Reality Hacker: Apocalypse Loop

Wang Zichen wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, leaving behind a streak of grime. 

"Skill is A-Rank [Glutton]. You eat like a pig and store energy like one too—" He patted his belly, crowing, "Then you can unleash hell later after a ten-hour cooldown." 

"Why didn't you USE IT?!" Ethan's knuckles turned white as they gripped the obliviously bleeding goose egg on his backside.

The veteran's expression shifted, darting nervously towards the staircase. 

"I had... a date last night. I... got a new girlfriend. A model." His throat worked. "I woke up with her growing... fangs. I had to fry her." 

He gestured stiffly upwards, "Her body's still in the guest room." 

Ethan stared at him, "You are the biggest idiot." 

Wan'er nodding her pale face seemed to understand even without words- her shaky hands had done their charm.

Wang Zichen rubbed his face and changed tack. 

"How did you know it was going to attack the cleaner?"

"I saw it." Ethan's voice went cold. "Her eyes... too greedy. Her pupils blew wide before they popped out. It's their tell."

"Damn, boss! You really - eagle-eyed shi-," Wang stilled in mid-praise. "Hold up. Your visions… that's too detailed, like you're not just seeing futures…"

Clink. 

The final piece of the puzzle smashed into Ethan's brain.

"WE'RE BURNED." He spun on his heels, piercing pain shot up from his spine, "That thing knew we were human before we slipped!"

"What?!" Their voices jumbled in their bewilderment.

"Someone's leaked to us," Ethan said, boring a glare into Wan'er. "Her... or me." Previous timeline amber alert? No ambush on the road. Wang was not the leak.

"Your precinct." Ethan pressed him. "Any signs?"

"None." She held the glare, unblinking. "Your call worried me more."

Ethan's mind whirled around. The second death-vision happened. Cops are following my call. No cleaners. Not police. Not Wang. Then--

"MOVE!" He lurched well off the couch. Pain shot up his spine as if he had left his back on the couch. "Coming! Now!"

Green fur. Long teeth. Bones creaking under weight--

"Basement!" He staggered forward to where the bathroom door closed.

Wang Zichen flew the toilet lid up--

It was a chrome tunnel below. 

"How long have you known my escapes?!"

Wan'er gagged on the floor. "Weapons... under... your toilet?"

"Sterilized daily!" Wang shoved them in... "GO! GO!"

The tunnel swallowed them and cold metal gripped them through the clothing. 

Clear antiseptic air in their noses. 

Ethan ran forward and the alarms blared inside his mind. 

Evaded again, hunted.

Wan'er slowed trying not to gag on coughs.

"Cop... with... noodle legs?" Ethan called over his shoulder.

"Dispatcher! Not... SWAT!" she managed.

With one last surge of adrenaline, they broke out of the bunker front room. 

Ethan slammed palms on the console-- 

And slammed into bricks.

MONITOR 3: Five creatures shuffling toward the villa.

MONITOR 5: Then three munching rose bushes.

MONITOR 7: A dozen drift out from the street.

All moving in UNHUMAN LOCKSTEP.

Target acquired.

"State-wide alert." Wang's face turned paste-white. "They all know." 

Ethan's fingers gripped the chairback.

Last run, Wang's crazy highway run. The telephone pole...

Would the vision replay?

Or we could snap Fate's neck?