The bullet fired.
Maya moved.
She didn't think.
Didn't breathe.
Didn't hesitate.
Her body threw itself between Jack and the incoming shot—
But before it could strike—
A silver blur flashed behind her.
A hand wrapped around her waist.
A pull.
A twist.
The world spun sideways.
Maya hit the dirt with Jack covering her, his body curled around hers like a shield.
The bullet ricocheted off something behind him with a sharp TING!
Rafael screamed, "MAYA! JACK!"
Maya gasped, staring up at Jack.
His eyes—
not fully silver.
Not fully brown.
Something in between.
Glowing, fractured, unstable.
"Maya—" Jack whispered, voice trembling. "Are you hit?"
"No," she breathed. "You pulled me away."
He blinked, almost confused.
Then terrified.
"I—did I hurt you?"
"No. Jack, you saved me."
Another round of bullets shredded the air.
Jack gritted his teeth and pressed her deeper into the dirt, shielding her with his body again.
"Stay down," he gasped. "Please."
Maya tightened her grip on his shirt.
"Jack—"
But he didn't let her finish.
He lifted his head and growled.
Not a human sound.
A warning.
A threat.
A vibration that made the air itself freeze.
Rafael dove behind the overturned bike, firing blind shots toward the treeline.
"We're pinned!" he shouted. "We need cover!"
Jack hissed in pain as another sniper round pinged off the metal frame beside him.
Maya could feel it.
Every bullet.
Every tremor.
Every ripple of the internal war happening inside Jack.
She whispered sharply, "Jack. Listen to me."
He turned his head slightly, eyes flashing.
"Don't—lose—yourself," she said fiercely.
Another bullet burst through the dirt near them.
Jack snarled.
"I'm trying," he whispered. "But Alpha—he wants to kill everything. Every threat."
Maya grabbed his jaw, dragging his gaze toward her.
"Then focus on me."
He hesitated.
"On you…?"
"Yes."
Her voice lowered, steady and sure.
"Look at me. Only me."
Jack inhaled sharply.
For a moment—
the silver receded.
But then—
A shadow dropped behind them.
Fast.
Silent.
Deadly.
Mantis.
Maya spun, drawing her knife in one smooth motion.
Mantis landed softly on the dirt, her goggles gleaming.
"Oh, this is beautiful," Mantis purred. "He's protecting you? That's not supposed to happen."
Jack shoved Maya behind him instantly.
"Stay away from her," he growled.
Mantis clapped like a delighted child.
"Magnificent. He's bonding to his handler."
"I'm not his handler," Maya spat.
"Oh, I agree," Mantis said sweetly. "You're much more dangerous."
Rafael yelled from behind the bike, "SHE'S HERE?! Oh, come on—"
Mantis didn't look at him.
She only watched Jack.
And Jack watched her with a predator's glare.
Maya stood beside him, knife raised.
Mantis smiled.
"Alpha. Do you know what happens in Phase 5?"
Jack stiffened.
Maya felt him shiver.
Mantis tilted her head.
"No? Let me explain."
She pointed to the treeline.
"Phase 1: Engineering.
Phase 2: Conditioning.
Phase 3: Suppression."
Her hand hovered closer to her chest.
"Phase 4: Awakening."
She stepped forward lightly.
"And Phase 5…"
Jack's lungs tightened.
Maya gripped his hand.
Mantis whispered:
"…Acceptance."
Jack choked.
Maya's entire body went rigid.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Maya demanded.
Mantis smirked.
"It means Jack will stop fighting Alpha… and become the perfect hybrid Mercer designed."
Jack shook his head violently.
"No. I—won't—"
Mantis crouched down, meeting his eyes.
"You already are changing, Alpha. Did you not just pull Maya away from a bullet at subhuman speed?"
Jack's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
"Did you not just survive a direct explosion?"
He swallowed.
Maya whispered, "Don't listen to her."
But Mantis leaned in closer.
"And did you not almost tear my arm off when I touched her?"
Jack flinched.
Maya stood in front of him, knife raised.
"You touch him again," she hissed, "and I will tear your throat out."
