Rion heard the agent's panicked shout through the din: "Intruder! We've been br—"
He didn't wait for the rest. The shout was all he needed to know his cover was blown. He spun on his heel, utilizing his [Dash] technique to bolt back the way he came, his bare feet pounding against the metal floor.
Behind him, Christopher's voice rose in alarm, a desperate attempt to organize the chaos that had erupted. A burst of gunfire echoed behind him, ripping through the space he'd just vacated.
The sound of bullets whizzing past made him instinctively duck, adrenaline surging through his veins as he pushed himself to run faster. His breath came in sharp, shallow gasps, every fiber of his being focused on one thing: survival.
He ducked around a corner, his heart pounding in his ears, his mind racing as he tried to figure out his next move. The cold air rushing past stung his eyes, making them water, but he didn't dare slow down. He couldn't afford to be caught.
Not when I'm so close....
The facility was on high alert, and he was the prey in a game where one misstep could mean the end. The agents in this facility had most likely gone through strict, systematic training, different from the dregs he fought at Cobra's. Since it was no longer possible to sneak out as he had planned, he had to change his tactics. The only way out was to keep moving and find cover.
As he sprinted down the hallway, Rion glanced at the walls, searching for anything he could use to his advantage. The facility's sterile, metallic corridors seemed endless, each corner he turned only leading to more twists and turns. If not because he was assured of his memory, he would've thought that he was running in circles.
His eyes caught sight of a fire extinguisher mounted on the wall ahead. Without breaking stride, he activated his [Iron Grip] and grabbed it, pulling it free from its holder with a sharp yank that nearly dislocated his shoulder. He kept running, counting the seconds in his head, the sounds of pursuit growing louder behind him.
He reached a junction and veered left, his boots skidding slightly on the smooth metal floor. With a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw two guards closing in fast, their eyes narrowed with deadly intent. Rion stopped abruptly, spun on his heel, and still under the enhancement of [Iron Grip], hurled the fire extinguisher at the ground between him and the guards.
The metal canister hit the floor with a clang, rolling a few feet before bursting with a loud hiss. A cloud of thick, white powder filled the corridor, obscuring the guards' vision and causing them to cough and choke. The powder spread quickly, creating a dense fog that clung to the air, stinging the eyes and filling the lungs with a bitter, acrid taste.
As the cloud of powder expanded, Rion didn't waste a second. He dove into the haze, relying on the momentary disorientation of the guards to cover his escape.
Moving low to the ground, he felt the coarse grit of the powder under his hands as he crawled forward, using the cloud as his shield. He could hear the guards coughing and muttering to each other, their footsteps shuffling blindly through the fog.
"Where the hell did he go?" one of the guards wheezed, his voice muffled by the haze.
"Shut up and find him!" another snapped, the
panic in his tone barely contained.
Rion knew he had to act fast. Peering through the thinning cloud, Rion spotted the outline of a guard just a few feet away, his back turned as he tried to peer through the fog. With a swift practiced motion, Rion aimed his gun at the guard and shot twice.
«Bang! Bang!»
The guard convulsed once, his body seizing up as the bullet did its work, and then crumpled to the ground in a heap.
The second guard spun around at the sound, his weapon raised. But before he could react, Rion was already moving. He sprang from his crouch, closing the distance in a few swift strides. The guard swung his gun wildly, trying to track Rion's movement, but he was too slow.
Rion grabbed the barrel of the gun and twisted it to the side, using the momentum to drive his elbow into the guard's face. There was a sickening crunch as the guard's nose shattered, blood spraying out as he staggered back, dazed.
Not letting up, Rion delivered a sharp kick to the guard's knee, sending him to the floor. The guard groaned in pain, clutching his leg as Rion snatched the gun from his grip. Without a second thought, he aimed and fired, a single shot echoing through the corridor as the guard slumped over, unconscious.
Breathing hard, Rion quickly checked his surroundings, his mind racing. Although the powder was beginning to settle, it was still thick enough to obscure the location the guns of the guards had fallen. He also didn't have time to start looking for it as more guards would soon arrive. He had to move.
Using the temporary cover, Rion sprinted away, darting down a narrower hallway. True to his prediction, just as he rounded the corner, a burst of gunfire erupted behind him, bullets cutting through the thick cloud of extinguisher powder.
He zigzagged erratically, knowing a straight path would make him an easy target. Ahead, a trio of guards appeared around the corner, caught off guard by Rion's sudden approach.
Reinforcements?
The guards hesitated for a split second, eyes widening in surprise, but Rion didn't slow down. He dropped to the ground, sliding across the floor in a controlled motion, catching the first guard off balance.
