Secondary explosives rippled throughout the door. Kazuki pushed himself back, falling onto the floor. Kazuki's left hand reached for his belt. No muzzle.

The doors came crumbling down, crashing out of their phase anchors and hinges. Drones. Cleaning drones. Their small metal arms held SMGs. They were loaded. Primed to terminate him.

His leg-braces kicked himself up, avoiding a stream of bullets. He pulled his arm in front of his face/ A bullet narrowly deflected off the bone of his arm, splattering the walls with blood. Kazuki rushed backwards, behind the kitchen counter. Four drones in total…

Their hover anchors soared forward, entering both the kitchen and living room. Pinned, Kazuki snatched a blade from the knife box. Steel on steel. Not remarkably effective, he thought. But it's the best he has. Narrowly leaning out the path of a string of bullets from the kitchen, Kazuki pressed on the gas.

He burst towards the two that poured into the living room. They plastered the air with bullets. He shifted his body sideways, withstanding the barrage. Closing in, Kazuki shoved the tip of the blade into the drone's eye. The drone made a shattering noise, screaming.

The second drone turned and gripped hold of Kazuki, shoving the muzzle into his chest. Before it was able to let a ripple into his torso, Kazuki slammed gun away, disarming the first drone's rifle.

His mind was clear.

And with a rifle, it was over for them.

Slamming the receiver back, he blasted the second drone to the ground. He turned to face the two remaining drones, one in the kitchen and one hovering right over the counter. A tendril latched onto him from behind, the first drone.

It was trying to hold him in place. The two remaining drones were zeroing in, muzzles drawn. Ripping the drone behind him off him, he threw it in front of him, bolts stinging through their steel frame.

As the first drone fell, Kazuki aimed, and terminated the last two drones, their husks falling onto the ground.

Kazuki glanced down. Blood dotted his black buttoned down shirt. He looked to the SMG. Out of bullets. It was a suicide mission for these drones, he thought.

Dropping the gun, Kazuki knew it would serve him little purpose now. Kazuki bolted up the stairs, approaching Eliza's room.

He slammed on the door. "Eliza?!"

The door phased open abruptly, as Kazuki nearly fell directly on Eliza. He gripped the doorframe. Eliza's face was paler than before. "What was that?!" she asked. "Did... what..."

She ducked beneath Kazuki's arm, walking to the bannister and peering down at the destruction. Eliza glanced back, eyes locked on the dots of blood trickling down his shirt. "I'll survive. We need to move. Now," Kazuki said.

Kazuki grabbed onto Eliza's arm, before she activated Synthia with a click of her fingers. They rushed down the stairs, as the AI started talking. 'Oh dear, what have we got here?'

"Assassin drones. SMGs. Eliza. Take one of them." Kazuki snatched up two of the loaded SMGs, turning and shoving one into Eliza's face. She dropped it immediately, shaking.

Kazuki paused.

"No... I... I can't possibly use a gun!" Eliza shouted, her hands shaking. Kazuki's fingers curled into his palm... He maintained a dedicated face. He swallowed his heart again. What the fuck was he thinking? After all that talk of protecting her?. "I'm... I... sorry..."

"For what?" Kazuki grabbed Eliza's arm again, continuing to drag her out of their room and out into the rose tinted atmosphere of the halls. He heard the distant hover of more drones, rushing around a corner nearby. "Leave it to me, alright?"

Without spare magazines. No armour. He was little more than an angry man with a gun.

Eliza slowly crumbled down to the floor. "I made a strong image in front of you and Archius…. But…

"Not now. Archius just wanted an excuse to come. Synthia, can you provide me with any information?" Kazuki asked, peering around the corner. Without his aug-glasses, he needed another source of information.

Synthia propped up to Kazuki's shoulder, leaning and peering over with him. 'Well... based on the machine gun—'

"—SMG."

'—Small machine gun... They're most definitely well equipped, whoever sent them after you. Martigal patents, after all.'

