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Chapter 7—Amaya

AMAYA TAPPED THE HOLOGRAPHIC display, gaze darting between multiple screens as she frantically tried to make sense of the chaos erupting around her. The facility's alarms blared, their urgent wails mixing with the sounds of distant explosions and panicked shouts.

"Status report." Dr. Vex's voice crackled through the intercom, strained and urgent.

Amaya swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus. "Multiple breaches detected in sectors three, seven, and nine. Security protocols are failing. I can't—" She broke off as another explosion rocked the building, closer this time. The lights flickered ominously.

Heavy footsteps approached, and Amaya turned to see Xavier striding into the control room, his cybernetic eye glowing an intense green. "What's happening?"

"We're under attack. Unknown forces. They've somehow bypassed our outer defenses."

He scowled while studying the screens. "How is that possible?"

Amaya shook her head. "I don't know. It shouldn't be. Unless..." She trailed off, a terrible suspicion forming in her mind.

"Unless what?" Xavier pressed, moving closer.

Amaya hesitated. This was the moment. The information she held could be crucial to their survival, but sharing it meant trusting Xavier completely. She glanced at him, taking in his intense gaze. In that split second, she made her decision.

"There's a backdoor," she said quickly, lowering her voice. "A hidden access point in the facility's defense grid. It was designed as a failsafe, but if someone with inside knowledge got their hands on it..."

His eye widened slightly. "They could use it against us."

Amaya nodded, already moving to pull up a new set of data. "Exactly, and I think that's what's happening now."

"How do we stop it?"

"We need to manually override the system from the central hub," she said, bringing up a schematic of the facility. "But it's on the other side of the complex, and with the attacks..."

Another explosion punctuated her words, this one close enough to shake dust from the ceiling. His cybernetic components whirred audibly as he processed the information. "We'll have to fight our way through," he said grimly.

Amaya nodded but was unsure she should do this. "I'll need to get there to input the override codes, but I'm not exactly combat-ready."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get you there and protect you while you do what you need to do. Trust me."

The word ‘trust' hung between them, loaded with meaning. She took a deep breath, nodding. "Okay. Let's do this."

They moved swiftly through the corridors, Xavier taking point with his enhanced senses and combat skills. Amaya followed close behind, clutching a data pad with the necessary codes.

As they rounded a corner, they came face to face with a group of intruders—humanoid figures in sleek battle armor, their faces obscured by dark visors. Xavier reacted instantly, his cybernetic arm transforming into a laser cannon.

"Stay back," he shouted to Amaya as he engaged the attackers.

She pressed herself against the wall, watching in awe as Xavier moved with inhuman speed and precision. His movements were a blur of deadly efficiency, each strike calculated and devastating.

One of the intruders broke away from the group, lunging toward Amaya with a crackling energy weapon. She ducked, narrowly avoiding a blast that left a scorched mark on the wall behind her.

"Xavier," she cried out, scrambling to avoid another attack.

In an instant, he was there, interposing himself between Amaya and the attacker. With a swift, brutal movement, he neutralized the threat before he turned back to Amaya, concern evident in his human eye.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded, struggling to control her breathing. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

They pressed on, encountering more resistance as they neared the central hub. Xavier's prowess in combat was matched only by his laser focus on protecting Amaya. For her part, she relied on Xavier, trusting his judgment and following his lead without hesitation.

As they approached the final stretch to the central hub, they found themselves pinned down by heavy fire. His cybernetic eye scanned the area, assessing their options. "There're too many of them. We need a distraction."

"Wait, I have an idea." She pulled up a schematic on her data pad, tapping on the display. "If I can trigger a localized power surge in the adjacent sector, it might draw some of them away."

Xavier nodded. "Do it."

Amaya worked feverishly, bypassing security protocols and rerouting power conduits. After a tense moment, the lights in the nearby corridor flared brightly before plunging into darkness. The sound of confused shouts and retreating footsteps followed.

"Now," he said, grabbing Amaya's hand and pulling her forward.

They sprinted the last stretch to the central hub with him practically carrying her along. They burst through the doors, quickly securing the room. Amaya immediately went to work at the main console, tapping the holographic interface as she input the override codes. He stood guard, clearly alert for any approaching threats.

Her fingers trembled as she input the final override code. The system flashed green, signaling success. She let out a shaky breath, relief flooding through her. "It's done," she said, turning to Xavier. "The backdoor is closed."

He nodded, his cybernetic eye still scanning for threats. "Good work. We need to—"

A deafening explosion cut off his words. The floor beneath them shuddered violently, and chunks of ceiling rained down around them. Amaya cried out as a piece of debris struck her shoulder, sending her stumbling.

Xavier was there in an instant. He wrapped his arms around her, shielding her body with his own as more of the ceiling collapsed. They huddled together while dust and debris swirled around them, the sound of destruction drowning out everything else.

When the rumbling finally subsided, she was pressed tightly against his chest, face buried in the crook of his neck. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart—or was it her own?—as adrenaline coursed through her system.

