The streets of the city were quieter than usual, the hum of distant traffic swallowed by the dense fog that had settled in. Elena moved swiftly, her boots slapping against the wet pavement, her mind racing with the gravity of what she was about to face. Lucien's lab—hidden beneath the old chemical plant—was the heart of his monstrous operation. It was here that he was creating his army, turning people into mindless soldiers, stripping them of their humanity one experiment at a time.
Matteo had tried to stop her. He had begged her to retreat, to let him handle things. But Elena knew that this battle couldn't be fought by anyone else. Lucien had taken too much already. He had crossed a line, and now, Elena would be the one to draw the final line in the sand.
She stopped at the corner of a rundown street, her breath steady but heavy in the cool night air. The chemical plant loomed in the distance, its tall, rusting pipes and cracked windows standing like sentinels in the night. There was a quiet menace to the place, a sense that something unnatural was brewing within.
Elena scanned the area, taking in her surroundings. The entrance to the underground facility was hidden well, tucked behind layers of old metal doors and crumbling brick walls. But she had studied every detail from the intel Matteo had given her, and she knew exactly where to go.
She approached the back of the plant, her eyes sharp as she checked every corner for movement. There was no sign of Lucien's men yet, but she knew they wouldn't be far behind. He wouldn't let her get this close without sending a few of his loyal followers to make sure she didn't make it inside.
The entrance was a steel door, barely noticeable in the darkened alley. Elena took a deep breath and pressed her palm against the cold surface, feeling for the hidden keypad Matteo had mentioned. It was a simple security system, and after a moment of hesitation, she pressed the sequence of numbers. The door clicked, and a soft hiss of air escaped as it unlocked.
She stepped inside, the door creaking shut behind her with a low groan. The air was thick with the smell of chemicals, old machinery, and something else—something metallic, almost like blood. The darkness was near complete, but the faint flickering of overhead lights guided her steps.
She moved quietly, her gun drawn, ready for anything. The sounds of distant machinery and the hum of generators filled the silence as she made her way deeper into the facility. Her heart pounded in her chest, and every instinct told her that danger was close. But she couldn't stop now. She couldn't afford to hesitate.
At the far end of the corridor, Elena spotted the first sign of life—guards. Two of them, standing watch in front of a reinforced door. They hadn't seen her yet, and Elena quickly ducked behind a large metal crate, her breath held. The guards were talking, their voices low and unintelligible, but Elena could tell they weren't expecting anyone to be here.
She couldn't waste time. She moved swiftly, stepping from shadow to shadow, her movements precise and calculated. She was almost there when a noise behind her caught her attention. She turned just in time to see one of Lucien's men rounding the corner, his eyes widening in shock when he saw her.
Elena didn't hesitate. She pulled the trigger.
The man crumpled to the ground, his body hitting the floor with a sickening thud. But Elena had no time to mourn. She was already moving, her focus sharp, her resolve unshakable. She reached the door, and after a quick scan, she input the final code.
The door clicked open, and Elena stepped into the heart of Lucien's operation.
What she saw made her stomach turn. The lab was filled with rows of glass tanks, each containing a person—or what had once been a person. Their faces were twisted in agony, their bodies pale and gaunt. They were all connected to machines, their eyes vacant, their minds lost.
This was Lucien's army. The monsters he had been creating.
And Elena had come to destroy them all.