Rushing into an indent in the wall, Kazuki peered back. He saw a second team enter into Eliza's suite, seven drones in total. They'll need to move, quick. "They have enough influence to smuggle a zero day past the Palace's security. Of course they're big players."

There was no room here for sarcasm, he thought.

"Kaz... what do we do?!" Eliza had a hand over her mouth, tightening around her quieting voice.

He glanced at the SMG. It was a decent quality one... Just like Synthia said. Seems like she knows her guns? Kneeling down to Eliza, he grabbed her hand. "We run," he said. "Keep up. Got it?"

She nodded.

"Good." He lifted her up, placing her back on her feet. "Don't trip. Cost of such a failure is—"

"Death..." Eliza muttered to herself. Kazuki nodded, and he started to walk in the opposite direction of their suite.

Kazuki led Eliza, with Synthia, through a confusing maze of halls. The sound of distant hover-lifts closed in with each dead end. Shit.

Kazuki raised his SMG up, checking a corner. A drone patrol skidded by.

'May I suggest we traverse to the public plazas?' Synthia proposed an idea. Kazuki turned to listen in. 'A highly public place with a lot of guards, the drones won't dare to expand the purview of their attack.'

Risky, Kazuki thought. If they're desperate enough to want him dead, they might not consider the cleaner cost of civilian lives. In fact... that might be something they want. He mumbled the thought into his head. Either way, he'll be the scapegoat for the lives lost.

He can see it in his head, 'Contract-Breaker leads ravenous drones towards civilians'. Ugh.

"Synthia's right! The Imperial Knights will protect us, and perhaps even Lady Antiar or Sir Icarus may be there?" Eliza was breathing heavily from the rather light jog. Light for him, he guessed.

Kazuki took another peek. It was clear. Continuing deeper, Kazuki led Eliza through this death trap, pointing his muzzle around each corner and cranny.

"Base our hopes on the leader and 2ic? Fuck no," Kazuki stated. "They'll expect us to go there. Whoever did this is bold. Stupid. Clever and brave all at the same time. They want us to flee to the plaza."

These attackers probably have a stockpile of drones ready for deployment. Too many unknown variables. He instead pricked his uplink online. 'Cyrus. Nihara. Václavos. Code Red and Gold. Alert security.'

'What's going on?' asked Cyrus.

'Assassin drones. Alert security. Double time it.'

'ON IT!' Cyrus cut his uplink off.

Kazuki felt a tug from Eliza Her blood red eyes scanned with fear. "We are going to the plaza... right?"

"No. Too open. Enemy dispositions unknown," Kazuki said. "We'll find somewhere safe to hide."

Somewhere safe? Where?! He kept going through the network of halls, filled with doors leading into suites.

Judging by how none of the doors were smashed down, the drones' target was obvious. Him and Eliza. No one else. Therefore: it must be an aristocrat. Criminals or the Board or BCA wouldn't care about that. There has to be a secondary exit... somewhere.

Walking across an intersecting group of corridors, a patrol of drones hovered into view from down the hall. Rays scanned all about as their rays turned red towards Kazuki. FUCK. Kazuki pushed Eliza backwards, into the otherside of the hall, as he lunged forward, to the opposite side.

And not a moment too soon. A barrage of bolts and plasma hurled down towards him, displacing the air that they were both at with heat and plasma.

"You good?" Kazuki asked her, nodding to where he shoved her. More drones are bound to arrive.

Eliza nodded. "I'm good!" She gave a weak thumbs up to him. Good enough.

'I can try downloading the schematics of the Ball Palace, if that may provide us with a way of escape,' Synthia said, projected both their shoulders. Kazuki grumbled. She mentions this now?!

"Why didn't you do that already!?" Eliza shouted loudly at both Synthia projections.

The AI tutor merely shrugged. 'Calculating the level of detail needed would take up a lot of the download times, I'll try to get it to a okay-ish detail!'

Hovering forth, the drones were making ground, as Kazuki exchanged fire with them. Three drones. They cared little about getting shot, only that he got shot in the exchange... He could barely get a shot out. "Eliza, how good are you at holding your breath?"

