PREDATOR

chapter two

Dennis felt like his lungs were going to collapse. The hallway was quiet.

He walked without direction, his steps uneven, his breathing shallow. The applause still echoed faintly behind him. Each clap reminded him that everything he had built now belonged to someone else.

“…Okay,” he muttered again, though the word felt hollow even to him.

A soft chuckle answered him.

Dennis froze. Slowly, he lifted his gaze—and there he was.

Jack Voss leaned against the wall ahead, relaxed as ever, with Maya standing beside him.

This time… she was smiling.

“Haven’t you done enough? What do you want?” Dennis asked, his voice laced with anger. “You were supposed to have my back. You were my girlfriend.”

Jack pushed himself off the wall, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Ex-girlfriend,” he corrected casually. “Relax, Lawson. We’re just here to congratulate you.”

For a moment, Dennis thought he misheard him.

He let out a hollow laugh. “Congratulate me?”

“Of course,” Maya said lightly, tilting her head. “It’s not easy handing over something that valuable so… smoothly.”

Dennis stared at her, disbelief flooding his eyes as he fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill.

“…What?”

She shrugged, almost playfully. “You did most of the hard work. My baby here just gave it a proper welcome. Don’t you think?”

Silence stretched between them.

Dennis’s fingers slowly curled into fists. “You’re joking.”

Maya’s smile widened slightly. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

“You helped me,” Dennis snapped. “You sat with me through every model, every calculation—you knew it was mine!”

Maya sighed softly, like she was tired of explaining something obvious. “I knew you were useful,” she corrected. “There’s a difference.”

The words hit harder this time.

Dennis’s chest tightened painfully. “So that’s all I was to you?”

She shrugged again. “Let’s not make it dramatic. You got to feel important for a while. That’s more than most people like you get.”

Jack chuckled under his breath.

Dennis took a step forward. “People like me? You said there was a future for both of us. You said—”

“I said nothing, douchebag,” Maya cut in, waving a hand dismissively. “Scholarship cases always hear what they want.”

Dennis’s face went pale, like even he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

His voice dropped. “…You’re disgusting.”

Maya laughed. “See? That right there,” she said, pointing at him, “that’s why this could never be yours.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means you still think effort matters,” she replied. “It’s cute.”

Jack stepped in then, placing a hand lightly on Maya’s shoulder. “Alright,” he said. “That’s enough.”

Dennis’s eyes snapped to him. “You think this is funny?”

“I think this is over,” Jack replied calmly.

Dennis shook his head. “No. Not until you give it back.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Give it back?”

“My work,” Dennis said, his voice rising. “Everything you took—give it back!"

For a moment, Jack just looked at him.

Then he laughed.

“Lawson… you still don’t get it."

He stepped closer, his expression cooling. “You don’t get to demand anything anymore.”

Dennis’s jaw tightened. “…You think this changes anything? You’re still just a thief.”

“Careful,” Jack said, his tone dropping slightly.

Maya leaned in, her voice soft but sharp. “You should really stop talking like you still matter.”

Dennis’s stomach dropped. “…I can’t believe you would do this to us."

“We’re done, Dennis,” she said flatly. “Academically, socially… and after today?” She gave a small shrug. “Completely irrelevant.”

She paused, then added almost casually, “But hey… at least you’ll always have the memory of almost making it.”

Something inside Dennis cracked.

“We’re done,” he said.

“We?” Maya scoffed. “There was never a ‘we’ to begin with. I’ve always loved just one person.”

Dennis turned to leave, but Jack’s voice stopped him.

“Not yet.”

He froze and slowly turned back.

Jack’s expression had changed. No more amusement. No more mockery. Just a cold, steady gaze.

“Since you worked so hard,” Jack continued, “it’d be a shame not to give you a proper send-off.”

Dennis frowned. “What are you—”

Footsteps echoed. Two more students stepped out from the corner.

Maya folded her arms, watching like this was nothing more than entertainment.

Dennis’s pulse quickened. “…This isn’t a joke, is it? You took my work and now you’re going to beat me up?”

Jack smiled faintly. “No. I have something better in mind.”

Dennis’s pulse hammered harder. “This isn’t a joke, is it?” he asked again, turning quickly to Maya. “Maya?”

She didn’t answer.

She didn’t need to.

The two students moved at the same time.

Dennis reacted on instinct—he turned to run. He barely made it two steps before something slammed into his back.

“—Ah!”

He hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of him as pain exploded through his chest.

