Perimeter Scavenge

Stepping off the stud base required balance. My rigid soles met polished floorboards with a dry snap. The open floor offered little cover, so I tracked the baseboard shadow line. Four paces out, a curved metal wire obstructed my path—a loose paperclip, wedged under the lip of a rug. I gripped its slender curve with my right hand, tested the tension, and pulled. It resisted, then broke free with a scraping ring. A functional grappling segment. I secured it under my arm and took cover behind a table leg. Sector perimeter surveyed.