(Rex's group in the warehouse)
The initial shock of Ender's revelation hung heavy in the warehouse air. Rex paced, his usual swagger replaced by a dark frown. Bea and Omar exchanged uneasy glances, their trust in Viktor, while never absolute, now visibly fractured. Jian, ever the silent observer, watched Ender with a thoughtful intensity. Allison leaned against a crate, her red eyes narrowed in suspicion, already piecing together the implications. Claire and Vanessa remained close to Ender, monitoring his vitals while their own expressions mirrored the growing unease. Willow, Jasper, and Aurora watched the internal turmoil brewing within Rex's group with a knowing silence.
"So, Viktor just… what? left you out to die?"
Rex finally spat out, his voice a low growl. He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration palpable.
Ender leaned back against the crates, a bitter taste in his mouth.
Ender: That's what it felt like.
Rex: (He finally punctuates his anger by kicking out at a crack in the warehouse floor, widening it with a sharp CRACK.) SON OF A BITCH!
Rex paced back and forth, his jaw tight.
Rex: After Every.... We RISKED our fucking lives and he just… cuts us loose?
Rex: (A dangerous glint entered his eyes.) I'm gonna kill him.
Jasper stepped forward, his imposing frame blocking Rex's path.
Jasper: You can't do that, Rex.
Rex: (His anger flared, his voice rising to a shout.) The hell I can't! He left my people to die! Kyle's gone and... (it was then he realized.) Shit, Arthur...
Rex abruptly stopped pacing and fumbled for the comm unit in his ear, his fingers shaking slightly.
Rex: Arthur? Arthur, you there? Come in, buddy.
He waited, listening intently, but only a hiss of static answered his call. He tried again, his voice laced with urgency.
Rex: Damnit. Arthur! Do you copy?
The static persisted, a cold and unwelcome response.
Selena: Something's wrong. (She muttered.)
Rex: Yeah? No kidding... Arthur, Maya, Jaxan! Does anyone copy?
Idris, who had been quietly monitoring his own wrist-mounted device, suddenly spoke up, his nervous energy amplified.
Idris: Rex… Arthur's tracker… it's on.
Rex's head snapped towards Idris, his eyes narrowed.
Rex: On? What do you mean 'on'?
Idris fidgeted with his device.
Idris: It was offline before… but now it's broadcasting his current location. (He looked up at Rex, his brown eyes wide with concern.) He's… he's still at St. Peter's.
Rex's jaw tightened. St. Peter's… where Kyle had been taken. A bad feeling settled in his gut.
He looked at the Second Division, his earlier anger now replaced with a grim determination.
Rex: Alright, looks like things just got a whole lot more complicated. He turned to Aurora, his expression grim.
Rex: Aurora. We need your help. Arthur's at St. Peter's, same place Kyle's at, and if Viktor or the enforcers are involved, we gonna need all the help we can get.
Aurora regarded him for a moment, her purple visor reflecting the dim warehouse lights. A small, thoughtful smile touched her lips.
Aurora: We have our own objective, Rex... One that's time-sensitive. However… (she paused, her gaze sweeping over Rex's determined face and then to the injured Ender) …we can agree to an alliance. We'll help you with your people, and in return, you'll help us with ours. Are we in agreement?
Rex didn't hesitate.
Rex: You got yourself a deal.
(Arthur's group in St. Peter's Hospital.)
Back in the silent hospital room where Arthur and Maya stood, their eyes locked onto the other person besides the sleeping patient, Martin Shaw, standing next to bed.
Maya cracks her neck and changes her stance as her knuckles also cracked almost inaudibly as a surge of vibrant pink energy coursed through her veins and eyes before a sleek, black bio-mechanical suit materializes over her casual clothes, glowing with intricate pink circuitry. The sudden appearance of armor didn't faze Martin as he remains calm with a slight smirk as his gaze was locked onto Maya.
Without a word, Maya lunged. The suit's gauntlets shimmered, ready to unleash a powerful energy blast as she shot out a sharp left jab that Shaw sways away from to the left, feeling the wind blow past his ear. Maya still continues her attack with a swift cross that Martin narrowly avoids, his movements fluid and almost lazy. "Predictable..." He commented dryly with a faint smile.