"Huh?! What are you... a minute I suppose?" Eliza shrugged, speculating. Kazuki nodded, chambering in a new round. He grabbed the emptied out bolt. It was still intact.

"Then hold it." Kazuki unscrewed the bolt, taking it apart to reveal the various components. The igniter... rocket fuse... Fuel. Blastpowder. He pressed himself against the wall, calmly.

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Eliza took in a massive breath way before needed. It was rather silly. 'No, not now, Miss Eliza,' Synthia commented, causing Eliza to exhale in a loud gasp.

Kazuki twisted the SMG to the side, using the bolt casing as he started to vent out the heat from the rifle's cartridge filters. The components of the gunpowder, the casing and the fuse. He assembled the modified bolt, with readjusting pieces of it, as the drone hovered closer.

"Kaz! What are you doing?" Eliza shouted across at him. She thought for a moment of running across. Kazuki placed his hand up, stopping her. The gunfire was too intense.

Screwing the modified bolt back together, he stuck the igniter against the wall. The force was enough to strike the pin down. With it primed, he lobbed it down the hall. It smacked off the wall with a thud, then a pop. Smoke erupted across the room, with particles that should dampen vision. It was also toxic.

The gunfire slowly stopped, as the drones made fizzing sounds. Kazuki pressed his eyes hard. He could see the drones, their scanners were fucked.

Kazuki stood up. "The reaction was a sucess," he stated, as if in a chemistry classroom. He twisted around the corner.

Rushing forward, Kazuki grappled with the first drone, lighting it with lead, before unloading his magazine into the second.

The last one kicked back to life, only to be slammed into the wall with the stock of Kazuki's SMG.

Circuits and sparks shot out the drone. He let go off the SMG as it was jammed into the wall, changing it for a new one. "Hall clear. Let's move. Synthia, can you find anything?"

Eliza followed after Kazuki, holding her breath still. At least she knows it's toxic, Kazuki thought.

'There's a maintenance staircase to the lower station sections, it leads to an abandoned section of the Palace, a rather good place to hide, don't you think?' suggested Synthia.

Good on that.

Kazuki punched the wall beside him, testing to see if it did any damage. None. And barely any vibrations as well. Resistant... Sound-proof probably. Blast marks on the walls showed no damage either. Eliza clambered through the smoke…

"Shit…"

"Why don't we hide in one of the suites?!" Eliza asked. "Someone must be in right now!"

Kazuki responded, "The more time we wait, they more desperate they will get. Hide here: we'll be easy targets."

Eliza slowly nodded. "Show Eliza the route, she'll take the lead," Kazuki said.

Eliza waved some of the smoke away. "Ugh... what do you mean me?! I'll... be in front?" she asked.

Kazuki nodded. "My aug-glasses are in my room." He pressed himself against the wall. Sliding down towards the intersection, he checked the various intersecting halls. Nothing. Yet. "I'll drag you back before you get hit."

"I'll… trust you on that," Eliza said.

'Mapping the map to Eliza's aug-glasses map,' Synthia replied. Eliza hugged the wall beside Kazuki.

"You can wear mine for all I care!" Eliza slid her glasses off carefully, offering them to Kazuki.

He took hold of her glasses, only to put them back onto her face. "You're short-sighted. Keep your glasses. I'll do the shooting," Kazuki said.

Eliza nodded, as information projected up onto her glasses, for her to see. Immediately, she took hold of Kazuki's hand, and led the way.

The gentle white hue blended in with the distant music. They walked in silence, Eliza wearing more casual attire.

More hover noises came up from behind, as Kazuki grabbed onto Eliza, throwing the two of them into a cleaning closet. The weight of his exospine nearly snapped a bundle of brooms.

Synthia propped by the door, phasing it close, whilst placing her 'ear' to the door. 'They're close...' she whispered, placing a finger to her lips.

Eliza nodded, trying to take a deep breath, pressing her chest against Kazuki… Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him.

She must be scared. Eliza's eyes glanced back towards Kazuki, before freezing. Drones... Dozens of them, deactivated were in the closet. He glanced at them. They weren't coming online any time soon, he thought. He simply patted her on the shoulder.