Mantis giggled.
"Oh, I like you."
Another bullet ripped through the dirt nearby.
Rafael screamed, "Can you two flirt LATER?!"
Mantis flipped backward easily, out of striking range.
Jack's vision blurred.
The world tilted.
No—no—don't lose control—
He squeezed Maya's hand so hard she winced.
"Maya—I—I can't—"
She grabbed his face with both hands.
"Yes, you can."
"Maya—he's stronger—"
"You're stronger."
He trembled.
His eyes flickered.
Then—
A strange silence washed over the road.
The snipers stopped firing.
Mantis's smile faded.
Maya froze.
Jack's breathing hitched.
"…what's happening?" Rafael yelled.
Maya listened.
Nothing.
No wind.
No footsteps.
No metallic hum of drones.
Just—
A slow, deep rumble.
The ground vibrated.
Dust shifted.
Mantis's eyes widened behind her goggles.
"Oh…" she whispered. "He sent them."
"Sent what?" Rafael yelled.
Mantis answered without looking away from Jack.
"The Gamma Prototypes."
Maya's blood froze.
From the treeline, shadows emerged.
Tall.
Armored.
Humanoid.
Moving with mechanical precision.
Their eyes glowed—
Silver.
Just like Jack's.
Jack staggered back.
"No… no—no—no—"
Maya grabbed his arm. "Jack, stay with me."
"Maya…" he whispered.
His voice broke.
"They look like me."
Maya's heart cracked.
"No. They are not you."
"They're… what I could become."
"No."
Jack's knees buckled.
Alpha inside him whispered:
Join them.
Jack screamed.
Maya caught him as he fell.
The Line in the Dust
Jack collapsed against her, shaking violently.
"M-Maya… don't let them take me…"
"Never," she promised.
Rafael fired at the prototypes.
Bullets deflected harmlessly.
"They have adaptive armor!"
Mantis stood back, admiring the incoming wave.
"Oh, Jack," she whispered, "this is your family."
Jack sobbed.
"No—Maya—I don't want to go—I don't—"
Maya pressed her forehead to his.
"Then stay."
"I'm trying…"
"Stay with me."
Jack dug his fingers into her arms.
"I'm scared…"
She held him tighter.
"I know."
Rafael yelled, "THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER!"
Twenty prototypes.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Five.
Maya rose slowly to her feet, pulling Jack up beside her.
Her blade glinted.
Jack leaned against her, barely standing.
"Maya…" he whispered. "Don't die."
"I'm not dying today," she said. "And neither are you."
He choked on a breath.
"You can't fight them all."
"Watch me."
He trembled harder.
"Maya…"
"Yes?"
"If I turn—"
"You won't."
"But if I do—"
She placed a hand over his heart.
"You come back to me."
Jack stared at her.
Brown fighting silver.
Human fighting Alpha.
And then—
The prototypes stopped.
All at once.
Their heads tilted.
As if receiving orders.
Jack shuddered.
"I hear him…"
Maya stiffened.
"Who?"
Jack's voice cracked.
"Mercer."
Maya's grip on him tightened.
"Jack. Don't listen."
He closed his eyes tightly.
"I can feel him."
"Jack—stay with me."
But Jack shook his head, tears streaking down his face.
"Maya… he wants me back."
Maya lifted his chin.
"You're not going anywhere."
He swallowed.
"I might not have a choice."
"Then I'll force one."
She stepped in front of him—
Between Jack and the machines.
Knife drawn.
Heart racing.
Chosen position unmistakable:
She would die before they touched him.
Mantis sighed dreamily.
"Oh, you really do love him."
Maya didn't deny it.
Couldn't.
Her silence was answer enough.
Jack's breath hitched.
"Maya…"
She didn't look back.
"Stay behind me."
"No," he whispered, voice raw. "Let me fight—"
"You're not stable."
"I don't care!"
"I care," she snapped.
Silence.
Then—
The prototypes took a single step forward—
Jack's eyes snapped open—
Silver erupted—
Maya reached for him—
And the world exploded into blinding white light.