I frantically searched the large chamber, the red warning lights flashing blindingly, while the alarms wailed unyielding in their cries. “You bastard!” I growled, peering at the masked figure, who stood across the grated gate that had just slid down moments before. “I'll end you! I'll make sure you rue this day till the end of time!”

  “We'll see," he remarked calmly. "I bid you adieu, Til we meet again...I hope,” The masked figure said, adjusting the Ira in place, inside a bag, surreptitiously hidden on his back, underneath all of his rags.

  I pounded the wall in fury, as the masked figure slipped away and disappeared down the hall, into the shadows.

  “Everything was perfect!” I raged. He ruined it. Everything was banking on this moment. Unless....I looked around, scouring the room for any possible exits.

  Enough raging, I have to focus. I scanned the room, sleek surfaces, rounded and ascending, coalescing like an egg at the top. Strange design. Still, I tapped my visor, instantly zooming in to observe the ceiling, there's always a way out.

  “Ahah! There's always a vent.” I laughed to myself. There's always a vent. The most precious of designs must have the freshest of air. I smirked. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought. I'll get out of her and catch up with that bastard. Take what's rightfully mine.

  Muffled voices and tromping heavy boots clamped loudly from down the hall behind me. “We got one!” A gruff voice yelled. “Another one is on the run. We're in pursuit!”

  “Incorrect,” I chuckled to myself. “You have none. Maybe if you're lucky, I'll help you catch that bastard on my way out.” I angled my zip-line and shot it up towards the vent. It instantly clamped on. Retracting it, the vent unbolted and whirled down to the floor with a clang.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Hey!” the two security guards rushed to the gate, brandishing las-guns. “Set to stun,” the lead guard said to the smaller one behind him. With the flip of a switch on the side, their weapons set to incapacitate me. A feeling I'd experienced before. Unfortunately, a stun was infinitely more painful than death. I'd much rather get my heart seared out with a straight on lethal dosage than experience that again.

  Fortunately for me, that day, is not today. “Sorry boys,” I winked, “I'm not that type of girl.” With another flick of my wrist, the zip-line shot back up to the vent. I sent a faint wave of my fingers to the security guards and half-smiled, as I shot up toward the vent.

  Stun blasts whizzed by me, charged in purple bolts of electrical fury, as my feet contacted the sloped wall, racing up along with it. Not quick enough, I shook my head, looking down on them, as they hurried to raise the gate.

  I had already slipped into the small shaft, that gave me just enough room to slither down, facing a chilly flow of fresh air, as I left the vent entryway behind me.

  Now, to just find that thief, and reclaim my prize.

  Crawling down some ultra clean turns, I popped out the overlay of the building on my visor map to make my way to the proper exit. I just had to think about where my new rival would be leaving through. I scoured all possible exits, factoring in that floor we were on. Would he go through the window, like I did? He'd have to make it down the elevator too, for a safe distance. Yet there was only one elevator on that side of the floor. He left in the opposite direction too. A stairwell was available, but who would be so bold?

  Hmm...my eyes narrowed on something else. Maybe he had different plans, I wondered, as my eyes fell upon the security control room, in his general direction, on a collision course at that. Could he be going there to gain the upper hand, or for some other reason? Maybe I could cut him off?

  Suddenly, a loud, static beeping sound came from behind me. I turned my head to clock it.

  Far down the vent shaft, stood a four legged cyber hound. Its sharpened angular Ira teeth hanging open, as its red eyes glowered at me in the darkness. A monstrous growl emitted from its metallic vocal processors.

  Sweat dripped from my temples and plopped on the cool surface under my palms, as I gulped hard. “Uh...down boy?”