As he slid past, he fired his sidearm twice, the shots ringing out sharply in the confined space. The first bullet caught the second guard in the leg, dropping him to one knee with a grunt of pain. The second shot struck the third guard in the shoulder, spinning him around and sending him crashing into the wall.
Rion rolled to his feet, continuing forward without missing a beat. He grabbed the first guard's baton as he passed, flipping it in his hand to get a better grip. The wounded guard tried to raise his weapon, but Rion was already on him. He swung the baton with all his strength, connecting with the side of the guard's head. The guard crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
As Rion reached down to retrieve the fallen guard's sidearm, he felt a searing pain in his side. He glanced down to see a bullet graze, the fabric of his shirt torn and blood beginning to seep through. He gritted his teeth against the pain, quickly checking the magazine of the sidearm he had taken.
Full.
He slipped the weapon into his waistband, then took off again, the pain in his side a constant reminder of the stakes. The longer he stayed in one place, the greater the risk of being pinned down. He could hear the distant clamor of boots pounding against metal as more guards converged on his location.
Ahead, he spotted a door up on his right, a thick metal one that looked like it led into a storage room or maintenance closet. Without hesitation, he darted toward it, skidding to a halt in front of the door.
He swiped the keycard he had taken from the unconscious guard and heard a satisfying beep as the door unlocked. He yanked it open and slipped inside, closing it behind him just as he heard the distant shouts of more guards entering the corridor.
The room was dark, the only light coming from a small window high on the wall, casting long shadows over the crates and shelving units filled with various supplies. Rion's eyes adjusted quickly to the low light.
It was indeed a storage space, filled with crates and shelving units lined with various supplies. He quickly scanned the room for anything useful and spotted a set of heavy metal shelves that ran the length of one wall. They were laden with boxes and equipment, providing ample cover if things got tight.
Good. I can work with this.
He moved swiftly, ducking behind them, positioning himself in the shadows where he could see the door without being seen. His breathing slowed as he crouched down, every sense on high alert. He could hear the muffled sounds of the guards approaching outside, their voices growing louder as they neared the door.
"This way! He went this way!" one of the guards barked, his voice sharp and urgent.
"Check every room," another guard ordered. "We need to find him before he slips away."
The door handle rattled, and Rion tensed, gripping the baton tightly in one hand and his newly acquired sidearm in the other. The door swung open, and a beam of light cut through the darkness as the first guard stepped inside, his flashlight sweeping across the room.
Rion waited, muscles coiled, ready to strike. The guard moved cautiously, sweeping the light from side to side, casting long shadows across the walls. Another guard followed closely behind, their weapons drawn, eyes scanning the room.
They split up, moving slowly down the aisles between the shelves. Rion's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm, breathing steadily as he waited for the right moment. Every second stretched into an eternity as he watched their movements, calculating the distance between them and his hiding spot.
The first guard edged closer, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness as he approached Rion's hiding spot. Rion tightened his grip on the baton, his finger hovering over the trigger of his sidearm. His [Iron Grip], [Iron Skin] and [Combat Frenzy II] techniques were active, making his muscles taut and ready to spring at a moment's notice.
Closer… closer…
The guard's footstep crunched on a loose piece of debris, and in that split second, Rion exploded into action. He leapt out from behind the shelves, swinging the baton in a wide arc. The heavy metal connected with the side of the guard's head with a dull thud, sending him sprawling to the floor, unconscious before he even knew what hit him.
The second guard whipped around, eyes wide with shock, but Rion was already moving. He lunged forward, slamming the baton into the guard's wrist, knocking the gun from his hand. The weapon clattered to the floor, sliding across the room.
The guard grunted in pain, his other hand reaching for his radio, but Rion didn't give him the chance. He drove his knee into the guard's stomach, doubling him over, and then hit him at the back of the head, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Rion straightened up, his breaths coming in short, controlled bursts as he deactivated all active techniques. He quickly checked both guards, taking a second keycard and another sidearm before securing the door once more. He couldn't afford to stay here long. The guards would be missed, and it wouldn't be long before someone else came looking.
The weight of the second sidearm in his hand felt reassuring, but Rion knew he couldn't afford to waste any more time. His side throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, each breath sending a fresh wave of pain through his body.
He pressed a hand to the wound, feeling the sticky warmth of his own blood beneath his fingers. The bullet graze was shallow, but he knew it would slow him down if he didn't find a way out soon.
He needed to get to higher ground, to the roof. From there, he might be able to find a way out, or at the very least, get a better sense of what was happening. He had to assume the attackers would have accounted for all exits, but the roof might offer a way to evade both them and the facility's defenses.