks! Once we reach the end, take the kid and go left. I’ll go right!"

She was confused by his plan-until she saw the massive chasm with its resting, enormous blades.

"You fucker, do you plan on-" She cut herself off, realizing how this would confuse the hunter. "That maniac won’t shoot at me and Sammy, and Diaz isn’t even one of his targets… He’s a clever base dweller, that Diaz."

As she predicted, the hunter hesitated for a moment before taking the left path, growing more irritated by the cat-and-mouse game he was forced to play.

"Get back here, children! If that kid falls, I’ll sell both of your chopped-up body parts to cover my failed bounty! Just taking the elevator put me in debt!"

Eury and Sammy ignored him entirely, moving as fast as they could, but that only infuriated the hunter further. Enraged, he pulled out his screeching blade and hurled it like a javelin, blocking their only path forward.

"End of the line. Your escape was a pipe dream, and I’m here to force you awake!"

The hunter stepped forward-one, two, three steps-then froze when Diaz shouted an unexpected command.

"Hold on!"

Hold on to what?

The hunter’s eyes darted between Diaz, who was yanking on some wires from a panel, and Eury and Sammy, who were now practically hugging his thrown blade.

He pulled out his gun, firing a single paralyzing bolt-only to miss his target and strike the panel instead, making a complete mess of it.

Diaz-"…Oh no." He whispered loudly, staring at the now-dead screen.

Eury-"Oh no? Diaz, what did you d-"

But the sound of shifting metal answered her fears.

The turbine roared to life once more, far earlier than scheduled, forcing air upward through the tower. Error messages flashed, red lights blinking wildly across the corridor.

The elevator was now in standby. A crew of guards and mechanics were rushing toward them.

And, to make matters worse, everyone caught in the middle of the room began to feel lighter.

Floatier.

The countdown to liftoff had begun.