Bits of Love, Lines of Code
Chapter 98 - 93: “Midst the Smoke”

Chapter 98: Chapter 93: “Midst the Smoke”

The streets were in chaos.

Screams echoed, the acrid sting of smoke filling the air. Pedestrians ran in every direction as a fire hydrant burst, sending a geyser of water into the sky. Among the chaos stood Aoi, coughing as she crouched behind a street lamp, one hand protectively shielding her belly.

She had managed to escape the first attempt—barely.

Her heart pounded. This wasn’t a random panic. This was staged.

The necklace Ren gave her glowed faintly around her neck.Lucia’s voice came through, muffled and staticky:"—tracking... please remain... Ren is en route—"

Aoi wiped her eyes, trying to see past the smoke. She caught a glimpse of a figure—Saki—watching from the opposite sidewalk, her face partially visible under her mask. The look in her eyes wasn’t anger.

It was obsession.

Aoi’s breath caught. She turned and ran.

—

Above the City

The Mark LXXXV suit sliced through the clouds, the wind howling around Ren’s helmet.

"Lucia. Is she safe?"

"Signal reacquired. Aoi is heading south on foot—unknown hostiles nearby."

Ren’s eyes narrowed.

"Deploy countermeasures. Paint all non-civilian targets."

Within seconds, Lucia’s interface began to map enemy positions through the chaos—four tagged individuals moving tactically, trying to cut off Aoi’s escape.

"She’s being hunted."

Ren dived.

The sonic boom shook the rooftops.

—

Street Level

Aoi ran through an alley. Her heels were gone, her hands scraped. The sound of footsteps grew closer. Just as she turned a corner, she saw two men—waiting.

"Going somewhere, Mrs. Takasawa?"

She froze, backing away slowly.

Suddenly—

A blinding flash of blue energy burst through the alley.

BOOM!

The two men were thrown aside as a powerful shockwave rolled through the narrow street. From the smoke stepped a shadow, armor gleaming, chest reactor humming.

Ren.

The faceplate hissed open, revealing his eyes.

"You okay?"

Aoi staggered forward and collapsed into his arms. "You came..."

"Of course I came."

He wrapped his arms around her, shielding her with his body as the Mark 85 closed around both of them like a shell.The armor transformed—becoming sleeker, lighter—adapting to carry them both.

"I’m taking you home."

—

Later That Night – Safehouse

Ren sat beside Aoi, gently applying ointment to the small cuts on her palms. Her head rested on his shoulder, silent but awake. The lights were dim. Lucia projected a soft aurora across the ceiling—calm colors to soothe the nerves.

"I won’t let them touch you," Ren whispered.

"I know," she replied softly. "But she won’t stop, will she?"

Ren didn’t answer. Instead, he gently lifted her hand to his lips.

"She can try. But she’ll never break us."

—

Elsewhere — Saki’s Apartment

Saki stared at her cracked phone screen. She had watched the whole thing.

Ren—his suit—his voice—the way he looked at Aoi.

A strange laugh escaped her lips. "You made armor for her..."

She stepped into her bathroom, stared at herself in the mirror.Eyes bloodshot. Smudged makeup. Lips trembling.

"She doesn’t deserve that. Not after what I gave you, Ren..."

She walked back to her desk, where several monitors displayed city feeds.

Then she clicked open a folder titled:"Lucia | Breach Route Plans"

And whispered: "I’ll get inside. One way or another."