— The Outbreak —
RATATATAT!
Gunfire roared through the cold night air. The ground shook as if the earth itself were trembling in fear. Soldiers rushed out of the steel corridors, their boots slamming against the floor, their hands gripping heavy rifles and plasma launchers.
"Keep firing!" one shouted, his voice breaking through the chaos.
Sparks and smoke filled the air as bullets collided with what looked like a pack of robotic wolves—their metallic bodies gleaming under the crimson alarms.
BOOM!
One wolf pounced, its claws tearing through a soldier's stomach. Blood splattered across the concrete.
"Ahh—!" the man screamed, collapsing.
The others didn't hesitate; they opened fire, rounds tearing through both metal and flesh.
"Where did they come from?!" a terrified soldier yelled as his trembling hands reloaded.
"I don't know—they just showed up on our radar!" another shouted back.
Before they could regroup, the wolves surged forward with inhuman speed, eyes burning red, their movements a blur of steel and violence.
---
— Command in Chaos —
Inside the command room, red warning lights flashed across screens. The captain slammed his fist on the console.
"Are you sure this isn't the Russians?" he demanded.
The soldier at the computer shook his head rapidly. "We don't know, sir! No signals match!"
Another soldier suddenly shouted, "Sir! We've lost communication with the outside! We can't send or receive anything!"
"What?" the captain barked, turning sharply.
"Sir—it's a force field!" another soldier yelled. "A barrier's covering the entire base!"
The captain's face went pale. He clenched his hands tightly, the veins on his knuckles popping. "What in hell is going on here…?"
---
— Shadows on the Eastern Wing —
In the eastern section of the base—where no one was watching—a small team stood surrounded by fallen soldiers.
Fang, Sonia, Ray, Linda, Tracy, and Edge.
Edge stood close to Sonia as she conversed with Winner through a tablet. Winner's calm voice came through the static,
"The robotic wolves will keep them busy. The force field should last long enough for you to complete the mission."
A video call notification appeared—Void.
He grinned on screen. "Yo, already in position. By the way… did anyone see the video Betty sent?"
Everyone looked confused. "What video?" they asked in unison.
Void smirked. "Apparently Demon's getting cozy with some hot British chick. She's practically giving him the green light."
Winner frowned. "So what? Tell him to focus—and you better not slack either."
Void chuckled. "You forget you're the youngest here. You're practically eight."
Winner snapped back, her tone sharp. "Oh yeah? At least I'm still the smartest. Keep mouthing off and I'll cut your access to all high-tech gear."
Void gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't dare!"
Sonia sighed, ending the call. "Those two always act like kids," she muttered, before motioning the team forward.
Tap… tap… tap. Their footsteps echoed softly through the steel hall.
---
— The Descent —
They slipped into the prison undetected.
Fang pulled out a pen-like device. A soft beep followed as a hologram of codes appeared, scanning the door. With a click, it unlocked.
They moved through a narrow hallway and reached a massive steel door at the end. The air grew colder.
Ding! The door slid open.
Rows of prison cells stretched out before them, dim lights flickering above the heads of silent prisoners. As they walked, several inmates began shouting.
"Hey! Kids! Over here!"
"Help us out, come on!"
Sonia turned toward one man who whistled at her. Her crimson eyes locked onto his—cold and sharp.
The prisoner flinched, shivering as if stabbed by the gaze alone.
They reached an elevator and stepped inside. As it descended, a low mechanical hum filled the silence.
Edge broke it. "You sure we're gonna find this guy here?"
Fang nodded, eyes on the glowing floor counter. "Yeah. If Hakimi's intel was right."
Ding!
The elevator stopped.
---
— The Lower Depths —
The doors slid open.
A wave of cold air hit them. The atmosphere was heavy—thick with dread.
Thump… thump… Their hearts beat faster.
Dozens of reinforced cells lined the chamber. These were unlike the upper ones—massive, covered in power-dampening glass and reinforced steel. Even the air seemed to hum with restrained power.
Linda shivered. "Hey… is it just me, or does this place feel… wrong?"
Edge swallowed hard. "Not just you. It's like every prisoner here is staring right through us. My heart's about to stop."
Sonia's tone was calm but grim.
"That's because we're in the deep cell block—the place where high-level villains, terrorists, and warlords are kept. People who could destroy nations if unchained. This is where the real monsters sleep."
Her words made their stomachs tighten.
Tracy frowned. "And who the hell are we even looking for again?"
Sonia tapped her smartwatch. A hologram flickered to life—displaying a tall man with cold eyes.
"Divenchy Pariso," she said. "One of the world's most feared terrorists. He singlehandedly took down the entire American military force and went head-to-head with K20. He's been alive for 132 years."
The others stared, speechless.
Sonia continued, her voice dropping lower.
"And if our info is correct… he's gone against the GLDs."
Her words echoed through the cell block like a curse.
The prisoners stirred—eyes glowing, a dozen gazes burning through the glass.
"Damn…" Fang muttered, sweat dripping down his neck. "Let's just get this done fast."
They all nodded, avoiding eye contact as they hurried deeper.
---
— The Monster in the Cell —
At last, they reached the final chamber.
The cell they sought was colossal—thick steel, reinforced barriers, and intricate runes glowing faintly across the walls. Thirteen other cells surrounded it, each pulsing with restrained energy.
Fang stepped forward, muttering under his breath, "Hope Hakimi's code works…"
He inserted the pin.
Beep...
The console flashed green.
Click! The locks disengaged.
The door creaked open.
Inside sat a man—appearing no older than his late forties, his body built like a weapon. He sat on the edge of his bed, eyes closed, still as stone.
Then—
Tap.
His eyes opened.
Instantly, pressure filled the air. The team dropped to their knees, choking on invisible weight.
Linda looked up—her heart pounding so loud she could hear it. Thump… thump… thump…
The man rose, every movement deliberate. With one step—he vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he was standing before her.
Linda froze. His eyes… they were black voids, with a single glowing red dot at the center of each.
She couldn't breathe.
The man gripped her hair and lifted her effortlessly. His voice came out low, cold, and heavy.
"…And who are you kids?"
Sonia, still kneeling, met his gaze without flinching.
"We're your one-way ticket out of here, Divenchy Pariso."
The man studied her for a moment. His crimson pupils flickered.
Then, slowly, he released Linda and slid his hands into his pockets.
A faint, dangerous smirk curved on his lips.
Sonia exhaled nervously, forcing a laugh. "Heh… let's hope this goes smoothly."