Heavy footfalls echoed among the walls of the empty alleys, almost overshadowing the heavy panting of a fleeing human a few feet away. The concrete walls radiated the day's heat, creating a stifling atmosphere as they ducked around the corner quickly, out of sight for just a few seconds—a maneuver that only amused the Omnic closing in on them. The distant hum of city traffic provided an unsettling backdrop to the intimate chase.

"You can't get far. There's no escaping me." Ramattra taunted, his metallic bass voice rumbling through his voice box with a sound like grinding gears. There were a few electronic clicks as his glowing purple eyes shifted to a piercing blue, the alley suddenly bathed in the faint glow of his thermal vision tracking the lingering heat signatures painted across the walls.

Humans were so easy to hunt. Their predictable patterns, their accelerated heart rates, their irrational hope that somehow they might outrun superior technology. He turned the corner, the infrared display showing a bright human outline against the cooler concrete—a mix of oranges, reds and yellows forming the distinctive shape of his prey. The long stretch of the narrow alley led right into a dead end, the brick wall at the end glistening with recent rain.

His scans indicated the rapid rise of their heartbeat, drumming like a frantic drum against his audio receptors. His eyes shifted back to normal vision, putting them into clear sight now. The look of fear plastered on their face was delicious—sweat glistening on their brow, chest heaving with exertion, pupils dilated with primal terror.

Even more so when they realized there was nowhere else to go. Ramattra's large mechanical body filled the alleyway, blocking the only exit with his imposing frame. The scent of ozone emanated from his systems as he powered down unnecessary functions to focus on the hunt.

He stalked closer, steps deliberately slow, each metallic footfall sending vibrations through the ground. Ramping up the unease and building tension with every measured advance. There was no way they could get away. The alley walls pressed in on either side, damp and cold against exposed skin.

"Poor little thing. Really thought an Omnic wouldn't track you down? You humans and your know-it-all personalities. It's cute." His hand shot out with inhuman speed, vice grip closing around their soft throat—warm flesh yielding to cold metal. The struggle they gave sent a spark through his systems, a surge of electricity mimicking the thrill of the chase.

Something about this moment felt like it was ending too soon. The prey had been caught too easily.

Ramattra turned abruptly, lifting them off the ground with casual strength and tossing them down roughly ten feet away, now no longer cornered against the wall but still trapped in the alley.

"Let's play a game. You run." He tilted his head slightly, thick wired hair shifting on his shoulders with a metallic rustle. "And if I catch you again, you're mine. If you make it, you can have your freedom. Well? Get moving."