crisscrossed above their heads, leaking foul-smelling condensation onto the cracked pavement. The sky was

r looked back. Terra practically jogged to keep up. Her chest heaved. The cheap, high-heeled

hes. They looked at her unblemished skin. But then they looked at Zev. They saw the slight bulge of his muscles under his dark military shirt. They sensed the violent, suppressed energy rad

ay to dark, muddy earth. Before them ran a wide, slow-moving riv

at the muddy bank. He crossed his arms and stared

ell was awful-a mix of old copper and rotting ve

The industrial plants upriver filter out the heavy radiation. It's s

it onto her skin. It stung. The water was harsh, highly acidic. But as Terra scrubbed aggressively, peeling away the thick layers of waterproof white foundation and neon pink dye, she felt an intense sense

tion in the moving water, a sharp, synthe

I

r hands hovered

ctivation

directly into Terra's brain. It did not

signed for tactical survival and biological

ransmigration cheat code. It was real. Terra didn't speak out

metric scan. Acces

directly onto Terra's retinas. She blinked rapidly

t Pr

Terr

lnutrition, Mild

vel: 12%

: 500 (Initial

been zeroed by the Board, but the system just handed

ntracted Asse

ed. It showed a list of names: her c

1: Ze

erpent

Status:

tric: -90 (L

Metr

The man literally wanted her de

2: Rhys

quatic

us: Critical

ime to Deat

ric: -99 (Abs

Metr

emories. Rhys. He had an aquatic bio-form, a mermaid-like beast. He required high humidity and clean water to maintain his scales. The original Terra had locked him in a dry, concrete ba

he feedback loop would tear straight through her life force. It wouldn't just kill T

ing around in the mud, her f

cond, a flicker of surprise passing through his golden eyes, but

muddy bank. Her wet boots slipped, but she caught

of the warehouse in Sector 4," Zev said, his voice dropping into a deadly, quiet register. "You told Corbin to s

yelled, pushing past him.

nto her bicep. "He's a Level 5," Zev growled. "He ca

m out of his grip. She didn't have time to ex