"Okay," Nebular said quickly. "I've formed an escape route and calculated a 78.5% chance of assisting you in freeing yourself. Since you currently aren't able to communicate, I will just assume you accept my proposal."
Nox slowly nodded before Nebular continued.
"You have to trust me on this one. Push him in 3... 2... 1..."
As Nebular started the countdown, the coffee machine behind the wolf made strange sounds as if processing another hot delicacy.
Suddenly, it burst with hot coffee, spraying all over the predator's back, staining his clothes with steaming puddles.
The wolf let out a furious snarl, jerking back as the scalding liquid splattered across his fur.
His grip loosened just enough. This was it. His moment.
Nox slipped under the wolf's arm, pushing him away. The attacker slipped and fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
"Watch out, second wolf," Nebular vibrated.
Thud.
Nox dodged just as the second wolf swung a heavy fist toward him. A dull, solid impact brushed off dust and sent pieces of debris off the wall.
The wolf flashed sharp teeth, licking over them slowly.
"Next to you, there's a small gap between two trashcans," Nebular said quickly. "A security surveillance camera waits behind it."
The wolf swung again, but Nox ducked low, feeling the rush of air as the punch narrowly missed his ear, nearly knocking his hat off.
Using the momentum, Nox twisted and kicked off the wall, propelling himself toward the alley's trashcans.
"But we've figured out you're not the shy type, right?" Nebular quipped. "The gap might be small enough to lose them. But it gets better. If you turn right after you slip through, you can run toward the busier streets and hide among the crowd."
Nox gritted his teeth, weighing his options in a split second.
The wolves were fast, but he was faster, smarter, and smaller.
With a burst of speed and adrenaline pumping through his veins, he sprinted toward the trashcans. His feet hit the ground rapidly. It looked like a dead end.
"Neb, this is not the time for jokes. Where is the gap?!" His gaze jumped from the trashcans to the wolf hurling toward him. "QUICK!"
"Move the right trashcan a few inches," Nebular replied. "Right behind there, you'll find a small gap to squeeze through."
Nox grunted, throwing his weight against the trashcan and shoving it aside just as the wolves closed in.
A narrow gap between the walls revealed itself. Just big enough.
Without hesitation, he squeezed through. The rough brick scraped against his coat as heavy footsteps thundered behind him.
Just as he spilled out of the hole, a paw with hefty claws reached out, claws swiping wildly for anything they could catch.
Nox twisted his body, yanking his tail to safety just in time.
"Whoa, easy there, buddy. Maybe buy me dinner first?"
The wolf's claws raked the ground, followed by a frustrated growl.
"Cute," Nebular chimed. "But maybe less flirting, more running. Unless you want to be the main course."
Nox dusted himself off, shooting one last glance at the struggling wolves. For the first time in a while, anger was visible on his face.
"Agreed. Seems like they're stuck. Too bad for them."
He spun on his heel, bolting toward the street ahead.
"Alright, Neb, guide me somewhere safe before they find another way around."
Nox chuckled, still catching his breath as he leaned against a streetlamp for a second, the adrenaline settling down.
His phone's screen glowed dimly, revealing Nebular's grinning digital form.
Her depiction was simple but striking: a jagged orange grin, sharp and mischievous, paired with slanted eyes that flickered like digital fire.
Her expression carried a sense of calculated amusement, her square-toothed smile giving her an almost unsettling charm.
Against the dark background, she looked like a hollow specter, a ghost of code and wit watching over Nox.
He took a deep breath, jumping back into motion, adjusting his coat as he finally slipped into the bustling street.
His pulse was still pounding, but his attitude was already back in place.
"Good teamwork there, Neb," he smirked. "I mean, I totally was in control of the situation, but you've earned yourself a silver star. Made things easier for me. One could say you nudged things in the right direction, right? Haha."
Nebular hummed, her jagged mouth curving into a sharp smile.
"Thank you. You managed yourself well too. I guess this was the Bloodhounds, am I right?"
Nox stopped for a second, turning his head to check if anyone had followed them before continuing down the crowded street.
"Yeah, live and in action I guess. But don't worry, Zee. I'm more of a cat person anyway, you know?"
Nebular flickered pinkish for a second, then green, still grinning as she displayed a message sent from Zee.
"Oh yeah, trust me Nox, I know. As we were talking about it, we've got a message from your girlfriend. Looks like she figured out where the location's gonna be."
Nox groaned, rubbing a paw down his face.
"Neb, she's not my girlfriend."
Nebular's grin widened slightly on the screen.
"Mmmhmm. Sure. Should I send her a heart emoji back?"
Nox glared at the screen, pulling his phone closer.
"You do that, and I'm gonna make Zee disable your sarcasm settings."
Nebular flickered yellow.
"Whoa. Not so serious, I'm just kidding. But I did get you a new phone background—have a look!"
Nox froze, his ears twitching as he glanced at his screen.
There it was. A perfectly timed shot of him and Zee, caught in a rare moment of closeness.
The lighting and expressions made it almost too sentimental. Nearly perfect.
"Neb," he said slowly, "change it back. Now."
Nebular flickered playfully, her glow pulsing.
"Awww, but it's such a good memory! You should cherish these moments, Nox."
Nox clenched his fists, pocketing his phone.
"I really like the picture you took, Neb. But I haven't got time for stuff like this. There are things more important right now."
Nebular flickered, her glow dimming slightly as if a lightning bolt of realization struck her.
"I understand, Nox. You might be able to hustle through a lot of things, but don't hustle through yourself."
For once, there was no teasing in her tone. Just a quiet acknowledgment.
After a beat, she brightened back up, her usual sharpness returning.
"Alright, alright. No need to get all dramatic. Let's focus. So, are we checking in with Zee, or do you need another near-death experience first? My circuits are just getting warm!"
Nox chuckled under his scarf.
"Does one thing exclude the other here?"
Nebular flickered green in Nox's pocket, her glow pulsing as if laughing, illuminating his coat.
"Touché, Nox."
Nox smirked, pulling his hat back into place.
"Alright, let's go see what Zee dug up. And this time, let's try to keep the death-defying stunts to a minimum, yeah?"
"No promises," Nebular quipped.
Nox's paw instinctively pulled out his phone again as he took a second, closer look at the picture. The image was surprisingly well-framed, as if Nebular had waited for the perfect moment.
The dim lighting cast a soft glow on both Nox and Zee, the neon reflections of the city creating a soft shade of blue and red from either side of them. The scene had a faint, dreamlike quality.
Nox was leaning against the window frame, his usual cheeky demeanor replaced with something quieter—something more vulnerable, almost peaceful.
Zee was close beside him, her expression gentle but focused, as if she were trying to get through to him in a way words alone couldn't.
There was an unspoken warmth lingering between them. A quiet understanding neither of them had to say out loud.
Maybe it was the way Zee's paw rested lightly on Nox's, or the way she leaned her head against his shoulder. The moment felt personal.
For Nox, too personal.
He smirked, tucking his phone back into his pocket.
"Maybe... just maybe... let it stay."
"Alright, Neb," he muttered. "Let's get back on track. I'm done playing with mutts for today."