Slowly, carefully, he loosened his hold, pulling back just enough to look at her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, unable to find her voice. Their faces were inches apart, and she suddenly became acutely aware of every point of contact between their bodies. The heat of his skin, the strength of his arms still encircling her, and the intensity of his gaze all combined to create a dizzying rush of sensation.

Without thinking, Amaya surged forward, closing the distance between them. Her lips met his in a fierce, desperate kiss. With a low growl, he responded, pulling her even closer as he deepened the kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as they clung to each other, the chaos around them forgotten. When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily. Amaya's heart raced, but for once, her mind was blissfully quiet. No overthinking and no anxiety—just the raw, primal feeling of being alive.

"When this is over... when we're safe... I want more. I want you." She met his gaze as a newfound confidence surged through her. "If you're ready to get physical, that is."

Xavier's human eye widened slightly, while his cybernetic one whirred as it processed her words. "Amaya, I—"

Another explosion rocked the building, cutting off his response. Reality came crashing back, reminding them of the danger they were still in.

"We need to move," he said, his tone shifting back to that of a skilled warrior. "Can you walk?"

She nodded, pushing herself to her feet. Her legs were shaky, but she forced herself to stand tall. "I'm fine. Let's go."

As they navigated through the crumbling facility, her mind wouldn't shut down. Part of her couldn't believe what she'd just done—propositioning him so boldly. It was so unlike her usual cautious, reserved self, but it had felt right. Natural. As if in that moment of crisis, all her usual barriers had fallen away, leaving only her true desires exposed.

They navigated through smoke-filled corridors, avoiding falling debris and pockets of fire. Xavier took point, his enhanced senses alerting them to danger before it became visible. Amaya followed close behind, her earlier confidence slowly giving way to a gnawing worry. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if she'd misread the situation entirely?

As they continued their escape, she was hyper-aware of his presence. Every time he touched her—guiding her around obstacles, or steadying her when she stumbled—sent a jolt of electricity through her body. She wondered if he felt it too, or if his cybernetic enhancements dulled such sensations.

They reached a junction where the corridor split into three directions. Xavier paused, his cybernetic eye scanning each path. "The east wing is completely blocked. We'll have to take the long way around through the research labs."

Amaya frowned. "The labs? But that's where they keep the most volatile experiments. It could be dangerous."

Xavier turned to her, his expression grim. "It's our only option. Unless you'd prefer to stay here and wait for the building to collapse on us."

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "No, you're right. Let's go."

As they entered the research wing, the air grew thick with acrid smoke. Strange, pulsing lights emanated from behind closed doors, accompanied by ominous hums and crackles. Amaya's scientific curiosity warred with her survival instinct as they passed lab after lab.

Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the floor beneath them. She lost her footing, crying out as she fell. He reached for her but missed by inches. She hit the ground hard, pain shooting through her ankle.

"Amaya?" Xavier was at her side in an instant, hands gentle as they examined her injury. "Can you stand?"

She tried to put weight on her foot, wincing at the sharp pain. "I... I don't think so. It might be sprained."

Without a word, he scooped Amaya into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She gasped at the sudden movement, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hold on," he said quietly. "I'll get us out of here."

As he carried her through the crumbling facility, she was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. Fear and adrenaline still coursed through her veins, but there was also a sense of safety in his arms. "Xavier," she said softly, her lips close to his ear. "About what I said earlier..."

He glanced down at her, his expression unreadable. "Now isn't the time."

She nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment. Of course, he was right—they were in the middle of a life-or-death situation. Her confession could wait. Still, she wondered if his response was a gentle rejection or simply a postponement of the conversation.

As they neared the exit, a final explosion rocked the building. He stumbled, nearly losing his grip on her. She clung to him tightly as chunks of debris rained down around them. "We're almost there. Just hold on a little longer."

With a final burst of speed, he charged through the exit, emerging into the harsh light of day. The air was thick with dust and smoke, but it was blissfully free of the oppressive heat and chaos of the collapsing facility.

Xavier didn't stop running until they were a safe distance away. Finally, he gently set her down, hands lingering on her waist to steady her. They stood there for a moment, both breathing heavily, as the reality of their narrow escape sank in.

She looked up at him, taking in the cuts and bruises on his face that were already starting to heal thanks to the cybernetics interface. Without thinking, she reached up, cupping his cheek gently in her hand. "Thank you for saving my life."

He leaned into her touch, his expression softening. "Amaya, I—"

The sound of approaching vehicles cut off his words. Reinforcements had arrived, ready to secure the area and tend to the wounded. The moment between them shattered, reality intruding once again.

As medical personnel rushed toward them, she was relieved but also frustrated. They were safe, but so many questions remained unanswered. She glanced at Xavier, catching his eye. The intensity of his gaze told her their conversation wasn't over—it was merely postponed.

For now, they had survived. Everything else could wait.

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