Raihe darkened slum streets as Virgil chased the tail lights of the fleeing sedan. He pounded down the alley, his boots spshing through the puddles, the sound drowned out by the thundering downpour and the distant hum of the vehicle's engine. He vaulted over a -link fend raced towards the interse ahead, his chest tightening with every stride.

  As he approached the jun, he could see the sedan careening through the crossroads, its tires screeg o tarmac. With a burst of effort, Virgil unched himself forward, leaping over the hood of a parked trud nding on the roof of the sedan. He g on grimly, his fiips scrabbling for purchase as the driver swerved wildly, trying to throw him off.

  But Virgil held firm, using his weight to steady himself as he aimed his revolver through the rear windshield. He squeezed off a shot, shattering the gss, and sending a bullet ricocheting around the inside of the car.

  The sedan careened off the road, colliding with a mppost, sending Virgil tumbling off the roof and onto the sidewalk.

  He rose to his feet, his coat sodden, and his hat knocked askew. The sedan y in a crumpled heap before him, steam rising from the smashed radiator. Through the shattered windshield, he saw the silhouettes of the passengers stirring inside.

  Virgil holstered his gun and strode toward the wrecked vehicle, his steps measured, his expression obscured by the brim of his Stetson hat.

  The driver's door flew open, and one of the octs lurched out, clutg his shoulder, which bore the evidence of the ricochet Virgil had inflicted.

  I k...those bodyguards looked familiar.

  The harhat peeked out from uhe man's coat was unmistakable, with its tubes and iors ed around his body—Adrenomancers. Virgil had seen those types of harnesses before, and he kly who built them.

  "Salvatore," Virgil called out, his voice a low growl, cutting through the rain's rhythmic drumming. "We o talk about your little partnership with the Neon Vipers."

  After the other Adrenomancer bodyguard cmbered out of the passenger seat, the 'dealer' who had been apanying them emerged, his hood hanging low over his face.

  "Backfire...it's been a while," the drug dealer called Salvatore rumbled, his voice gruff aallic due to the modutor device within his cyberic mask that cealed his visage. "Still trying to py hero in this forsaken pce? I thought you'd given up and crawled into a hole by now."

  Virgil chuckled mirthlessly. "Not when there's a piece of trash like you polluting it. The Shiver drug—why are you flooding the slums with it?"

  Salvatore's ugh was a digital aberration. "You think too small, Maddox. Shiver is merely a stepping stone."

  Virgil edged closer, his boots spshing in the puddles. The two Adrenomancers shifted, their drug harhrumming as the tubes and iors began pumping the chemicals through their bodies. "Spare me the theatrid ahe question. A stepping stoo what? What's the end game here?"

  "Ah, now that would be telling." Salvatore spread his hands, a theatrical gesture. "Let's just say, it's a necessary evil freater good. You should be more worried about yourself, Virgil. I've heard the stories. The once-great viginte, now just a shadow in the slums."

  "I'm still enough of a shadow to deal with scum like you." Virgil's hand tightened around the grip of his revolver. "There is no good in peddlih," he spat. "Now, yoing to tell me what this is all about, or I'll beat it out of you."

  Salvatore threw back his hood, exposing his meized mask, which was fashioned into the sembnce of a grinning skull. "That won't be happening, Maddox." The drug dealer tilted his head in the dire of his goons. "Kill him."

  The Adrenomancers lu Virgil, their enhanced speed enabling them to cross the distaween them in an instant.

  Virgil wasted no time. As the Adrenomancers charged him, he drew his revolver and opened fire, squeezing off three shots in quick succession. The first caught the lead guard in the shoulder, while the other two tore through his thigh and gut.

  Despite his grievous injuries, the Adrenomancer tio bear down on Virgil, as if uerred by the bullets lodged in his body.

  Virgil stood his ground, unfling. When the Adrenomancer came within arm's reach, Virgil ducked low, shifting his weight and driving his elbow into the injured guard's side. The guard groaned but mao retain his bance, tinuing his assault.

  The sed Adrenomancer circled around and made his move, leaping into the air and delivering a powerful downward kick. The blow ected with Virgil's back, sending him sprawling. But Virgil rolled with the impad sprang back to his feet, spinning around to shoot the attacker square in the chest.

  The sed one was also unfazed, aside from stumbling slightly.

  Virgil frowhese guys seemed more resilient than the ones he'd faced ba the day. Salvatore must have improved the formu for the drugs that fueled the harnesses.

  He grit his teeth as the Adrenomancers reheir offensive, unleashing a series of punches and kicks, which he dodged and blocked as best as he could.

