Chapter 8: Sabotage

As pain shot through her thigh, Edith stumbled back, clutching the wound. She glared at Zain, her eyes blazing with fury as she realized he had been the one to sabotage her.

Zain's expression was cold and determined as he advanced toward her, his hand reaching for the prototype device. But before he could grab it, a sharp crack echoed through the room as Edith's fist connected with his jaw. Meanwhile, Markus's voice crackled through Edith's earpiece. "Edith, what's happening? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Markus," Edith replied through gritted teeth. "Just a little setback." 

At the same time, Kasey's voice came through Zain's earpiece. "Zain, what's your status? Do you have the prototype?" Zain winced as he felt the sting of Edith's punch, but he shook it off, his eyes fixed on the prototype device. 

"Almost there, Kasey. Just a minor hiccup." With a quick movement, Zain snatched the prototype from the table, his fingers closing around it like a vice. But as he turned to leave, he felt a sudden jolt of electricity surge through his body.

Cursing under his breath, Zain realized that Edith had rigged the room with a trap. He stumbled back, his muscles tensing as he fought to regain control. Edith took advantage of Zain's distraction to make her escape. She limped towards the exit, her mind racing with thoughts of retaliation. Outside the building, chaos reigned as security personnel swarmed the area. Edith ducked behind a row of bushes, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to formulate a plan.

Meanwhile, Zain emerged from the building, clutching the prototype device tightly to his chest. He scanned the area, searching for any sign of Edith. Markus's voice crackled through Edith's earpiece once again. 

"Edith, I've arranged for a rendezvous point. Head to the alley behind the abandoned warehouse on Laifaiette Street." Edith nodded; her jaw set with determination. With a groan of pain, she set off towards the rendezvous point, her senses on high alert.

Zain, on the other hand, made his way towards a waiting getaway vehicle, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of pursuit. He slipped into the backseat; the prototype device tucked safely beside him. As Edith reached the alley behind the warehouse, she was met by a figure lurking in the shadows. It was a fellow agent from CJA, sent to assist her.

"Edith, I've got you," the agent said, his voice filled with urgency. "Let's get you patched up." With a nod of thanks, Edith allowed the agent to tend to her wound, the pain slowly starting to ebb away. Meanwhile, Zain's getaway vehicle sped through the city streets, leaving Eden Specter's headquarters far behind. He glanced down at the prototype device in his hands, a sense of triumph coursing through him.

But even as he celebrated his victory, Zain couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He knew that the battle with Edith was far from over, and he was determined to emerge victorious, no matter what it took.

K.M Strunk