Dead drones concerned them not.

A sick joke. Killer cleaners, he thought. He could feel something increase in vibrations, faintly, far from his chest - but close all the same..

"Hmm?"

Kazuki glanced at Eliza. She had a hand over her mouth, shaking fervently.

The vibrations. It was her heart.

It was beating quickly, but each vibration was faint.

He knew it wouldn't do much but he had to try and calm her down.

"Focus on breathing." It was an awful attempt, emotionally - at least.

She gave him a slow nod, before closing her eyes. After a few moments, the hovering noises disappeared. Synthia nodded. 'It's safe to leave, let's go before they start searching closets.'

Kazuki shimmied his way out of the closet, carrying Eliza with him. She took a deep breath. Kazuki released her, allowing her a moment to catch her breath.

"Alright… Keep it together," she muttered to herself, before leading them down towards their destination. She was shaking even more now.. Armed with the responsibility of lives not from a screen, but in the flesh.

With enough repetition, she'll get used to it, Kazuki thought.

Walking slightly behind her, he reached out and grabbed her hand, feeling the shaking slowly stop. "You're sweating," Kazuki said. "Calm down. Panicking will only make things worse."

She stopped in her tracks, looking back around at him. She clamped down on his hand. Holding it tightly. Ow... Eliza was squeezing it now. "Thank you. But... I..."

"If you don't want to think. Then walk," Kazuki said. Eliza nodded, a single eye glancing behind him. "Don't think. Don't hesitate. Always move."

Then, a noise. Behind.

Kazuki twisted around, seeing a second patrol of drones turn the corner. Five. He raised his SMG, keeping Eliza behind him. "Back!"

Eliza started to run, with Kaz with her. Kazuki fired back a few shots, destroying a few drones. Yet more started to show up. Ten. Twenty... Thirty! All from the conjoining hallways. All with their hacked faces. Muzzles blared up the halls.

The barrage looked like a continuous mass of light and steel. His exospine burst into energy, tracking adrenaline through his blood. Kazuki wrapped his arms around Eliza, throwing themselves down another hall. He felt his skin burn with pain. Bolts and plasma had just scorched his shoulder, but he hid the pain. Full sprinting down the maze, Kaz and Liz bought some distance… Eliza fell to the floor, coughing for air. "There's more of them. Find another route to get there." Kazuki got up from the ground, looking down at Eliza.

She was failing to get up, with Synthia keeping a lookout as a small projection around the corner, standing on Kazuki's shoulder. 'They're approaching... Counting... Thirty three in total. Do you have thirty three rounds, Kazuki?'

'Twenty four,' he replied immediately. Kazuki grabbed and pulled Eliza up. 'On your feet.'

Eliza stared into his eyes as he pulled her. The fire within him kicked in, as the oath he made will be completed. No matter what. "But... I need to tell you where to go!"

"Then tell me."

Synthia projected onto Kazuki's shoulder. Eliza and Kazuki started into a sprint, with Kazuki having to slow down to not run ahead of Eliza.

Maybe it'd be faster if he carried her with one hand. No time to risk it. They kept running till even Kazuki felt mildly uncomfortable, through the same intersecting halls of suites, observation decks and space-windows.

Doors and numbers went by in a vivid blur, the two fleeing away.

Sometimes turning corners led to stray ambushes and patrols.

Isolated and alone, they never stood a chance against Kazuki.

Each encounter stained Kazuki's black buttoned shirt more blood and scorch marks.

That worried Eliza more than it did him. Eventually, the constant movement and twists came to ahead. Their objective. The emergency door to the lower floors. 'Arbiter to all callsigns. Moving to the lower station.'

'Copy that. We'll rendezvous with you,' Cyrus replied. 'We have backup. Heavy guns. Are you holding up?'

Gunfire was raging in the distance.

'Yes. Drones gave you a welcoming?'

Cyrus replied, 'Sadly.'

