Snippet #1973313

The solid thump of flesh beneath Adara's fist was almost as satisfying as the flick of the lighter in her other hand. With a tendril of thought the flame jumped to the security guard now gasping for breath. It latched onto his shirt sleeve and tore up his arm in a blink.

That should keep him busy awhile. Adara planted a kicked in the man's gut for good measure and darted down the hall. Time was short. She needed to get in and out of the building before security caught up with her. Well, before more than one of them did.

Xion Corp's building crawled with guards. She'd dropped three of them already, and there were bound to be more further inside the building. The server room lay a few hundred feet up ahead. A left, then a right, the third door on the left.

She'd probably been caught on security cameras by now, but she didn't mind if the company's fat execs saw her. A poor young woman from the streets of Muspell would never be recognized, especially in Nifl. She'd lay low for a few days, keep from attracting attention, then she'd be off, and much richer for her trouble. If you make it back. Eyes on the prize, Vitalos.

She made it to the room unhindered. The air temperature dropped about ten degrees when she entered. The hum of electronics was almost soothing, but nerves caught up with her. First big job. Pays more than the last two fights combined. Can't afford to fuck this one up.

She pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and began to scan equipment, searching for a particular serial number. Her employer wanted this bad; the Champion of Muspell's consulting fee was quite high, especially for a simple snag and grab.

There. The number matched the sticker on the side of a hard drive. Adara yanked it out and stuffed it in her pocket before ducking back out the door. Her watch read 0:36. She'd been in the building for too long. Time to make a quick exit.

Adara sprinted back down the hall, past the man laying limp on the floor, his sleeve peeled and blackened. She still held the lighter in one hand, and her fingers itched to use it. Her mind longed for the flame once again. Just once more. She longed for someone else to spot her. Someone she could plant a fist into; someone she could burn.

She got her wish a few minutes later when a young man came tearing around the corner not far from the exit. He wore the same uniform as the rest of the security guards she'd encountered, and she cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"Stop!" the boy shouted.

Adara couldn't help it; she laughed. But then the young guard was upon her, unleashing a flurry of blows she could barely keep up with. He may be young, with a voice hardly matured into adulthood, but the boy could fight. A few punches got through; she thought maybe a rib was broken. She fought back fruitlessly, her punches blocked by muscled forearms, her kicks deflected.

So Adara got angry. She took a few steps back and flicked her lighter. The fire burst forth, its essence whispering to her mind. Calling her. She answered. The flame grew, feeding off the oxygen of the air around her, until it engulfed her fist. With no regard for fighting form or tactics she charged.

The boy was caught off guard. She tumbled into him and grabbed his lapel with her flaming hand. The fire was eager for something new to consume. She let it and it jumped to his jacket. He screamed, terrified by the sight even before the flames began to lick at his flesh.

Adara vaulted into a backflip. The flames called to her still, but she looked at her watch. 0:45. Too long. With a last, longing look back she headed for the doors, the hard drive still safe in her vest pocket.

She had successfully infiltrated Xion Corp, one of the most powerful companies in Nifl. Yep, feelin' pretty damn good about that. And lucky, too. The young woman disappeared into the night, toward the refuge of the slums of Muspell.