Morrigan: Year 3101.

Morrigan snatched the rifles from the fallen guards before checking the magazines. Once she knew there were still bullets left, she clipped them back into place then continued forward.

Out of nowhere, a metallic clank behind her caught her attention. Morrigan spun around, facing two droids advancing with pistols in their hands. She squeezed the trigger, unleashing a barrage of bullets that pierce through their armor. The first droid stumbles back with sparks flying from its damaged body while the second one takes multiple hits before crashing to the ground in a mangled heap.

She didn't have to wait long before four guards rounded the corner, immediately taking cover behind overturned tables and luggage carts. Morrigan dove to the side as well.

"Command, this is Unit 7! We need immediate backup at Car 3. Hostile is heavily armed and extremely dangerous. Repeat, we need—"

A burst of gunfire cut him off as Morrigan shot him in the neck before immediately returning to her spot. She couldn't let them call for reinforcements. Not now.

One guard rushed to his fallen comrade, grabbing him by the shoulders and dragging him back. Another stepped forward, rifle at the ready, scanning for any sign of Morrigan. The third guard provided cover, his weapon trained on potential hiding spots.

"Fuck, Frank's dead," the first guard said, checking for a pulse. "We can't leave him here."

"Forget about him," the lead guard snapped. "We need to take this bitch down before she kills us all."

The third guard glanced around. "Where the hell is she? I can't see shit with all this smoke."

Morrigan remained silent as she pressed against the side.

"Aris," she hissed into her comm. "I could use some backup here."

Her partner's voice crackled through the device. "Yes, what is it?"

She crouched down and searched the dead guard's body until her hand grasped onto something firm. As she lifted it up, she recognized it as a flashbang grenade. "Hack the cameras and show me where the target is now."

"Are you sure? It will take some time."

"How long?"

"Around 30 seconds."

Thirty seconds felt like an eternity. Every moment counted, and waiting could mean the difference between success and failure. Weighing her options, Morrigan decided the tactical advantage outweighed the risk. She'd have to trust her superhuman abilities to keep her alive for those crucial seconds. It was a gamble, but one she was willing to take.

"Do it," she said.

"Roger that. Coming right up."

Morrigan pulled the pin and hurled the flashbang towards the guards. The device clattered across the floor, drawing their attention for a split second before detonating with a blinding flash.

"Shit!" one of the guards yelled, stumbling backwards.

Another guard fired blindly, his shots going wide as he struggled to regain his bearings. Morrigan seized the opportunity and sprung into action with her rifle raised and knife at the ready.

She closed the distance in seconds, squeezing off two precise shots that caught the first guard square in the chest. The second guard barely had time to register what was happening before Morrigan's blade found his throat.

The third guard was just starting to shake off the effects of the flashbang when the vampire's gaze locked onto him. He fumbled for his weapon, but a single shot to the head dropped him instantly.

Morrigan stepped over the bodies, moving swiftly down the train car, not missing a beat.

"Aris, status update. Where's al-Khaliq?"

"Target's in Car 7, heading towards the rear," his voice crackled through the comm. "He's got six guards with him. Looks like they're trying to reach the escape pod."

"Go it," Morrigan said. "How long till they get there?"

"Two minutes, tops. Better move your ass."

She nodded and picked up her pace, passing by panicked passengers and overturned luggage. She was so focused on her goal that she didn't notice the enemy crouched behind a seat until it was almost too late.

The man lunged at her, grabbing for the weapon. Morrigan's reflexes kicked in as she felt the tug on her rifle and immediately drove her knee up hard, connecting squarely with the attacker's crotch.

He let out a strangled yelp, loosening his grip. Morrigan wrenched the gun away and fired two rounds into his chest then put a final round through his forehead.

The body slumped to the floor as Morrigan stepped over it, not even bothering to look back. "Aris, I'm closing in. Any changes?"

"Negative. They're still..." Aris's voice trailed off. "Wait. Shit. They've picked up speed. I think they know you're coming."

"Then I better not keep them waiting," Morrigan said, breaking into a sprint down the narrow corridor.

Just as she thought things couldn't get more fucked up, life decided to prove her wrong.

In a blur of motion, heavily armored police officers smashed through the windows, their boots crunching on broken shards as they landed inside.

The vampire found herself surrounded, caught between two groups of armed officers who had seemingly materialized out of thin air. Their guns were trained on her, red laser sights dancing across her body.

Morrigan glanced back and forth, assessing the situation. The cops must have rappelled down from the top of the train, using some sort of stealth tech to avoid detection. It was a clever move, she had to admit.

"Freeze! Drop your weapon now!"

The shout came from both directions.

From the front, a squad of armored cops advanced. Their helmets gleamed under the light, faceplates reflecting Morrigan's own scowl back at her. Matte black body armor covered every inch, turning them into walking tanks.

Behind her, more of the same. The elite police unit had her surrounded, their bulky forms blocking any hope of retreat.

"I said drop it!" the lead officer barked. His voice came out distorted through his helmet's speaker. "On your knees, hands behind your head!"

She counted at least ten officers, all armed to the teeth with high-powered rifles and god-knows-what else hidden in those tactical vests.

"Last warning!" another cop shouted. "Surrender now or we will use lethal force!"

Her fingers tightened around her weapon as she prepared for the fight of her life. The narrow confines of the train car would work to her advantage, limiting the officers' ability to maneuver. She'd have to be quick, ruthless, and willing to take a few bullets if she wanted to make it out alive.