Maya didn't let up, her footwork quick as she circled him, throwing a powerful hook, enhanced by her mechanical arms adding considerable force, aimed at his ribs. Shaw's gaze was fixed on her, his body already moving before her fist connected. He stepped back with an almost inhuman speed, his movements surprisingly quick for a man his age as he comments again...
Martin: You have solid power, could really hurt me if you really tried.
A flicker of annoyance crossed Maya's face as she prepared for another assault.
Arthur, who had been nursing his back against the wall, watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. He subtly reached into a pouch on his belt, his fingers closing around a small, glass vial filled with a viscous, icy blue liquid. He remained still, injecting the vial into his neck, the cold liquid instantly flooding into his system. A wave of frigid energy coursed through him, making his teeth clatter. Frost began to form on his exposed skin that turns pale and his light-pink eyes now glowed with an intense, icy blue light. A visible mist escaped his lips with each exhale. He watched Maya's relentless but ultimately ineffective attacks, a plan forming in his mind.
Maya launches another flurry of punches, a relentless barrage coming from every conceivable angle. Jab, cross, uppercut – each strike was delivered with blinding speed and augmented power, but Shaw seemed to anticipate every move. His eyes, locked onto hers, were his greatest weapon. He weaved, ducked, and sidestepped with an almost supernatural grace, his movements mirroring the evasiveness of a phantom. "Come on, Maya," he commented, a hint of boredom lacing his tone, his eyes flicking dismissively. "At this rate, you'll tire yourself out before you even graze me."
Arthur watched Maya's relentless assault. He noticed Shaw's unwavering focus, the way his eyes seemed to glide over her movements, anticipating each strike before it landed. He also observed the almost bored amusement in Shaw's expression. It was clear direct attacks based on planned movements were futile.
As Maya unleashed a powerful overhand right, a move Shaw had already begun to evade by stepping to his left, Arthur launches himself forward. He hadn't telegraphed his move, his focus solely on the opportunity Maya's forceful attack created. Just as Shaw's attention was momentarily drawn to the arc of Maya's fist, Arthur, now radiating a visible aura of cold, slammed a palm onto Shaw's outstretched arm as he moved. A wave of intense cold spread through Shaw, a visible frost forming on his suit. The unexpected contact, the sudden and instinctive nature of Arthur's move, caught Shaw completely off guard.
Shaw hissed, momentarily stunned by the sudden and unexpected cold. He staggered back slightly, his eyes widening in surprise as he finally shifted his gaze to Arthur, a flicker of genuine shock replacing his usual smirk.
Before Shaw could fully react, Maya, capitalizing on this momentary lapse in his precognitive awareness, unleashed a brutal left hook aimed at his jaw. Shaw, still reeling from the cold, didn't see it coming. The force of the blow snapped his head to the side with a sickening crack.
Maya: Ha! Gotcha, you smug bastard! (Maya growled, a triumphant glint in her pink-energized eyes.)
Shaw stumbled, momentarily disoriented, but his eyes quickly refocused, locking back onto Maya.
Martin: Good one, (he admitted, a hint of grudging respect in his voice.) Even though it's your last.
Maya: Or a start to your ass beating. (Maya didn't waste the opportunity. Before Shaw could fully recover, she launched another rapid-fire series of punches, mixing in unexpected feints and quick changes in direction. While Shaw still managed to evade most of the blows with his uncanny reflexes, one of Maya's jabs, thrown with pure instinct as she saw an opening, grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.)
Shaw touched his cheek, his eyes narrowing with genuine anger.
Martin: Not bad... (he said, his movements becoming more deliberate, more aggressive. He shot a swift kick towards Maya's midsection, which she barely managed to block with her armored forearms, the impact sending a jolt up her arms.)
Arthur, seeing his opening, unleashed his own attack. Focusing his icy energy, he shot a blast of freezing air towards Shaw, hoping to freeze him. Shaw, now more alert, sidestepped the blast with a fluid motion, the icy air leaving a splash of frost on the wall.
Martin: Not this time, (he scoffed as his focus was now on Arthur.)
Arthur: Tch...
