Within a 120-meter radius of the landscape, the Enforcer's prison facility being in the center, there is a silent cancellation of the extraordinary. Every mutant, every being of mythical origin, felt an instantaneous severing, a sudden quiet where vibrant power had thrummed moments before. The energy that flowed through veins, that crackled around fingertips, that allowed for impossible feats – it vanished, leaving behind a sense of profound emptiness and shocking vulnerability.
The front entrance of the facility, a gaping maw from the earlier breach, became the focal point of a silent, ominous arrival. Revan, a figure cloaked entirely in shadow, walked through the opening. The escaping prisoners, a surging tide of desperation, continued to flee towards him, their roars of freedom and panic echoing through the night. Some shoved each other aside in their haste, bodies stumbling and falling, adding to the chaotic scramble. But through it all, Revan moved with an unnerving stillness, his form a dark, unyielding presence against the red-tinged emergency lights of the facility. His face remained completely obscured within the deep recess of his hood.
Beneath the cloak's shadow, two dim pinpricks of purple light sparked to life, his eyes slowly beginning to glow. The purple hue deepened, bleeding into a malevolent crimson that mirrored the pulsating red emergency lights that bathed the entire facility in their ominous glow.
[THREE OUT OF FIVE REMAIN]
Outside the ravaged facility, the scene was a tableau of stunned disbelief and simmering tension. Willow's group lay huddled on the ground, their hands cuffed tightly behind their backs, the harsh glare of D.E.I.S.T.R. floodlights illuminating their defeated postures. Four Enforcer soldiers, clad in their stark grey uniforms, stood guard over them, their silver rifles unwavering in their aim.
As Aurora's group, escorted by Martin Shaw and four more Enforcers, emerged from the gaping entrance, a collective gasp rippled through Willow's team and the D.E.I.S.T.R. agents. Jaxan's eyes, still red-rimmed with grief for Idris, widened in shock as he spotted Phil, the stone-skinned inhuman, effortlessly carrying Arthur's limp and bruised body. A barely audible whisper escaped Jaxan's lips. "Arthur…" The sight confirmed his worst fears about their captured teammate.
Kira Davies, her usual composed demeanor momentarily fractured, stared at Martin Shaw as if he were a ghost.
Kira: So it's really true... (she breathed, her voice a mix of disbelief and a hard-edged suspicion.) You've switched sides? (A bitter edge crept into her tone.) From D.E.I.S.T.R. to them? (She spat the last word as if it tasted foul.)
Martin offered no response to Kira's accusation, his gaze sweeping over Willow's subdued group. He turned to Kira, his expression all business.
Martin: I have something you want, Davies," he stated, his voice firm and devoid of emotion,) and you have something I need.
Kira's eyes narrowed, her weapon still trained warily on Martin.
Kira: Is that so? And what is it I want, Martin?
Martin: My prisoners, YOUR men, (He gestured with a nod towards Aurora, Jasper, Allison, and Maya.) They all yours... in exchange of (his gaze sharpened,) three of your little… Covert Operations Division, for the damage your little circus caused inside.
A low grunt escaped Maya's lips, but she remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground.
Kira: Three? (She echoed, her brows furrowed.)
Martin: Yes... (He nodded curtly.) Consider it… compensation. And one of those three, (his eyes flickered towards the darkened entrance of the facility,) is also the one responsible for that little power surge... Rex Kenway.
A shocked gasp escaped Hajime Tanaka. "Rex Kenway… caused THAT?"
Martin: (He offered a curt nod.) Impressive, isn't he?
Kira's mind raced, the implications of Martin's offer swirling within her. She needed the Covert Operations Division for Viktor, but the opportunity to capture the one who caused such widespread chaos…
Kira: So... Where is he? (She demanded, her voice tight.) And two others, Ender Sinclair and Selena Flora?
Martin's lips curved into a knowing smirk.
Martin: Still inside. Possibly still breathing.
Kira sighed, rubbing her temples.
Kira: We sent three agents in.
Gary Holden chuckled, stepping forward.
Gary: Oh, yeah, I.. killed them. (He chuckled.)
A look of surprise and anger flashed across Hajime and Maria's faces. Maria's gaze dropped, her anger barely concealed.