Kazuki nodded to himself, approaching the door whilst checking every point with his muzzle. He kept one hand on Eliza's forearm, the other on the trigger.

Arriving at the door, Kazuki placed his hand on the phase-mechanism.

Opening the door, it revealed a robot... A fully decked out security robot. Security's here, he thought. 'Drone. Th—"

His voice was cut off as a searing pain jabbed into his torso. Smoke rose as he fell backwards. With Kazuki down, the robot twisted its body towards Eliza, its smoking muzzle pointed towards her.

She froze still.

The robot towered high enough to lean over her.

No time for damage analysis.

The robot grabbed onto Eliza with one hand, as she struggled. Kazuki watched her kick, punch and throw hands with it. It was lifting her up though, slowly raising its mechanical muzzle to her chest.

"KAZ!" she screeched at Kazuki.

He looked down at his chest... Blood. So much blood. But this was no place to die. Kazuki looked to the SMG, laying by his side. Synthia was trying to 'hack' into the robot, only barely slowing it

He reached out towards the gun. Just out of reach. He turned and twisted his mangled corpse. Reaching far enough to weld his hand shut on the trigger, Kazuki raised the SMG.

Aiming it at the robot, be dumped the entire magazine into it, attracting its ire. The robot twisted towards him, dropping Eliza. His bolts flickered through its outward hull, sending wiring out the other way.

Its head was riddled with bolts - yet it remained standing.

Kazuki kept shooting, as he knocked its plasma bolter from its grasp. It raised its arm towards him, shielding its components.

"Die already..." he muttered to himself.

No avail. He ran dry of bolts. Well then… Kazuki raised a finger to his overclock.

The robot took a step towards Kazuki, only for a single echoing shot to stop it.

Kazuki saw a spiral of components splutter out from its chest. It fell. Looking past the robot, he saw Eliza. She was shaking, her eyes watery with tears. Smoke rose from the oversized gun she held.

Her quivering hands dropped it.

"I didn't know you took robotry," Kazuki sarcastically remarked. He slowly tried to clamber up, but found difficulty. He was bleeding, after all.

Eliza stood up faster than him, before rushing over. "I—it was an optional course I found some interests in... and well... its computation core wasn't in the head, so I presumed it was in the chest," she said. "Simple logic, don't you think?"

Clever. She helped him up, as he grabbed hold of his wound. "Smart," he said out loud.

Eliza was shaking, looking at him with steady eyes. They were bright, wide and strong. She smiled...

"Thank you," she said.

Synthia projected herself on top of the destroyed robot. 'This is an Electria model! They're supposed to be renowned for their security... hardware and software.'

She shook her head, tutting as if disappointed in the software company. Well... this is most definitely a lawsuit in waiting, Kazuki thought. Whether he'll be alive to see it is another question.

"Then that proves that whoever was behind this is powerful, right? I mean, who would have the resources to hack this many drones?!" Eliza asked, phasing the door open with Kazuki beside her.

Whilst they walked, Eliza was patching some things up on Kazuki's exospine.

He glanced down at his own wound. Damage analysis pointed to his left lung being punctured. Minor damage. His organs were all inorganic. Such a loss was… Strategically troublesome. Tactically: inconvenient at best.

Kazuki nodded. "And guns. Expensive assassination." His cybernetics reclocked themselves. "Anymore and I'll need to overclock."

"Kazuki! No..." Eliza said, walking down the dimly lit staircase. Blood was seeping out of him, dropping onto the metal steps. "I'm flattered that you think I can repair everything but overclocking burns the very hardware itself! There'll be nothing left for me to fix!"

It'd take months to repair anything done by his overclock. He doesn't have spare months to throw away, though

Kazuki remained silent. He picked up the oversized gun, a personal defence weapon. Old as well.

He looked up at Eliza's determined face. She was shaking, yes, but walked firm nonetheless.

Even if he is to perish here, he'll give her whatever she can. Thoughts of Kazuki's past etched into his mind, with his promise to Victoria rising to the forefront. He can't fail. "I can't fail," Kazuki muttered longingly to himself.

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