Friday Night. Tokyo's streets buzzed with the gentle hum of nightlife. Neon lights reflected off rain-slicked pavement, and soft jazz floated from nearby cafés.
Aoi exited the art gala wearing a silky black dress that shimmered in the moonlight. Her heels clicked against the sidewalk as she made her way down the quiet street toward the parking lot.
She glanced at her phone.[Ren: Got delayed at the lab. Lucia's watching you. Drive safe. Love you ❤️]
She smiled softly, replying with a heart.
Then the lights behind her dimmed.
The parking lot was unusually empty.
She paused. Something wasn't right.
Her fingers slid into her purse, brushing over the emergency trigger for the nanotech necklace Ren had given her.
But before she could press it—
A van door flung open behind her.
Black-gloved hands grabbed her arm.
She spun, instinct kicking in—her foot connected with someone's leg—but another man shoved her forward.
"Get in—quietly, and no one gets hurt," a gruff voice warned.
But Aoi wasn't listening. Her thumb jammed the trigger inside her necklace.
For a single second, nothing happened.
Then—
Lucia's voice activated in her ear.
"Emergency detected. Activating Husband Protocol."
The necklace glowed faintly. A thin ripple of gold-blue nanotech began to spread over her chest, forming a semi-rigid shield.
One of the attackers reached for her again—only to be electrocuted by a burst of current from the forming armor.
Lucia spoke again, this time through satellite link.
"Ren, threat confirmed. Coordinates locked. I've sent the drone. ETA: 42 seconds."
At the AI Lab
Ren's screen blinked red.
He stood instantly. "Lucia. Send full suppressive surveillance and activate Phase One of Intercept."
Lucia's cylindrical drone form zipped past his head and out the window, vanishing into the night sky.
His hands trembled—but his face was calm.
"They touched her."
Back in the Alley
The two men backed away from Aoi, startled by the shimmering armor now protecting her chest and upper arms.
A high-frequency pulse from the necklace disoriented them, and Aoi—gritting her teeth—grabbed a loose piece of scaffolding from the alley wall and swung.
CRACK. One of the attackers dropped.
Lucia's drone arrived overhead, shining a floodlight on the scene.
"Aoi, please remain still. Target lock acquired."
A pellet launched from the drone—knocking the second man out instantly.
Aoi's heart was pounding. Her lip was trembling—but she was still standing.
Later That Night
Ren held her in his arms inside the AI lab, her body wrapped in a warm blanket.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I should've gone with you."
Aoi shook her head. "You built this for me. It saved my life."
Lucia hovered nearby, scanning the data.
"Identities traced. One is linked to Naruse's private security. Do you want full retaliation protocols active?"
Ren's eyes darkened.
"No," he muttered. "Not yet."
He kissed Aoi's forehead.
"But next time… I won't be so merciful."