The conservatory air hung thick with the cloying scent of engineered roses.
Miles descended the vine-choked staircase, his boots sinking into plush petals that crumpled like brittle paper.
Somewhere above, Sarah's gun fires echoed through the greenhouse. You could still hear the *crunch* of shattered glass, the *thud* of collapsing bodies, "That's my wife." Miles said to myself.
And then—**humming**.
A melody slithered through the chaos. It's was inviting.
At the chamber's heart, atop a raised platform of woven thorns, a woman lounged on a blood-red sofa bed.
Sunlight fractured through the glass ceiling, gilding her crimson hair and the stemless wine glass balanced between her fingers.
Her black slit pencil dress clung like a second skin, the slit revealing her fishnets stockings and a thigh holster with a pistol attached it.
"Took you long enough, the name is Charlotte honey. You know shouldn't keep a lonely girl waiting." Charlotte purred.
She didn't look up as Miles leveled his pistol, "If I known a fine piece of a** was waiting for me. I would tell my wife handle things will I go relax outside."
"Well she wouldn't need to know. I'm sure if you take another look. You might find four reason to keep me company." She said slowly applying red lipstick.
Miles kept his finger on the trigger. "Thanks for the offer, but one girl is enough for me."
Charlotte's laugh was sweet but alluring.
She sips some wine before saying, "Oh dear me, first time in days since a man rejected my charms. I might have fun slicing open your inside, mr bounty hunter."
"Ohhh, what gave it away?" He replied.
"Let see." She purred while slowly crawl off the bed.
Once the off, she catwalks towards grabbing the pistol attached to her thighs, "The fact that you and lover are creating so much noise. Means that you are after my boss life."
"As the rose queen, I won't allow that to happen." Materializing in right hand was a metal staff.
"We will see about that." He said before slipping a cartridge in his neck as he noticed purple gas leaking from the staff.
Miles' HUD flared:
**>> WARNING: UNKNOWN BIO-AGENT DETECTED**
**>> NEUROTOXIN CONCENTRATION: 78%**
Charlotte then slams her staff to ground so the gas could keep on expending, "This will hurt love." She said as the vines from the ground wrapped themselves around Miles leg before tossing against the wall.
Before he could think after that impact, multiple runs of bullets were fired at him. But he was spared thanks to the shield cartridge he had just inserted, "B**** can control plant. This is going to be challenge." He pushed off the wall and starts firing.
Charlotte returned fire redirecting his bullets, "Oh, darling, you must do better than that." she sighed as she dash around returning fire.
Her staff split open, revealing a hollow core that release more gas that cloud the floor.
As Miles land on ground, his entire body was submerged in purple gas.
*WARNING WARNING WARNING*
His cybernetics hub suddenly shut down, "Crap."
The mist cleared up and he was suddenly on the moon, "Is this hallucinant?" He asked him but he noticed a strange entity across of him.
It was Charlotte but she looked completely different. Long razor split tongue, her nails turned into long claws, "Now submit to your queen." She said as her long spike tail slammed against the ground.