  As he leapt away to gain some distance, Virgil grabbed the speedloader from his pocket and swiftly refilled his revolver's empty chambers, cog the hammer and lining up a shot. Before he could fire, one of the Adrenomancers moved in, his fists flying. Virgil twisted, avoiding most of the blows, but the st one ected with the side of his face, the impact sending him reeling.

  Blood dripped from the er of Virgil's mouth, but he shook it off, wiping his with the back of his sleeve. He locked eyes with Salvatore, who was still standing by the car, seemingly tent to watch his hen dispatch Virgil.

  The Adrenomancers closed in once more, their fists raised. Virgil feinted right, drawing one guard out, only to switch to the left and send a vicious haymaker into the man's face. His fist collided with a meaty thud, but the man barely flinched as he recovered and attacked Virgil again, sending a flurry of strikes that drove Virgil back, aually forced him to retreat.

  Out of the er of his eye, he spotted the other Adrenomancer closing in. Virgil spun, catg the man off-guard.

  Before the Adrenomancer could react, Virgil raised his gun and fahe hammer, firing three shots in quick succession—all three shots aimed at the man's face.

  In a blur, the Adrenomancer raised his arms in defense, blog the volley. The bullets struck his forearms, stopping short of their intearget.

  Dam-heads take a lot more punishment than in the old days.

  Already, he could see the bullet wounds from the other Adrenomaarting to close up, the regeion rate further accelerated by the drugs being pumped into the guard's system.

  As the two Adrenomancers approached, Virgil broke into a sprint, sprinting past them to grab an iron bar ying on the ground nearby. He hefted the makeshift on and whirled on his heel, swinging the improvised club at the Adrenomancer, striking him across the back of the head.

  There was a dull g as metal met reinforced skull, but the guard refused to yield, turning to gre at Virgil through a haze of bloodlust. With a roar, the man luag Virgil to the ground. The iron bar slipped from Virgil's grasp, cttering against the wet pavement as the Adrenomancer smmed his fists intil's face.

  Virgil wi the blows but ighe pain as he grappled with his attacker. They rolled along the ground, trading punches until finally, Virgil found himself on top, his knee pressed down on the Adrenomancer's chest.

  Without hesitation, Virgil drew his gun and shoved the barrel into the guard's mouth, pushing past the Adrenomancer's teeth and pulling the—

  A blow to the side of his head caused him to see stars as he was tossed to the side, the shot missing its mark.

  Fuck. These guys are tough.

  Virgil grimaced, blinking to clear the spots from his vision. The sed guard picked up the first, hauling him to his feet as both turheir attention ba.

  He staggered upright, clutg the side of his head, his Stetson having been dislodged during the brawl. Raied against his bruised face, and the bitter taste of copper filled his mouth as he spat out a glob of blood.

  Salvatore appeared nont, his skeletal mask giving his voice a chilling, robotic quality. "What's the matter, Backfire? You used to be able to take on a whole gang all by yourself." Salvatore's words were dripping with sarcasm, the taunt eg in the rain. "Looks like the slums have finally gotten to you. Why aren't you using the power that made you so famous and feared? Do you think so little of my creations that you thought ordinary bullets would be enough t them down?"

  Virgil gred, snatg his Stetson from the ground and plopping it back atop his head. "Figured I didn't o. Guess I fot how durable you make those things." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, spitting another mouthful of blood onto the damp pavement.

  "Alright, Salvatore. Fine. Have it your way. Don't say I didn't warn you."

  Virgil gnced around, his eyes sing the deserted street. There was nobody else around. No witnesses. Perfect.

  It had been a while since he had the opportunity to go all out.

  He discharged the remaining two bullets in the der with a flick of his thumb, the brass gs boung away into the darkness.

  Then, his eyes shimmered with a faint blue glow, and he exhaled deeply.

  Ahereal mist swirled into his revolver's empty chambers, and the bullets took on a pale, glowing blue color. As they settled into the der, he flicked it closed with his thumb and brought the hammer to full cock.

  "Let's try this again, shall we?" he muttered, taking aim at the approag Adrenomancers.

  He pulled the trigger, and the gun barked twice. Twin bolts of crag blue energy erupted from the barrel, streaking toward the guards, impag against the closest one's chest, and arg out to enpass the other, momentarily illuminating them in a fsh of light.

  The force of the ethereal bst sent the duo flying backward onto the ground, smoke rising from their burned clothing. Their harnesses hissed, spurting out jets of white vapor into the frigid night air, their tubing ruptured.

