"Is this cheap trinket supposed to satisfy me after everything I gave up for you, Zeldin?" Rea gasped, her voice mixed with irritation as she stared at the mirror.
She adjusted the heavy white silk of her wedding gown, her eyes fixed on the velvet box sitting on the glass vanity. The penthouse suite at the absolute peak of Neo-Soma's highest tower offered a panoramic view of the glittering upper districts. Below them, the endless sea of neon lights pierced through the toxic smog layer, but inside the private reception hall, the air was pristine, chilled, and scented with expensive synthetic roses. Rea turned around, her porcelain-synth skin gleaming flawlessly under the crystal chandeliers, though her lips were curled into a demanding pout.
"You promised me the absolute best, yet we are hiding up here without a single high-society guest to witness my beauty," she complained, crossing her arms.
Zeldin stood near the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, his massive frame casting a sharp shadow across the polished obsidian floor. He slowly turned around, the right side of his face remaining perfectly calm while his left chrome plate reflected the cold blue light of the city. His glowing crimson optical sensor locked onto her, tracking the subtle movements of her artificial limbs. He did not look like a joyful groom; he looked like a warden inspecting a premium asset.
"The contract guaranteed your physical maintenance and the clearance of your debts, Rea," Zeldin stated, his voice carrying that familiar, chilling metallic resonance. "It did not guarantee you an audience."
"But I deserve an audience!" Rea snapped, stepping closer to him, the heels of her bridal shoes clicking sharply. "Look at me! My porcelain layers are perfectly calibrated now. The whole city should be looking at the woman who conquered the new CEO of Soma-Tech Industries. I want the diamond bracelets from District One, and I want a private hover-yacht for the summer."
Zeldin did not answer immediately. He walked toward the vanity with slow, deliberate steps that made the floor seem to vibrate. He reached into his tailored black tuxedo jacket and pulled out a small, metallic object that caught the light of the chandeliers. It was a thick, heavy choker encrusted with flawless diamonds, but beneath the glittering stones lay a complex web of integrated circuitry and a pulsing blue tracking light.
"Lift your chin," Zeldin commanded quietly.
Rea smiled, her greed instantly taking over as she saw the size of the diamonds. "Oh, so you did get me another gift. I knew you couldn't resist making me look perfect."
She lifted her head proudly, allowing him to place the heavy piece of jewelry around her slender neck. Zeldin's massive, cybernetic hands were freezing cold against her synthetic skin as he adjusted the fit. With a sudden, heavy metallic click, the lock engaged. The prongs of the choker sank slightly into her porcelain casing, anchoring themselves securely. Rea gasped, her fingers immediately flying to her throat as she felt the weight of the device tighten around her neck.
"Wait, this is too tight," Rea stammered, her voice suddenly trembling as she tried to force her fingers beneath the band. "Zeldin, unlock it. It feels like a collar. How do I take it off?"
"You don't," Zeldin whispered, leaning down so his metallic jaw almost touched her ear. "It is a customized biometric tracker directly linked to my personal mainframe. If you attempt to leave this tower without my authorization, the internal micro-servos will lock your nervous system instantly. You wanted luxury, Rea. This is the price of your golden cage."
"You... you monster!" Rea choked out, her face turning pale as she backed away from him. "You trapped me!"
"You trapped yourself the moment you signed that data pad in the alley," Zeldin replied coldly. "You chose the credits over your freedom. Did you really think I would forget the furnace?"
Before Rea could scream or reply, a massive explosion shook the entire penthouse suite.
The reinforced glass doors at the main entrance were blown completely inward, shattering into millions of glittering fragments that rained down upon the obsidian floor. The pressure wave knocked Rea to her knees, her white silk gown catching on the sharp debris. Heavy smoke poured into the luxurious room, smelling of high-grade military explosives and ozone.
"Secure the perimeter! Eliminate the target and grab the asset!" a harsh voice shouted through the haze.
Through the smoke, five heavily armed hitmen stormed into the reception hall. They wore matte-black tactical armor with the old corporate insignias of Giska's private security force stamped on their shoulders. Their faces were hidden behind terrifying ballistic masks, and their hands gripped high-caliber lethal rifles, their laser sights cutting through the darkness as they searched for Zeldin.
"Do not let him reach the security terminal!" another hitman roared, raising his weapon.
Rea screamed at the top of her lungs, covering her head as she huddled on the floor. Her mind flashed back to the violence of the Waste Sector, and she realized instantly who had sent them. Giska was fighting back, trying to reclaim his stolen empire by destroying the man who had ruined him. She looked up in absolute terror, expecting Zeldin to run or use the automated defenses of the tower, but the man did not even flinch.
Zeldin stood tall amidst the falling glass, his charcoal suit jacket tearing slightly as his cybernetic shoulder joints expanded. The human side of his face remained entirely expressionless, but his crimson optical sensor flared with a violent, blinding intensity. He looked down at the hysterical woman weeping at his feet, his massive black metal arm reaching down to grab her by the waist.
"Zeldin, please save me!" Rea sobbed, clutching at his trousers as she felt his freezing grip tighten around her body. "Don't let them kill me! Please!"
With a single, effortless pull, Zeldin hoisted her up against his chest. He wrapped his cybernetic arm possessively around her waist, pinning her small body tightly against his iron torso. He used her as a partial shield, his massive frame completely blocking her from the direct line of fire while keeping her trapped in his grasp. Rea could feel the immense power radiating from his mechanical parts, the internal gears humming with a dangerous, predatory energy.
"Stay still, my beautiful doll," Zeldin murmured, his voice completely calm despite the lethal rifles pointed directly at them.
With his free right hand, Zeldin reached behind his back and drew a sleek, heavy plasma hand-cannon from a hidden holster beneath his coat. The weapon flared to life instantly, its charging chamber whining with a high-pitched, terrifying sound that filled the shattered room. The blue light from the weapon illuminated the absolute chaos of the penthouse, casting long, monstrous shadows against the walls.
"He's got a weapon! Fire! Fire now!" the lead hitman screamed, his laser sight locking onto Zeldin's chest.
The hitmen opened fire, their rifles releasing a barrage of kinetic bullets that tore through the luxury furniture and shattered the remaining glass ornaments. The air became thick with the sound of gunfire, screaming, and the smell of burning gunpowder. Zeldin did not retreat a single step. He stood his ground at the peak of the tower, his weapon aimed squarely at the shattered doorway, while Rea trembled violently in his iron embrace.
Would Zeldin use her body to absorb the incoming bullets, or would he unleash the monstrous power hidden within his cybernetic frame to slaughter them all?
Aksara