Conticent

He scrambled up the fence, struggling with every movement while I ran at him. Planting my foot on the wall, I launched myself upward, gripping the top of the fence with ease. With a strong pull, I vaulted over, landing in a roll to soften the impact. Even though I made quick work of the obstacle, Jack had managed to gain a lead, using the head start he’d gotten at the beginning of the chase.

The Morelda district, hugging the river’s edge, was a chaotic blend of bustling streets and tourist attractions. It had four massive shopping malls packed into its small area, and for some reason, a vampire’s grandiose royal grave that drew tourists in like moths to a flame. The sidewalks were overflowing with people, and the roads were jammed with cars, while tourists snapped photos of anything that looked remotely interesting.

Jack shoved his way through the throng of people, darting across the street just as the traffic lights turned green. Cars began to inch forward, cutting me off. I didn't slow down, forcing my way through with pure determination. A taxi screeched to a halt, its bumper grazing my leg and sending me sprawling onto the pavement. Pain shot up my side, but I didn’t stay down for long. I pushed myself back up, sprinting to the other side of the street.

"Stop!" I shouted, my voice raw from the chase. "Stop!"

Jack glanced over his shoulder, panic etched on his face. "I didn’t kill anyone! Leave me alone!"

As another car sped toward me, I leaped onto its hood, vaulting over it like an obstacle in my path. But as I landed, I realized there was a parked car right in my way. I couldn't stop in time and ended up diving headfirst through its open window. In a split-second decision, I shoved the stunned driver aside and scrambled out, barely breaking my stride.

I caught sight of Jack rounding the corner up ahead, and I pushed myself even harder. The rain-slicked pavement made every step a challenge, my clothes soaked and clinging to my skin. My lungs burned, adrenaline pumping through my veins like fire.

"Stop!" I shouted again, my voice cracking. "We just wanna talk!"

"Talk? You want me to stop and say, ‘Oh, is that so?’" Jack yelled back, his sarcasm cutting through the chaos. "Get real!"

I couldn’t help but let out a tired sigh. "Well... yes?" I muttered, half to myself, as I powered forward.

He took another sharp left, darting into the tight alleyway beside a nightclub. A couple in the middle of an intimate moment jumped apart as soon as they saw us charging through. The guy instinctively stepped in front of his girlfriend, his protective instincts kicking in, but realizing we weren’t stopping, he yelled and bolted, leaving her behind without a second thought.

Jack yanked the girl by the shoulder, shoving her into my path. I managed to sidestep just in time, narrowly avoiding a collision, and leaped over a toppled trash bin that spilled the nightclub's empty beer bottles. I continued the pursuit, the distance between us closing with every stride. Jack was still ahead, but I was faster, and he knew it.

"Stop, you idiot!" I shouted.

"No way!" he yelled back, desperation thick in his voice.

As he reached the end of the alleyway, he abruptly turned and slammed the gate closed, locking it with a rusty latch. I crashed into the fence with a thud, my hands gripping the bars as I fumbled with the lock, quickly unlatching it from the other side. The delay gave him a small head start, but I wasn't about to let him get away that easily.

We spilled out onto the edge of the river, sprinting toward the entrance of an underground train station. Jack threw a panicked glance over his shoulder, realizing I was still hot on his trail, and doubled his pace, diving down the stairs into the station.

I barreled down after him, weaving through the crowd, shoving people out of the way as I kept my eyes glued to Jack. My lungs burned, my legs felt like lead, but I could see he was tiring too.

"Ugh…" I groaned, feeling exhaustion creeping in. “Keep going, just a bit more…”

He jumped over the turnstiles, slipping past the barriers, and made a dash for a train that was just about to depart. I hurled myself after him, ignoring the automated warnings about the doors closing, and barely squeezed inside just as they sealed shut. As the train lurched into motion, I scanned the crowd, my eyes darting from face to face in search of Jack.

Suddenly, Jack sprang from the crowd, grabbing me by the collar and throwing a punch. My head snapped back, cracking against the window, but I held my ground. Shaking off the impact, I delivered a punch of my own, causing him to stagger backward. He snatched a nearby bag from the floor and threw it at me. I shielded my face just in time, then kicked him square in the chest, sending him crashing into a seated passenger.

Seizing the moment, I grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head up, and drove my knee into his chin. He collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain. Realizing my cuffs were back in the car, I pressed my knee hard into his back, pinning him down.

"Don’t move," I growled through gritted teeth. "Just—"

Out of nowhere, someone shoulder-checked me, throwing me off balance. "Fucking cops! Leave us alone!" the stranger yelled, his face twisted in anger.

The train burst out of the underground tunnel into the open air, revealing the neon glow of West Antapolis against a backdrop of stormy clouds. Despite it being morning, the sky was dark, casting a gloomy pall over the city.

Jack scrambled to his feet, wiping blood from his nose. Just then, the train’s emergency brakes kicked in, and it screeched to a halt at the next station. The doors hissed open, and Jack bolted out without hesitation. I was right behind him, swearing under my breath as I leapt out of the train.

"Stop!" I yelled, my voice hoarse. "Stop right there!"

"Leave me alone!"

The station was one of those raised platforms, towering above the street level. Metal stairs spiraled down to the ground, covered in a strange graffiti.

Jack flew down the steps, hitting the street below, and sprinted toward the Moral-A asylum. This area, though technically a part of Morelda district on paper, was left to rot—a forgotten corner of the city. Its main features were the rundown Viking-themed amusement park and the foreboding silhouette of the asylum itself.

“Shit…” I said. “St—stoph!”

As we pressed on, the asylum loomed into view, an imposing structure that seemed to swallow the light around it. The building was massive, its dark stone walls cracked and weathered with age. Tall iron bars surrounded the grounds, rust creeping along their lengths, with spikes at the top that seemed more decorative than practical. A faded sign at the front still read "Moral-A Asylum," though the letters were barely legible beneath the graffiti and grime. It was surprising that this place was still up.

Realizing he had nowhere else to run, Jack made a desperate dash toward the asylum.

“Well…” I muttered under my breath, feeling a chill creep up my spine. “That’s definitely not good.”