Rough hands grabbed him immediately, yanking him up.

“Got him.”

“Stop—let go of me!” Dennis struggled, twisting violently, but it was useless.

“Hold still,” one muttered, driving a knee into his back.

Dennis choked, his body going rigid.

“Jack!” he shouted. “This is insane! You’ve already taken everything—what more do you want?!”

Jack crouched beside him. “For you to understand,” he said calmly.

“Understand what?!”

“That there are levels to this world,” Jack replied. “And you were never meant to climb them.”

Dennis clenched his teeth. “I worked for it!”

“And look where that got you,” Jack said with a faint smirk. Then he stood. “Take him.”

The basement door creaked open with a long, rusty groan. The damp, rotten scent hit Dennis immediately.

He was dragged inside, his shoes scraping helplessly against the concrete floor.

“Wait—wait!” he struggled harder now. “You don’t have to do this! Just let me go—I won’t say anything, I swear!”

“Too late for that,” one of them replied.

They threw him forward.

Dennis hit the ground again, his head slamming hard enough to make his vision spin.

Before he could recover, his arms were yanked behind his back.

Rope tightened around his wrists.

“Ah—stop! That’s too—”

The knot pulled firm.

Pain shot up his arms instantly.

“Perfect,” the student muttered.

Dennis’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to steady his breathing.

“…You’re making a mistake,” he forced out. “Someone’s going to notice I’m gone.”

Jack stepped in, brushing dust off his sleeve. “No one noticed when you were here,” he said. “Why would they start now?”

Dennis froze.

Maya entered last, leaning lightly against the wall with her arms folded, watching with detached interest.

“…Maya,” Dennis said, his voice breaking slightly. “You’re really going to stand there and watch this?”

She met his eyes and gave a faint smile. “You always overestimate your importance.”

Dennis’s throat went dry.

Jack glanced around the basement. “Messy place,” he muttered. “It needs to be cleared out.”

He nodded toward one of the others. “Do it.”

The student stepped forward, pulling out a lighter.

Dennis’s eyes widened. “No… wait—WAIT!”

The flame flickered to life. For a second—nothing.

Then—WHOOSH.

Fire spread across the dry wood instantly, racing along the surfaces like it had been waiting.

“NO! STOP!” Dennis twisted violently against the ropes. “This isn’t funny anymore! OPEN THE DOOR!”

The heat hit him first.

Jack turned toward the exit.

“Jack!” Dennis screamed. “Please! I’ll leave—I’ll disappear—I won’t come back, I swear!"

Jack paused at the door for a brief second, then looked back.

“You were never coming back from this anyway.”

The door opened.

“Jack—!”

It slammed shut.

“…No,” Dennis whispered as smoke began to rise. It filled the air faster than the fire spread.

Dennis coughed immediately, his lungs rejecting the burning air.

“Help—!” he choked. “Someone—!”

But no one came.

Only the crackling flames answered him.

Dennis thrashed against the ropes, trying to move as the fire grew.

“GET ME OUT!” he screamed, his voice breaking. “PLEASE! SOMEBODY—!”

The rope cut deeper into his wrists. Blood trickled down.

It didn’t matter.

The fire was too fast.

His breaths became shorter, his chest tightening as he began to choke.

His vision blurred. Tears streamed down his face—only to evaporate in the heat.

“Mum…” he gasped.

Her face appeared in his mind.

“I’m sorry…” his voice trembled. “I tried… I really tried…”

The flames reached him.

A flicker touched his leg—then spread.

“AHHHH—!”

Dennis screamed as his skin burned.

He writhed, his body convulsing as the fire devoured him.

“MAKE IT STOP!” he begged. “PLEASE—!”

But there was no one.

No one to hear him.

No one to save him.

The world shrank.

His strength faded.

“I don’t… want to die…” he whispered weakly.

“Pathetic.”

The voice wasn’t outside.

It was inside his head.

Dennis’s fading consciousness stirred. “Who…?” he rasped. “Who is there?”

No answer came.

[ Voice: Subject identified ]

[ Condition: Critical ]

Dennis’s fingers twitched weakly. “Please… help me…”

A pause.

Then a low hum.

[ Query: Do you wish to continue? ]

Continue…?

Another wave of fire tore through him.

“I don’t… want… to die…”

[ Clarification accepted ]

[ Evaluating subject ]

[ Subject compatible ]

[ Initializing ]

The flames roared.

[ Predator System… activated ]

Dennis’s body jerked violently then went still.