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The explosion threw them both toward the mouth of the alley. Smoke curled from the charred remains of the bots. Kaelen groaned, pushing herself up from the wet pavement. Jace was already there, offering a hand, his face smeared with grease and grit.
They looked back at the mountain of scrap and bone they had left behind. They were bleeding, their armor was shredded, and the city was still hungry—but they were still standing. 14 : Back to Back, A Fight to the Death!
The final two were "Goliaths"—heavy-duty security bots repurposed for murder. They moved with a terrifying, hydraulic precision. One raised a massive, electrified fist. Jace braced for the impact, but Kaelen didn't fire her last shot. Instead, she grabbed Jace’s harness and swung him around. The explosion threw them both toward the mouth of the alley
It was a dance they had practiced a thousand times in the simulation pits, but here, the stakes were flesh and blood. Every time a blade whistled past Jace’s ear, Kaelen was there to deflect it. Every time a club swung toward Kaelen’s ribs, Jace intercepted the blow with a brutal kick. "Two left!" Kaelen shouted over the roar of the rain. "I see 'em!" Jace was already there, offering a hand, his