CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 20: ROADBLOCK

Jace pedaled harder, legs burning as the wind slapped against his jacket. The streets blurred past him in streaks of grey and rust.

He didn’t know how long it had been since he started riding. His only focus was the path Zin had highlighted and the rising smoke on the horizon.

[Jace, this outfit is not suited for what you’re about to do.]

"No shit, Sherlock," he muttered through gritted teeth. "But a bike helmet, a balaclava, and this jacket are all I can afford right now."

[Noted. I’ll begin researching schematics for reinforced combat attire. Lightweight. Durable. Impact-resistant.]

"I never said I was going to be a superhero."

There was a pause.

[...]

"Tch."

He leaned forward, gripping the handlebars tighter. His mind was racing, heart hammering as the distant sound of sirens bled into the air.

Whatever this thing was, it was far beyond his pay grade. But Eva was there. And despite everything between them, her suspicion, her anger, his guilt, he knew one thing, he couldn’t let her die.

Not like this.

He cut a corner sharply and swerved between two stalled cars. Zin highlighted a path through an alley, and Jace followed without hesitation.

Just a stolen ability he didn’t understand, and the insane idea that maybe he could survive the next ten minutes.

.

.

.

Jace skidded the bike hard, dragging his foot to slow it as the tires squealed across the pavement.

He leaned with the drift, barely managing to stay upright before the back wheel swung to a halt at the side of the road.

In front of him was a full police blockade, cruisers lined up bumper to bumper, sirens casting flickers of red and blue across the smoky skyline.

Officers stood behind them, tense and alert, rifles in hand and eyes scanning every inch of the chaos ahead.

One of them spotted him. "Hey! You can’t be here! Didn’t you see the news? Turn around and find somewhere safe. This area’s restricted!"

Jace stayed on the bike, breathing hard, trying to think.

He looked at the cop, then leaned slightly toward his phone. "What now, Zin? We don’t exactly have time to waste."

[Jace, it seems there’s a full lockdown. Every major and minor entrance point to the area has been blocked off.

They’ve set up an emergency containment perimeter around the incident site.]

"Great," Jace muttered under his breath.

The officer stepped forward, voice rising. "Hey! Did you hear what I said? Turn around before we arrest you!"

[Let me think of viable alternatives, but for now, back off. If you get arrested, we won’t be able to reach Eva, let alone anyone else.]

Jace cursed under his breath and slowly backed the bike away from the roadblock.

He could feel the clock ticking. Every second wasted was another second the monster remained loose.

Another second Eva might be in danger. Another second the death toll climbed.

He gritted his teeth. "Zin, you’ve got five minutes. Find me a way in."

[Working.]

Jace turned off down a side street, away from the barricade, eyes scanning the buildings, alleyways, and rooftops. If there was even one blind spot, one crack in the city’s armor, he’d find it.

He had to.

As Jace cycled down the narrow side street, the shouts of police and the flashing lights faded behind him. He kept glancing around for a break, anything.

Zin’s voice came through his head again, calmer now.

[Jace. I found something.]

"Talk to me."

[There’s a utility maintenance tunnel system beneath the city. It’s not mapped on standard public infrastructure, but I accessed archived urban plans. One of the old entry hatches is located three blocks east of your current position. It connects to underground transit lines that cut through the restricted zone.]

Jace narrowed his eyes. "So you’re saying I can sneak in from underground?"

[Precisely. The tunnels were sealed off decades ago, but the hatch itself was never removed. With your current strength and the right leverage, you should be able to pry it open.]

"That’s assuming it hasn’t rusted shut."

[I’ve run the probability. 82% chance it opens. Worst case, I guide you to a backup hatch. But the eastern one is closest.]

"Alright." Jace gripped the handlebars and turned sharply toward the direction Zin provided. "Send me the route."

A glowing waypoint appeared on his phone screen, projecting faintly into the corner of his vision through Zin’s overlay.

[Also, a note: once inside, you’ll need light. Your phone won’t last long. The tunnel network is dark, mold-ridden, and partially collapsed in places. I recommend wrapping the flashlight to dull the beam and avoid attracting attention.]

Jace pedaled harder. "You’re starting to sound like you’ve done this before."

[Technically, I just read four terabytes of urban stealth guides and military infiltration handbooks. So... yes.]

Jace smirked. "Alright then. Let’s see if this back door works."

Jace reached the rundown alley Zin had marked. Old brick walls loomed on either side, smeared with years of grime and the occasional faded graffiti tag.

A stack of broken crates sat to the left, partially hiding a metal plate embedded in the ground.

It looked like any rusted sewer lid except it wasn’t round. It was rectangular and bolted shut, disguised as part of the alley floor.

"This it?" Jace asked, parking his bike behind a dumpster.

[Correct. Maintenance Hatch 12-B. Decommissioned in 1989. Left off modern blueprints because the tunnels were declared unsafe. But unsafe is still accessible.]

Jace knelt beside it and dug his fingers under the edge. He braced one foot against the curb and pulled.

Nothing.

"Zin, this thing isn’t budging."

[Use the crowbar I had you pack. Behind the front strap of your bag.]

Jace unzipped his backpack and pulled out the solid black bar. "You know... I didn’t think we’d use this so soon."

[I always prepare for illegal entry. It’s a necessary habit.]

He wedged it in, leaned his full weight on it, and finally

CLANK.

The edge popped. With a grunt, Jace lifted the hatch fully and was greeted by a damp gust of air that smelled like mold and rusted steel.

A ladder led into darkness.

Jace took a deep breath. "Alright. Guess we’re really doing this."

[Be careful. The deeper you go, the less signal I’ll get. Once we’re below, communication may be limited to internal syncing only, no updates, no data queries.]

He flicked on a flashlight and wrapped it in cloth as Zin suggested, letting only a narrow beam cut through the dark.

One step at a time, he descended into the undercity.

The further he climbed down, the colder it got. Water dripped from somewhere in the shadows. Rats scattered as his feet hit the concrete floor.

"Zin, give me a path."

[Ahead, turn left at the next split. Then follow the marked service line. It will take you toward the southern end of the lockdown zone.]

Jace moved quickly but carefully, light sweeping side to side. Debris, fallen pipes, and collapsed beams slowed his pace.

After about ten minutes, he stopped at a junction. Something echoed, distant, not close. Not footsteps either. It was a low, metallic thrum. Like a hum vibrating through the pipes.

"What the hell is that?" he whispered.

[Unknown. It’s not mechanical. It may be residual energy... or movement.]

Jace tightened his grip on the flashlight and moved on.