The world blurred past Aiko as she ran.
Ryoji was right behind her, his footsteps pounding against the cold concrete. Miura kept pace, covering their escape with bursts of gunfire. The tunnel shook from another explosion, dust and debris raining down. The operatives were relentless—silent shadows moving with deadly precision.
Ahead, the tunnel forked into two paths. Ryoji made the decision in a heartbeat.
"This way!"
He veered left, pulling Aiko along. Miura followed, reloading as they sprinted. The air grew colder, damp with the scent of rain and asphalt. They were close to the surface.
Then—
A blinding light.
Floodlights roared to life, cutting through the tunnel's darkness. A mechanical hum followed. Then came the sound they dreaded most—engines revving.
Aiko's heart seized.
They weren't alone.
The Agency's High-Speed Killers
From the tunnel ahead, two Agency Interceptors roared into view. Sleek, armored motorcycles—silent but deadly. Their riders wore matte-black helmets, featureless like executioners.
Miura swore. "They're bringing out the Ghost Riders again? Seriously?"
The first bike accelerated, its mounted turret spinning to life.
Tak-tak-tak!
A burst of high-caliber rounds shredded the concrete behind them. Sparks and smoke filled the tunnel.
Ryoji shoved Aiko against the wall, shielding her from the spray of bullets. "Stay low!"
Miura wasted no time—she fired, but the bullets barely dented the bikes' reinforced plating.
"Damn things are bulletproof!" she growled.
The second Ghost Rider pulled a hard turn, skidding to the side before firing a micro-missile.
Ryoji's eyes widened. "MOVE!"
They barely dove out of the way as the explosion obliterated the tunnel wall.
Debris rained down, blocking part of their escape route.
Aiko coughed, pulling herself up. "We have to keep moving!"
Ryoji gritted his teeth. "We're running out of ground."
Then he spotted something—an old subway maintenance train, half-buried under rubble.
Still functional. Still fast.
He turned to Miura. "Can you drive?"
She scoffed, already climbing toward the cockpit. "What do you think?"
Ryoji grabbed Aiko's hand. "Get on."
The train was built for maintenance crews—exposed seating, no walls, just a skeleton frame. Miura jammed a screwdriver into the ignition panel. Sparks flew. The old engine roared to life.
Aiko barely had time to breathe before the train lurched forward.
The chase was on.
Speeding Through Tokyo's Underground
The tunnel blurred as the maintenance train shot forward, rattling violently. The Ghost Riders didn't hesitate—they gunned their engines, pursuing at full speed.
Aiko clung to the railing as bullets whipped past them.
Miura swerved the train violently, trying to throw off their aim. "This thing wasn't built for speed!"
Ryoji grabbed his pistol, took aim—and fired.
The first shot slammed into the leading Ghost Rider's helmet. No effect.
The second shot—right at the front tire.
Direct hit.
The bike wobbled, the rider struggling for control—before flipping over.
The rider slammed into the tunnel wall, the wreckage spiraling behind them in a fireball.
One down.
But the second Ghost Rider was still coming.
Ryoji's grip tightened. He had one bullet left.
Before he could fire, the second rider leapt from the bike—landing on the train.
Aiko's breath caught in her throat. "He's on board!"
Ryoji barely had time to react before the assassin swung a blade at his throat.
He dodged. Barely. The knife sliced through his jacket, inches from his skin.
Then—the fight turned brutal.
The Ghost Rider fought with precision—military efficiency. No wasted movements, no hesitation. Every strike was meant to kill.
Ryoji countered, blocking a second blade strike and driving an elbow into the assassin's ribs. The man barely flinched. Too much armor.
Miura cursed, jerking the train left. "I'm gonna regret this—"
She swerved toward the tunnel wall.
At the last second, Ryoji shoved the assassin sideways—straight into the concrete.
The impact sent him flying off the train, his body crumpling against the tunnel wall.
Ryoji exhaled. "That's two."
But before they could celebrate, Miura's voice rang out—
"We've got a bigger problem!"
Ahead—the tunnel was ending.
And they were heading straight for open city streets.
Breaking Into the Night
The subway tracks ended abruptly, transitioning into an emergency exit that led to Shinjuku's backstreets.
Miura didn't slow down.
"Hold on!"
The train **hit the emergency ramp—**and exploded out of the underground.
For a moment, time froze.
They were airborne.
The night skyline of Tokyo stretched out before them. Neon lights. Towering skyscrapers. The chaos of the city below.
Then—impact.
The train slammed onto the street, skidding violently. Sparks flew as metal screamed against asphalt.
It finally screeched to a halt in a deserted alley. Smoke poured from the wreckage.
Aiko coughed, vision swimming. They had survived.
Ryoji stood, scanning the streets. "They won't stop. We need to disappear."
Miura wiped blood from her lip, smirking. "Lucky for you, I know a place."
Aiko clutched the flash drive in her hand.
The truth was still ahead of them.
And the Agency wasn't finished.
To be continued…chapter 18.....