Arthur steps backwards with an open palm that fires a volley of sharp icicles at Martin. Shaw moved with blinding speed, snatching one of the flying icicles out of the air with his bare hand. He used the captured projectile to deflect the remaining ice shards, the sharp tink sound echoing in the room. Before Maya could capitalize on the momentary distraction, Shaw, with a swift reverse grip, plunged the icicle into Maya's stomach. She gasped, her pink energy flickering as pain shot through her. She instinctively tried to strike Shaw up close, but Martin reacted faster than she could anticipate, yanking the bloodied icicle from her stomach and slashing it across her outstretched arm, leaving a deep gash before plunging it into her shoulder.
Arthur, seeing Maya wounded and momentarily incapacitated, saw another chance. He gathered his icy energy, preparing a focused blast. But Shaw's gaze snapped to Arthur, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly. He anticipated Arthur's move. With lightning-fast reflexes, Shaw yanked the icicle out of Maya's shoulder and hurled it across the room. The sharp, icy projectile pierced the air, striking Arthur's neck directly through the center, a crimson stain blooming instantly around the icy projectile. Immediately after throwing, Martin delivered a sharp elbow strike to Maya's face, using the same momentum of his throw.
Maya cried out, stumbling back, clutching her bleeding stomach and arm. Arthur gasped, his icy blue eyes widening in shock as a trickle of blood mixed with frost seeped from the wound. He stumbled back, clutching his throat, his glowing eyes dimming. Maya's pink energy flickered erratically around her bio-mechanical suit, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she clutched her bleeding stomach and arm.
Maya, gritting her teeth against the searing pain in her abdomen and the burning gash on her arm, refused to yield. Nanobots within her suit began to rapidly repair the injures. The gash on her arm and the wound on her shoulder slowly began to close, the flow of blood lessening with each passing second.
Maya: You… you'll pay for that, (she snarled, her voice strained but filled with venom.)
Martin merely chuckled, wiping the thin smear of blood from his cheek with a dismissive gesture.
Martin: Such spirit… pity it won't save you. (His gaze flicked towards Arthur, a brief look of satisfaction in his eyes before returning to Maya.)
He moved towards Maya, intent on delivering the final blow. As he closed in, Maya suddenly unleashed a powerful, instinctual burst of pink energy from her gauntlets. The blast, unexpected and raw, caught Shaw off guard. He staggered back, his eyes widening in surprise, a grunt escaping his lips.
During the exchange with Maya and Shaw, Arthur feels the pain from the icicle in his neck which that should have overwhelmed his senses become less, confusing him as he feels another sensation course through him. His pale frost skin regained its natural hue, and the intense blue glow in his eyes softened back to their usual light pink. He blinked in surprise, realizing what had just happened as the icicle dissolves into a harmless puddle on the floor.
Maya pressed her attack, a flurry of jabs and crosses, each powered by her bio-mechanical suit. Shaw continued to evade with infuriating ease, offering his critiques between dodges.
Martin: Too telegraphed, (he said, swaying back from a punch.) Try leading with your footwork. (He then countered with a swift elbow to her ribs, forcing a grunt of pain from her.)
Arthur watched, his eyes narrowed, waiting for his moment. Maya was strong and fast, but her boxing training made her movements sequential, allowing Shaw to read her intent. He needed to introduce an element of pure chance, something Shaw couldn't foresee.
Maya launched another aggressive assault, a flurry of jabs and crosses aimed at Shaw's head and torso. Shaw, as before, effortlessly swayed, ducked, and weaved, his eyes locked onto Maya, a running commentary escaping his lips. "Left… right… predictable again… a hook to the body? Anticipated… you rely too much on established boxing patterns instead of your mechanical powers, little mutant." He punctuated his words with swift counters, a sharp jab to her ribs, a quick kick to her leg. Each strike landed with precision, further weakening Maya despite her suit's protection.