Martin continued, unfazed by Gary's interruption.
Martin: You can have the assassin too.
Gary's smirk beneath his mask vanished, replaced by stunned disbelief.
Gary: What?!
Martin simply turned to Kira.
Martin: Holden here, (he said, gesturing to Gary, "has proven to be... quite reliable... He is a mutant with the ability to never miss his shots... ALWAYS. Might be useful to Viktor to have.
Kira: And to you... Why get rid of him?
Martin: Well... given his recent actions inside, he is has proven to be unreliable too therefore he no longer works for us.
Maya, despite the pain in her leg, allowed a small, satisfied smirk to play on her lips as she saw Gary's distress.
Kira stared at Martin, her mind racing. This unexpected deal was a complicated one. She glanced at Willow and her subdued group, then back at Martin.
Kira: Hajime, (She commanded, her voice decisive,) contact Viktor. He needs to hear about this. (Her gaze returned to Martin, a hard edge in her eyes.)
(INT. ENFORCER FACILITY - CORRIDOR)
Jack, Rex, Selena and Ender all scrambled for cover behind the fallen pillar and chunk of concrete as silver rounds ripped through the air, impacting the walls around them. Ender squeezed off a few more shots with his rifle, the sharp cracks echoing in the confined space before a click followed by another indicated he was out of ammunition. He cursed under his breath, dropping the empty weapon.
Ender: Seriously?! You guys should SERIOUSLY learn to carry a freaking gun!
Rex, still breathing heavily behind the concrete, scoffed.
Rex: Oh, I'm sorry, were we supposed to pack our Sunday picnic baskets with weaponry too, Sinclair? Last I checked, my rods tend to do the job just fine without no damn gun.
Ender: Oh, yeah? Where your freaking rods now, huh? No wait, you don't even need rods you can just pick up rocks, make them all glowy and shiny and blow these motherfuckers up! So… where your freaking powers now, tough guy?
Rex's face contorted in annoyance, his jaw clenched as he struggled to come up with a retort, his own frustration at his lack of power evident.
Jack, still clutching his head, suddenly gasped, his eyes snapping open with a look of chilling realization.
Jack: It's him… Revan… He's here. That's why our powers are gone. He drains the energy around him. We need to move, now. I need to find them.
Just then, a voice boomed from the end of the hallway, cutting through the gunfire and the argument.
Inhuman 1: All units, cease fire!
The silver rounds stopped abruptly. The sudden silence was almost as jarring as the preceding chaos. Rex, Ender, and Selena remained behind their cover, weapons still raised cautiously.
Confusion rippled through the ranks of the inhumans, their weapons wavering slightly. The lead inhuman stepped forward, their gaze fixed on Rex, Ender, Selena, and Jack.
Inhuman 1: You four. Consider yourselves lucky. Our orders have changed. You are to be escorted out of this facility.
Rex, still crouched behind the concrete, yelled out in disbelief: Escorted?! We're not leaving without–
The inhuman cut him off, their tone surprisingly calm.
Inhuman 1: Your friend Dusk and the rest of your… associates… are outside. If you wish to see them, you will turn yourselves in now.
A tense silence hung in the air. Ender and Selena exchanged uneasy glances. Jack, who had been clutching his head, slowly lowered his hands, his expression troubled. He looked at Ender and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
Jack: Go with them, Ender. Keep your guard up. All of you. I need to find the others.
Selena's brow furrowed.
Selena: The people you were talking about? The five? Are they prisoners here?
Jack nodded grimly. Just then, a wave of agony washed over him. He gasped, clutching his head as a violent vision assaulted his senses. He saw two figures in orange, both bearing signs of a struggle, their bodies twisted and broken amidst scattered remains of other prisoners. Revan walked slowly down the hallway, his tattered cloak dragging on the ground, a finger raised to his lips in a silent, chilling hush.
The vision ended as abruptly as it began. Jack gasped, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with a renewed urgency.
Jack: I have to go. Now. He just… he just killed two more.
As he moved to break cover, the inhumans immediately raised their rifles, aiming directly at him.
Inhuman: Hold it right there, speedster. The orders are clear. All of you are to be escorted outside. That includes you.
