Sirens blared through the building, ricocheting off walls and resounding through the winding corridors. Heavy footfalls and shouting voices echoed from every direction as people awoke and doors flew open. The ceiling lit up with a vibrant crimson glow, illuminating the woman in a veil of blood red. Kai spun to face her, rummaging through his pockets. From his right pocket he pulled out his Swiss Army knife, flipping out the blade as he sprang away, narrowly avoiding a clawed hand.

When his vision adjusted to the sudden brightness, he got a better look at his opponent. His heart dropped. “Theresa...?”

The woman lunged again, taking advantage of his momentary shock and barrelling into him. They tumbled into a wall, wrestling to the ground as she grabbed his wrist and slammed it into the floor. His grip on the knife loosened, but he wriggled a leg between them and kicked out, throwing her off balance and sending them into another roll.

After a tense struggle, he finally yanked his hand free from her grasp, hesitating for half a second before smashing down his armed hand.

Too late.

The Inzomniac cocked her shoulder and shifted to the side, sliding out her arm in time for the knife to hit the ground no more than a centimetre from her torso. Kai’s hand slipped, grazing the blade. Before he could let go, her arm slid back, clamping his hand- and knife- between her arm and side.

He grit his teeth as the blade cut into his palm, then yelped in surprise when he felt a sharp, stinging pain in his other arm. Clawed fingers slashed his exposed skin, leaving behind four deep scratches in his forearm. Within moments he was flung off, hitting the ground hard. He rolled away in an attempt to gain some distance, panting.