Adventure of Metalhide 1

Metalhide waits in military tow-truck form beneath a sagging overpass, blue energy dimmed behind armored panels. Across the service road, a young adult woman in a torn olive jacket pulls a small boy away from reaching undead.

The boy, an elementary-school-aged child with dark curls, a red sweater, and a scraped cheek, stumbles. The woman catches him, shoulders through a gap, and spots the apparently abandoned tow truck.

She drags Eli to the driver's side and hauls the door open. Both scramble into the cab as the dead crowd the roadway, their hands striking harmlessly against Metalhide's armor.

The whisper rolls softly through the cab, carrying a faint mechanical resonance. Blue light leaks between the dashboard seams, and the dead outside continue striking the armored panels.

The woman keeps one arm around Eli and studies the controls, her breathing tight but controlled. A small warning icon blinks as Metalhide's speaking system draws down his stored energy.

The tow truck’s engine growls awake beneath them. Blue energy brightens through the dashboard seams as Metalhide shifts into gear and surges from beneath the overpass.

Metalhide threads the armored truck through the service road, scattering the dead without slowing. The roadway ahead opens toward a fenced maintenance depot, its gate already hanging wide.

The truck clears the overpass and reaches the depot safely. Inside, a faded emergency sign points to a stocked medical garage, giving Metalhide shelter and supplies without a detour.