Page 8 of Cyber Revenge

Next round: Domination. Map, Babylon.

Tiny, open center, tight corridors. Close combat hell. We run a three-man team. Patrick on C, Lydia on B, I’m watching both.

“Watch the flank!” Lydia calls out, voice rising. “They’re looping through the center.”

“I got it,” I say, already tossing a flash through the left opening before rushing in and taking them out.

Two kills. Quick as breath.

[LydieLIVE ? TripsterGuy]: You’re kinda hot when you’re violent.

I nearly laugh. My thumb types without thinking.

[TripsterGuy ? LydieLIVE]: You should see me in real life, killstreak.

[LydieLIVE ? TripsterGuy]: Send me something, then.

[TripsterGuy ? LydieLIVE]: Snap?

[LydieLIVE ? TripsterGuy]: lydie.live

That little emoji nearly causes me to lose the next fight. I add her in a heartbeat.

She’s already typing again.

[LydieLIVE ? TripsterGuy]: I’m gonna send you something after the stream. Be nice to me and I’ll make it worth your while.

My teeth clench.

Patrick jokes about something, but I’m not listening anymore.

I watch Lydia push into the next point, no hesitation. Confident. Sharp. She isn’t just sexy, she’s fucking good. Strategic. Quick. Wild and smart.

I’d played with thousands of people. No one has ever felt like this.

The rhythm of it. The pull.

She doesn’t feel like a stranger anymore.

We finish the session strong, two wins, one narrow loss. She thanks her chat, and the party starts to disband.

Patrick’s voice chimes in one last time.

“Good games, Trip. You’re solid.”

“Yeah,” I say, short.

“Lyd, text me later.”

The way he says it makes something cold twist in my gut.

She doesn’t answer him right away, just laughs. Then awkwardly says, “You know it.”

“Trip?” she says, soft and low in my headset. “I’ll message you soon. Don’t ghost me.”

“Never, killstreak.”

My screen dims. Party empty.

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