The officers' shouts faded into white noise as she focused. In a blur of motion, she vanished from their sights and, before anyone could react, she materialized behind the lead officer, snatching his weapon and forcing it skyward while, simultaneously, her own rifle pressed against an exposed gap in his armor.

For a split second, their eyes locked. The officer's widened in shock behind his visor. Morrigan didn't hesitate as two muffled shots rang out, and the man crumpled.

The cops behind her then opened fire. Morrigan spun, using the dead officer's body as a shield as bullets thudded into his armor, the impacts reverberating through her arms.

She pushed forward, still clutching the corpse with her one hand while her other hand gripped her rifle, squeezing off bursts of fire until it hit an officer's faceplate, causing him drop like a stone.

Once she closed the distance, Morrigan shoved the dead weight at the remaining cops. They stumbled, momentarily thrown off balance. She seized the opening and backed away while unleashing a hail of lead.

Morrigan kept moving, zigzagging to avoid return fire. A round grazed her shoulder, leaving a burning trail across her skin, but she ignored it, focusing on the rapidly diminishing threat.

Another cop popped up from behind an overturned seat but she quickly shot him in the head.

She ducked as a barrage of bullets shredded the wall behind her. Fragments of plastic and metal stung her face. Morrigan rolled, coming up in a crouch as her vampire senses picked up the frantic heartbeats of the remaining officers.

"Aris," she called out into her comm. "How much further to the target?"

His voice crackled back, "Just one more. But you've got more company coming."

"Great, just what I need. More of them," Morrigan ejected the empty magazine from her gun and inserted a new one before clicking it into place. "Aris, hack the systems of the train and close the doors behind me. I need the cops away."

"Ok. Will do."

Seconds later, Morrigan heard the footsteps of police reinforcements racing towards her. But before they could reach her, the doors hissed shut, sealing off the car. She allowed herself a brief smirk before pushing on.

Her once-pristine white dress is now a canvas of crimson as blood dripped from the fabric, leaving a trail of red droplets. The few remaining passengers pressed themselves against the walls, eyes wide with fear. Some whimpered, others prayed, all of them desperate to avoid her gaze.

She paid them no mind. They weren't the mission. They weren't al-Khaliq.

"Aris," she growled into her comm. "How much further?"

"Next car," came the reply. "But Morri, they've activated the escape pod. You've got maybe one minute before al-Khaliq's in the wind."

"Fuck," she spat, breaking into a run.

The door to the next car loomed ahead. Morrigan didn't slow down. Instead, she lowered her shoulder and crashed through, splintering the flimsy barrier.

Al-Khaliq's remaining bodyguards had formed a defensive line with their weapons trained on the doorway while their boss is trying to escape. They opened fire the moment Morrigan appeared.

The bullets pierced her skin, causing excruciating pain, but she ignored it and kept her eyes on al-Khaliq as he made his way to the escape pod.

With a perfectly aimed shot, the terrorist was hit in the leg and fell to the ground with a cry as blood formed a puddle around him. He tried desperately to crawl towards safety, determined to escape at all costs.

Then, click. Her rifle was empty.

Morrigan quickly shifted her hand behind her back, retrieving the carbon-polymer blade stashed in her bra and another knife tucked inside her boot.

The remaining bodyguards barely had time to react before Morrigan's arms blurred as the blades buried themselves into the their faces. They dropped like puppets with cut strings.

Al-Khaliq reached for his revolver and pointed it at Morrigan as she moved closer. The gun fired, shooting rounds into her chest and stomach, but she didn't react nor stop her advance.

"Limatha la tamoot? (Why won't you die?)" he asked.

Morrigan scooped up a fallen guard's pistol, leveling it at her target's head. Her lips curled into a mirthless smile as she answered in flawless Arabic:

"Li'anni masas dima' (Because I'm a vampire)."

BANG! BANG!

Two loud bangs rang through the room and Al-Khaliq's body twitched before falling completely still.

Morrigan stood over her prey, chest heaving as the adrenaline began to fade. Blood dripped from countless wounds, but already she could feel her healing ability kicking in.

She tapped her comm and said, "Aris, it's done. Target eliminated."

"Good. But it's not over, Morri."

"Huh? What is it now?"

"I've hacked through the police comms and they're...zzztt...need to move...zzztt..." The static scratched Aris's voice.

Morrigan pressed her ear closer to the device. "Aris? Aris, are you there?"

"...on their way. Now!"

She cursed under her breath as she tapped her comm. "Aris? Aris!"

Nothing but static, but she got the gist though - time to haul ass.

Without warning, a slight tremor pulsed through the floor, gradually increasing in intensity. Morrigan's head whipped around as she tried to locate the source. Her eyes locked onto the window and saw something unexpected: an Apache helicopter, its figure set against the dark backdrop of the sky.

"Motherfu—"

The rest of her curse was drowned out as the chopper's autocannon roared to life. Morrigan dove to the side as a hail of high-caliber rounds tore through the train car like it was made of tissue paper. Metal shrieked and sparks flew as the walls disintegrated under the onslaught.

This wasn't standard police protocol—they were out for blood. Apparently, killing a bunch of cops didn't win her any friends in law enforcement.

The autocannon fell silent for a moment. Morrigan used the brief respite to assess her options. The escape pod was toast, shredded by gunfire. The rear of the train was a no-go, crawling with pissed-off cops. That left... forward.

She gritted her teeth, ignoring the burning pain of her wounds as her healing struggled to keep up. Another burst from the helicopter's cannon will slice her limbs apart and that will take weeks for her to heal and attach. She can't afford that right now.