POV location: Cypress Haven. Cam_Bot 1170.

While Logan fought to stabilize the main part of the city, Camera Bot 1170 scouted the abandoned streets of the southern sector. It kept to the shadows, gliding silently through crumbling alleyways and hollow buildings.

Bodies of fallen Hosts and destroyed camera bots littered the ground, their remains twisted and smoldering. One bot, barely functional, twitched in the rubble — its single working lens flickering weakly as it tried to call out. But 1170, locked in its stealth routine, didn’t notice.

Creeping toward a shattered window, 1170 caught movement across the street — a figure darting through a ruined office building. The bot launched itself from the window frame, but before it could cross the gap, something struck it out of the air.

Its feed turned to static.

Jaden stared at the tablet in his hands, watching the live feed disintegrate. Right before the camera cut out, he caught a glimpse — a Hybrid, clad in dark red armor, twin blades gleaming from its forearms.

Jaden’s pulse quickened. He lowered the tablet just as a shadow shifted near the corner of the room.

The Hybrid materialized out of the gloom.

Jaden ducked behind a crate, heart hammering. Before he could move, a hand yanked him backward. Jaden spun, half ready to fight, only to see a familiar face.

"Jaden?! What the heck are you wearing?" Kaylee whispered harshly.

"Shh..." Jaden hissed, pushing her back behind cover. "One of them is here."

He turned, just in time to see the towering Hybrid step into full view — its armor bristling with menace, its twin blades humming with lethal energy.

"Run," Jaden breathed.

He and Kaylee bolted, weaving through the broken hallways. Behind them, heavy footfalls grew louder. In an instant, Jaden was grabbed — yanked backward, flipped around — and a searing pain stabbed through his shoulder as the Hybrid drove one of its blades into him.

"JADEN!" Kaylee screamed, frozen in horror.

Gritting his teeth, Jaden drew his blaster and fired point-blank into the Hybrid’s face. The creature recoiled, giving Jaden just enough time to stagger free.

The Hybrid roared, blades ready to finish them — but a battered camera bot crashed into its side, disrupting the killing blow.

Jaden grabbed Kaylee by the arm. "Hold on!" he shouted.

A burst of black smoke erupted around them, engulfing their forms. The Hybrid snarled, slamming the interfering camera bot into the floor hard enough to shatter it.

It looked around, furious. A lone Hybrid scout approached, seemingly ready to assist — but the Hunter seized him without hesitation, crushing the scout’s skull in one hand.

"Should’ve shown up sooner," the Hunter growled in disgust.

Then, fueled by rage, the Hunter activated his thrusters and flew back toward his base,