As Maya unleashed a powerful right hook, her body twisting into the motion, Arthur saw his chance. He didn't telegraph his movements, instead waiting for the precise moment Shaw's focus was entirely on evading Maya's blow. Just as Shaw leaned back, preparing to deliver a counter-strike, Arthur materialized a sharp, black metallic blade infused to his forearm, a stark contrast to Maya's vibrant pink energy. It moved with a speed and direction even Maya hadn't anticipated, a purely instinctive action fueled by his intellect and the raw, unfamiliar power coursing through him. The unexpected weapon flashed towards Shaw's exposed side.
Martin's eyes widened in genuine surprise. He hadn't anticipated this sudden, erratic attack. The blade grazed his side, drawing a thin line of blood through his pristine suit.
Martin: Impressive, (he conceded, a flicker of pain and surprise crossing his features.) You saved yourself from death by copying her power. The Enforcers could have REALLY used someone like you, Arthur.
Maya, seeing Shaw momentarily stunned, pressed her advantage. She unleashed a rapid sequence of punches, mixing high and low attacks, feints and genuine blows. This time, with Shaw slightly off-balance and his predictive ability momentarily disrupted by Arthur's unpredictable attack, her punches finally started to land. A sharp right hook connected with his jaw, followed by a powerful left cross to his chest.
At the same time, Arthur, still getting a feel for his copied power, instinctively launched a series of sharp, metallic tendrils from his forearm, lashing out at Shaw's legs and arms, attempting to restrain him.
Shaw's flickered onto the upcoming tendrils, evading each one with surprising speed before delivering a swift kick to Arthur's side that sent him sprawling across the room, gasping for air.
Maya roared in anger, focusing all her energy into a final, desperate attack. She charged Shaw head-on, her fists glowing with concentrated energy, every muscle in her body screaming with exertion.
Shaw sidestepped her attack, grabbing and slamming her up against the wall.
Martin: I enjoyed this little fight of ours... Really refreshing, you know? But now it's time I end it.
Maya gasped, struggling for air as Shaw's grip tightened around her neck, squeezing slowly as his gaze remained locked and cold on her with a satisfying grin.
Arthur, still on the ground, saw Maya in trouble and flung a loose piece of metal debris with a burst of kinetic force, aiming wildly at Shaw's head. Shaw catches the piece of metal right next to his temple while his gaze remained on his Maya.
Martin: (He chuckles, dropping the piece of metal as he turns his gaze to Arthur) Seriously?
The air crackled with the strain of Maya's struggles as Martin's grip tightened. Just as the world began to swim behind her eyes, a primal rage surged within Maya. She Focused all her remaining strength to form a wrist blade infused to the guantlet that she plunges into Shaw's chest.
Martin: Ah... (His eyes flickered from Maya to the stab and back to her,) You BITCH!! (He roared in pai and rage, squeezing harder until his knuckles turned white. But Maya wasn't finished. Keeping her gauntlet pressed against Martin's chest, she unleashed a point-blank blast of concentrated pink energy.)
The force of the explosion launched Martin backwards, slamming him against the opposite wall with a sickening thud. He slumped down, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness.
Maya gasped, clutching her neck, her body trembling from the near-suffocation and the exertion of the fight. She looked at Arthur, who was slowly getting to his feet, clutching his side and breathing heavily.
Maya: You okay, Arthur? That icicle… it looked bad.
Arthur nodded.
Arthur: Yeah... Thanks to your blood coating it. (His gaze shifted to the elf laying unconscious.)
Maya: Agreed. Those Inhumans… or Enforcers, whatever they are, are swarming the place. Let's grab the elf and get the hell out of here. (Maya said, her voice still ragged.)
Arthur nodded, moving towards the bed. He carefully lifted Ivy, who was still limp and unresponsive.
Arthur: Kyle, (he said, his voice firm.) We need to find Kyle.
Maya stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Maya: Kyle?! Are you insane, Arthur? We barely survived that! We grab the elf and we run. That was the deal!
Arthur shook his head, his gaze resolute.
Arthur: We need him, Maya. THEY need him. If we leave him here, they'll extract whatever information they need. We can't risk that.
Ignoring Maya's protests, Arthur headed for the door, carrying Ivy gently in his arms. Maya hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between the unconscious Shaw and the doorway, before reluctantly following. They slipped out of the room and into the deserted hospital corridor, the silence now amplifying their footsteps as they moved quickly, keen on finding their missing teammate.