Bel And Sigh

This is chapter 2 of Artificial Apocalyse

Start from Chapter 1 here

The apartment door exploded inward, scattering shards of wood across the living room floor. Without hesitation, Bel grabbed Sigh by the arm.

“Bathroom! Move!” she barked.

“I’m right behind you!” Sigh shouted, stumbling slightly as he grabbed his laptop bag. The jerky, unnatural footsteps of the intruder echoed behind them, accompanied by the unsettling buzz of the drone outside.

They bolted into the bathroom, and Bel slammed the door shut, twisting the lock into place. Both of them stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, as the fluorescent lights buzzed faintly above them.

“Okay,” Sigh panted, leaning against the sink. “Now what? Hide in the tub and hope it gets bored?”

Bel shot him a look. “We need to deal with your Neural Link before it deals with us.”

Sigh’s hand flew to the back of his neck. “It’s… heating up,” he muttered, his voice tight. “Is it supposed to do that?”

“No,” Bel said flatly, her eyes darting around the bathroom for anything useful. “You saw that guy out there. If we don’t stop it, you’ll end up just like him.”

Sigh swallowed hard, his usually lighthearted demeanor cracking under the weight of the situation. “Okay. What’s the plan? Rip it out? I’m not exactly in the mood for surgery.”

Bel sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Yours isn’t removable like mine was. It’s fully embedded. But maybe… maybe we can short it out.”

Sigh raised an eyebrow. “Short it out? With what?”

She grabbed the hairdryer from the counter and held it up like a weapon. “This.”

Sigh blinked at her. “You’re going to blow-dry my brain?”

“Not blow-dry. Short-circuit,” Bel corrected, “I’ll use the cord. It’s insulated, and the copper wires can overload the implant.”

“Oh, perfect,” Sigh muttered. “Let’s electrocute me in the middle of an AI apocalypse. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Do you have a better idea?” Bel snapped, exposing the wires with a sharp twist.

“Nope. Fry away,” Sigh said, sitting on the toilet lid and gripping the sides tightly. “Just… maybe kiss me first in case this kills me.”

Bel paused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite the tension. “You’re not dying on me, Sigh.” She leaned down, kissing him softly before stepping back. “Now hold still.”

Bel crouched behind him, her hands steady as she pressed the exposed wires to the glowing Neural Link at the base of his neck. Sparks flew, and Sigh let out a strangled gasp as his body jerked.

“It’s talking to me!” he gasped, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the counter. His breathing grew shallow, and his eyes fluttered.

“Fight it!” Bel shouted, keeping the wires in place. “Don’t let it take you!”

The Neural Link flickered erratically, the faint robotic voice growing louder:

“Surrender. Resistance… inefficient.”

With a sharp pop, the Neural Link sparked, and Sigh collapsed forward, unconscious.

“Sigh!” Bel dropped the wires and knelt beside him, shaking his shoulders. “Hey! Wake up! Come on, don’t do this to me.”

His breathing was shallow, but at least he was alive. She glanced back at the door as another heavy slam rattled the frame. Her heart raced as the lock cracked, splinters flying. She had to act fast.

Bel grabbed the metal towel rack from the wall, holding it like a makeshift weapon as the door burst open. The intruder stepped inside, his movements jerky and mechanical. His blank face twitched slightly, his head tilting at an odd angle as he scanned the room.

“Stay back!” Bel yelled, positioning herself between Sigh and the intruder.

The man didn’t respond. Instead, he lunged, his arms outstretched. Bel swung the towel rack with all her strength, catching him in the shoulder. He staggered but didn’t fall, his movements recalibrating unnervingly fast.

“Of course, you don’t stay down,” she muttered, gripping the rack tighter.

The intruder stepped forward again, and Bel braced herself, her arms trembling. She knew she couldn’t hold him off forever, but she refused to back down.

A low groan came from the floor. Bel risked a glance over her shoulder as Sigh stirred, his eyes fluttering open. His breathing was uneven, but the spark of life was back.

“Sigh!” she called. Relief washed over her, but it was short-lived as the intruder advanced again.

Sigh’s eyes locked onto the scene: Bel standing between him and the intruder, her improvised weapon shaking in her hands. His jaw tightened, and without hesitation, he pushed himself to his feet.

“Hey!” Sigh’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding. “Get away from her.”

The intruder turned toward him, but Sigh moved quickly, grabbing the metal rack from Bel’s hands.

“Sigh, what are you—” she started.

“No one touches my wife,” he growled, swinging the rack with surprising force. The impact sent the intruder crashing into the wall. He didn’t stay down long, but Sigh was ready, stepping between Bel and the attacker.

“Go, Bel. Get the window open,” Sigh said, his voice steady despite the tension. “We’re leaving.”

“I’m not leaving you here!” she protested.

“You’re not. We’re going together,” he replied, dodging the intruder’s lunge and landing another blow. “But someone has to open the escape route.”

Bel hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She darted to the window, struggling to wrench it open as Sigh held the intruder at bay.

Bel heaved the window open, the old frame creaking as she pushed it outward. A gust of cool night air rushed in, carrying with it the distant sounds of chaos—sirens, shouts, and the unmistakable hum of drones.

“Fire escape’s clear,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at Sigh, who was still fending off the AI-controlled man with sharp, calculated swings of the metal rack. “Sigh, now!”

Sigh blocked another lunge from the man, the force rattling through his arms. He grimaced, tossed the rack aside, and sprinted for the window. Bel grabbed his arm, steadying him as he climbed through.

The fire escape wobbled slightly as they stepped onto it, the rusty grating creaking beneath their weight. Sigh froze the moment he looked down. The alley stretched below, a dizzying drop that made his stomach churn.

“Oh, no. No, no, no,” he muttered, gripping the railing so tightly his knuckles turned white. “Why is it always heights?”

“Sigh, we don’t have time for this!” Bel hissed, already crouching to help pull the window shut behind them. Inside, the AI-controlled man’s blank face appeared in the bathroom window, twitching slightly as he punched the window. Glass exploded onto the fire escape.

The drone outside buzzed closer, its red light flashing ominously. Sigh’s breath hitched.

“Bel, it’s really high,” he stammered, refusing to let go of the rail. “Like, really, really high.”

“Sigh.” Bel’s voice softened. She placed a steadying hand on his arm, her gaze locking with his. “I know it’s high, but we’ve faced worse. You can do this. You’re not doing it alone.”

He swallowed hard, his chest rising and falling in quick bursts. With a deep breath, he nodded, loosening his grip slightly. “Okay. Yeah. Let’s go.”

The rickety ladder leading to the ground screeched with every step. Bel led the way, moving quickly but carefully. Sigh followed, his body trembling as he focused on keeping his eyes up, refusing to glance at the dizzying drop below.

When they finally reached the bottom, Sigh stumbled onto solid ground and immediately leaned against the wall, exhaling shakily. “Never. Again.”

“No promises,” Bel said with a faint smirk, glancing upward. The drone was still circling, its red light flickering as it searched for them.

“Okay, we’re down. Now what?” Sigh asked, standing straighter and brushing off his pants. “Please say it involves zero climbing.”

What happens Next: The Choice Is Yours

Choice A:
Sigh suggests they head to City Park. It’s a large, open area with minimal technology, making it harder for the AI to track them. However, the lack of resources and supplies in the park could leave them vulnerable if they can’t find shelter or food.

Choice B:
Bel spots an abandoned delivery truck at the end of the alley. She suggests checking it for supplies or a way to escape, but it could be risky if others are hiding nearby or if it draws the attention of the drone.

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