  They struggled to stand, groaning and clutg their chests in agony, the chemical flow disrupted. But within seds, their skin regeed, knitting together the scorched tissue, and soon they were ba their feet, fag Virgil once more.

  "ry, Backfire," Salvatore jeered as his minirouped. "Your ethereal abilities might be impressive, but they won't be enough to stop my men. Not anymore."

  Virgil grihe ers of his mouth turning up in a humorless smile. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see about that."

  Virgil's breath misted in the chill air as he squared off against the rec Adrenomancers. Despite their setback, the two thugs still had plenty of fight iheir bodies tense and ready to lunge.

  The empty streets seemed to amplify the sounds of the p rain, the steady drumbeat of the downpour filling the sileweehen, without warning, the Adrenomancers surged forward, breaking into a dead sprint, their limbs a blur of motion.

  Virgil sidestepped, anticipating their rush, and fired off two quick shots—one aimed at each approag target. Both bolts of energy struck true, impag against the advang men, stopping them iracks. He fired twice more, but they mao twist out of the way, allowing the bolts to streak harmlessly by.

  They tio advance, as if uerred.

  This time, they charged as a coordinated unit, fanning out to fnk him. Virgil raised his on and squeezed off three rapid-fire shots, hitting both targets, but the ethereal rounds seemed to do little more than graze their skins as they weaved through the storm of projectiles. Each shot that hit was absorbed, the harness's chemicals w to rapidly heal any minor wound.

  They're going to keep abs them and healing from the damage, unless I get a hit.

  In a burst of movement, the Adrenomancers reached him, fnking Virgil oher side. He dao the right, avoiding the first's attempted grab, and fired point-bnk, catg the target in the chest. The ethereal force flung the guard backward into the wall of a nearby building.

  The sed Adrenomaruck while Virgil's back was turned. He kicked out at Virgil's leg, but Virgil jumped into the air, dodging the strike, and nded lightly on his feet. He whirled on the Adrenomancer and unleashed another shot, and the guard bent backward at an unnatural angle as the round skimmed him, its ethereal energy burning through his clothes, leaving a trail of bed flesh in its wake.

  The other Adrenomancer was quick to recover. He lu Virgil again, his fists flying. This time, Virgil was too slow. A quick jab caught him in the jaw, snapping his head back, followed by another hit to his torso. The Adrenomancer swept his legs out from under him, knog him to the ground.

  The air was driven from Virgil's lungs, but he mao roll with the impad get back to his feet. He squared his stand raised his revolver, firing off a hasty shot ialiation. The ethereal bolt struck the Adrenomancer in the shoulder, staggering him.

  In a split-sed, the other one on Virgil, raining down a flurry of punches and kicks that kept him on the defensive, even as the first guard rejoihe fray. The Adrenomancers pressed in on all sides, boxing him in, denying him any ce at escape as they corralled him into an alleyway. The surrounding buildings towered over them, trapping Virgil within the narrow fines.

  Blows rained down on him relentlessly, and each time he mao deflect a strike or avoid one, aook its pce. His shoulders ached with the effort of fending off the relentless onsught, and the sharp impacts rattled his bones as the two me up their barrage, seeming not to tire.

  They crowded him against the wall, bag him into a er. The brickwork scraped against his back, the jagged edges digging into his coat.

  Annoying sonovabitches.

  While it was true that these new batches -powered vermin were faster, stronger, and more durable than he had ever dealt with before, it was still only a small leap forward. Nothing he couldn't handle.

  Salvatore was out of sight now. Good.

  Virgil smirked. He'd pyed with them long enough. Time to this up.

  As the two Adrenomancers resumed their attack, Virgil's eyes bzed as he ihe other ammo types in his ethereal arsenal. In a fluid motion, he flicked the revolver's chamber, the glowing blue rounds ging to a pale white.

  Bond.

  He fahe hammer, firing two in quick succession, hitting both targets in the chest. A pulse of energy emanated from each point of impact, coalesg into a lihat ected them.

  His ring finger grazed the hammer for the third shot just as the ethereal bullet in the chamber ged to a translut gold.

  Time.

  He fired once more, the shot rocketing toward the guard on the left. The bullet struck the guard directly in the forehead. A shimmering golden aura rippled outward from the impact site, spreading through the spectral lihat ected them, engulfing the uard in its effects.

  Both Adrenomancers' bodies slowed, being immobile, suspended iemporal bubble, frozen in time. The raindrops that reached them stopped mid-fall, f an expanding puddle of droplets around them.

  Bze.

  Virgil flicked the revolver's chamber again, the glowing white rounds ging to a fiery e.