Jack hesitated, his gaze flicking between the inhumans and his friends. Reluctantly, he nodded in silence, his urgency warring with the immediate threat of the armed guards.
(Elsewhere – The six prisoners)
They stumbled through the dense forest, the six escaped prisoners a motley crew united only by their recent liberation and shared exhaustion. The towering trees cast long, skeletal shadows in the fading light, and the uneven ground made their escape a tiring ordeal. Finally, they collapsed in a small clearing, gasping for breath.
The man with the dreaded hair, still adjusting his tattered prison garb, was the first to break the silence. "Alright," he said, his voice raspy, "we've been running blind long enough. I'm Orion. What are your names?"
The winged harpy woman, her sharp talons nervously digging into the soft earth, spoke first. "They called me Sky."
Next, the pale man with the auburn undercut offered his name with a shrug. "Orion."
The woman with striking emerald eyes nodded. "I'm Ruby." Her voice was quiet, a hint of caution in her tone.
The gnome-like creature with glowing amber eyes squeaked out, "Nugget."
The orcish figure, his broad shoulders heaving, stood tall despite his weariness, a hint of pride in his deep voice. "I am Groknar," he boomed, his chest swelling. "Stands for hope and strength in my tribe."
Evan: Really? That's good to know.
Suddenly, as a fragile moment of rest settled upon them, a figure materialized silently behind the trees. Revan, his presence an unnerving shadow, stepped into the clearing, a wickedly sharp dagger glinting in his hand.
Sky was the first to spot the stranger, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Where'd you come from?" she demanded, her voice laced with suspicion.
Revan didn't answer, his gaze fixed intently on Groknar. In an instance, before anyone could register what happened, Revan lunged forward with a dagger now plunging deep into Groknar's abdomen.
Groknar gasped, his eyes wide with shock and pain. With a bellow of rage, he backhanded Revan with tremendous force, sending the cloaked figure flying backwards, crashing heavily into a thick tree trunk.
Ruby: Damn it! (She cried out in frustration, extending her arm towards Revan.) Tch?! Why isn't anything happening?
Nugget and Evan also instinctively reached out, trying to unleash their powets but they too found nothing. Sky whimpered, her eyes flickering with fear.
Groknar, clutching his bleeding side, ripped a large tree from the ground, the roots tearing through the earth. Roaring a challenge, he charged at Revan, using the tree as a massive battering ram. The impact slammed into Revan, carrying him backwards through the forest, splintering trees of different sizes in their path.
Suddenly, Revan's feet dug into the earth, halting Groknar's furious assault with surprising force. With a guttural grunt, Revan's bare hands shot out, gripping the thick trunk of the tree. A sickening crack echoed through the clearing as he snapped the tree in half, the two pieces falling to the ground.
Groknar stood momentarily stunned, now vulnerable. Revan seized the opportunity, dashing forward with incredible speed, landing a single, devastating punch that sent the massive orc hurtling backwards through the air. Groknar flew an incredible fifty meters before crashing into the ground, the impact creating a crater as he skidded another ten meters through the earth.
Lying dazed in the crater, Groknar stared in disbelief at the seemingly human figure of Revan.
Groknar: What... what are you? (He gasped, his voice filled with awe and terror.)
Revan stalked towards the fallen orc, his silence more menacing than any threat. As Revan approached, large skeletal arms erupted from the shadows beside Groknar, seizing his powerful arms and lifting him into the air, holding him captive. Groknar roared, struggling against the spectral restraints, but they held firm.
Revan stood before Groknar, his red eyes glowing with an intense, malevolent light. Without a word, he drew a sharp-ended falchion from beneath his cloak and plunged it deep into Groknar's heart, the blade piercing through his back.
Groknar let out a sharp, choked gasp, his gaze falling to Revan's emotionless, cold eyes. A final, shuddering breath escaped his lips, and his body went limp. Revan silently withdrew the blood-soaked falchion as the skeletal arms vanished, dropping Groknar's lifeless body to the forest floor with a heavy thud.
Revan inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly, the forest air seemingly doing little to quell the darkness within him. Without a backward glance, he turned and walked away, disappearing back into the shadows of the trees.
[TWO OUT OF FIVE REMAIN]