  As he strode past the Adrenomancer, he aimed at the man's fad pulled the trigger three times in quick succession, the triple-tap punctuating each word as he spoke. "Burn...in...hell."

  The fiery ethereal bullets halted their trajectory, h just a timeter from the Adrenomancer's temple, suspended by the Temporal Round's effects.

  Virgil twirled the revolver in his grip and holstered it.

  As he exited the alley, the effect of the Temporal Round dissipated, and time for the two guards snapped bato its regur rhythm. The suspended Searing Brand bullets surged forward, smming into the Adrenomancer's face. The Bullet Bond maghe effect, ensuring that both targets shared the same fiery fate.

  Behind him, the alleyway exploded in a bze of fire a, the force of the explosion buffeting his back, causing his trenchcoat to fre out behind him. As his Stetson hat threateo blow off his head, he pced his hand upon its brim and gripped it tighter to his . The air shimmered with the sudden surge in temperature, and the rain around him evaporated, turning into a billowing cloud of steam.

  Several cries of agony cut through the sound of the inferno behind him, quickly silenced. Virgil didn't bother to turn around, instead striding calmly towards the parked sedan where Salvatore stood watg, waiting for him. His skeletal mask stared back at him, expressionless and ung.

  "Oh my, Backfire...you're really something," Salvatore rumbled in an amused tone as Virgil approached. "To think you had po dispatch them without revealing more of your hand—"

  Salvatore's remark was cut short when Virgil drew his revolver and shot the man's head in one smooth, almost casual, motion.

  The metal cyber mask tumbled to the ground, skidding across the wet pavement before ing to rest in a puddle.

  Virgil tucked his gun into the holster as Salvatore's body colpsed.

  Blood poured from the hole in Salvatore's head, mixing with the water, creating crimson swirls on the ground.

  Salvatore's lifeless gaze remained fixed on the night sky, his empty eyes refleg the stars above.

  "I'm getting too old for your nonsense, Salvatore. You didn't want to cooperate, so I shut you up food." He kicked the metallic mask, sending it tumbling across the asphalt.

  Just as Virgil turo head back to the Kijiru Pharmaceuticals building, a sound broke the stillness—a peal of distorted, mog ughter emanated from Salvatore's discarded mask.

  Virgil spun around, drawing his revolver once more, training its barrel at the falleal visage.

  "So that's what you call 'food', is it?" came a disembodied, artificial voice from the cyberic mask. "You think it was going to be that easy, Maddox? I'm not some two-bit thug you just put down with a bullet."

  Virgil gnced over at the corpse slumped on the ground beside the sedan, firming that there wasn't anyone else around. He holstered his gun arieved the cyber mask, examining it carefully. A single, unblinking eye stared back at him from the visor, a red orb pulsating in the ter. It seemed to be some kind of camera embedded withial.

  Damn it. I fot he used decoys...

  "Should have known you wouldn't personally e to a meeting like this," Virgil muttered, gring into the unblinking red eye. "Your M.O. of using proxies to do the dirty work hasn't ged o."

  The distorted, meical ughter rang out once more, as if on cue. "You never were oo see the whole board, Maddox," Salvatore's voice tio emanate from the mask. "Always so focused on the pie front of you."

  "Cut the bullshit," Virgil growled, "Where are you, Salvatore?"

  "Still iropolis, enjoying its many luxuries, while you waste away in the slums." The cyber mask's voice cackled mogly. "Speaking of which, I didn't know you've taken a new protege. Quite the young dy, she is. Curious...she's nistered iabase. Where did you find her?"

  "I didn't find her. More importantly, you're not getting the cache of venom that you traded for. Shame." Virgil walked over to the sedan, opehe door, and grabbed the briefcase sitting on the back seat.

  "That is...rather inve, I must admit. I don't suppose we cut a deal?"

  "No. Looks like I'll be keeping your merdise." Virgil said dismissively, as he returo the ter of the road. "You stay where you are and py with your toys iropolis, but if I ever catch you doing business in the slums, you'll regret it."

  "I do believe you mean to deliver on such a threat," the cyber mask quipped, the red eye flickering. "Although I highly doubt it. How much longer will you remain useful as an obstacle in my pns? Without someoo hold the leash, Backfire is no more than an old dog running amok."

  Virgil took o look at the cyber mask in his hands, then dropped it, smashing it underfoot with his boot. Sparks flew as the meism inside ched, its pos crumplih the heel of his boot. Then, he headed off towards the Kijiru Pharmaceuticals building, briefcase in hand.