Finn Lennoy - October 2120
Kai and I move through the shadows with measured steps, keeping low as the facility comes into view through gaps in the branches. The floodlights sweep in slow arcs across the perimeter, predictable in their rhythm, leaving brief pockets of shadow that we slip through without drawing attention.
Ethan's voice from earlier still lingers in the back of my mind, steady but strained, followed by Langford's reply. It had been enough to understand the outcome. They hadn't been able to save Noah.
A memory presses in. Noah struggling, being dragged back, his voice cutting through the distance as he called after me. I shut it down before it can take hold.
Ahead, Kai slows just slightly, and I catch it immediately. We shift together, stepping behind the cover of a thick tree as another sweep of light passes over the ground we had just crossed. From here, the facility's outer structure is clearer, reinforced walls, elevated watch points, and a main courtyard already occupied by rotating patrols.
I pull the tablet from my pocket and bring up the mapped layout. My fingers move across the screen, highlighting structural weak points and marking the sections where the internal systems are most likely to fail under pressure. I adjust the timing of the strike, accounting for patrol routes and the delay between the first and second wave of response teams.
I angle the screen slightly toward Kai. He studies it for a brief second, then gives a small nod.
That's all we need.
I lower the tablet and steady my breathing, eyes fixed on the section of wall we've chosen.
"Three… two… one."
The rockets hit with precise timing, the impact sending a deep shockwave through the ground beneath us. The outer wall fractures and collapses inward, sections of reinforced concrete tearing apart under the force. Secondary explosions ripple through nearby structures, and within seconds the courtyard is swallowed by noise, fire, and confusion.
We move as the chaos spreads.
Crossing open ground now is easier. The guards are distracted, their focus pulled toward the explosions as alarms begin to scream across the compound. Smoke rises quickly, distorting visibility and breaking up clean sightlines.
We reach the breach in the wall and slip inside, stepping over debris and through fractured metal supports. The air is thick with dust and heat, and somewhere deeper inside, systems are beginning to fail, lights flickering as emergency protocols struggle to stabilise.
Kai's attention shifts toward a separated section of the facility, partially shielded behind another reinforced gate.
"We need to block the Special Operator Units," he says, his voice low but firm. "If they mobilise, we'll be surrounded."
I follow his line of sight, already calculating the distance and angle.
"They won't get the chance."
I bring the rifle forward and drop into position behind a broken section of wall, using it as partial cover while I steady the weapon. The structure of the gate is solid, designed to withstand direct impact, but its control system is exposed enough to exploit.
Kai stays just behind me, his presence quiet but constant, watching the approach routes and blind spots I can't cover from this angle.
There is movement to the right and wwo guards round the corner, weapons raised almost immediately as they spot us.
They react fast but Kai is faster.
The shadows respond to him in an instant, rising from the ground and snapping forward with controlled force. They slice cleanly through the guards' weapons before striking them directly, dropping both men before they can fire a single shot.
The space falls quiet again, aside from the distant chaos.
I refocus on the gate.
Through the scope, the world narrows. The damaged structure around it, the flickering lights, the slight distortion from heat rising off nearby fires, all of it fades into the background as I line up the shot.
My fingers twist the barrel of the rifle, selecting the correct output. The mechanism clicks into place, followed by a low, controlled hiss as the weapon charges.
I adjust slightly for distance and angle, then fire.
The device strikes the gate and locks into place. A second later, electricity surges outward in sharp, branching arcs, flooding the entire structure. The system overloads almost immediately, sparks bursting from control panels as the locking mechanism begins to fail and reset in unstable cycles.
It won't hold permanently, but it doesn't need to.
Just long enough.
I rise, securing the rifle back against my shoulder.
"Not sure how long that delays them," I say, already scanning the surrounding area for the next route forward, "we better hurry"
Kai nods, and we move again, keeping close to the damaged sections of the facility where the structure has been compromised. The missile impact has opened multiple entry points, but most are unstable, forcing us to choose paths carefully to avoid collapse or exposure.
We pass through a partially destroyed corridor, stepping over fallen beams and shattered panels. The lighting inside flickers between dim emergency strips and complete darkness, giving Kai's shadows more room.
Distant footsteps echo somewhere deeper inside, along with shouted commands as the remaining personnel try to regain control of the situation. Their movements are reactive, disorganised. They're responding to the attack, not anticipating it.
That gives us the advantage.
We move past the breach and into the heart of the facility. The chaos outside fades quickly, replaced by something tighter, more controlled. The corridors are narrow, reinforced, designed for containment rather than display. Emergency lights pulse a dull red along the walls, painting the concrete in shifting shadows that make distance harder to judge and movement easier to conceal.
I adjust my pace without breaking stride, my eyes scanning the floor for loose debris and fractured panels that could give us away.
Suddenly there are multiple footsteps moving in fast.
I lift my hand slightly. Kai freezes beside me.
They round the corner in formation, rifles raised, movements sharp despite the chaos outside. They're disciplined enough not to panic. Their eyes lock on us immediately.
Gunfire erupts.
I shift to the side, using the wall as partial cover while bringing my rifle up in one smooth motion. The first shot is controlled, precise, hitting the lead guard before he can stabilise his aim. He drops, momentum carrying him forward as the others react.
Kai moves next. Shadows flow from him like liquid, slipping along walls and floors, striking from angles the guards didn't anticipate. One is yanked off balance as darkness wraps his arm and wrenches his weapon aside. Another fires blindly, the shot going wide as the corridor fills with moving shadows.
I advance through the chaos without rushing, without wasted motion. A second shot drops another guard. The last one tries to retreat toward the junction they came from, but Kai's shadows catch him first, slamming him down hard.
Silence falls as quickly as it broke. I lower my rifle slightly, scanning the corridor beyond. Nothing. No movement. No signs of reinforcements yet.
"It'll bring more" I say quietly.
Kai glances toward the far end of the hall. "Then we keep moving."
I nod once, stepping over the fallen guards, moving deeper into the facility. The layout becomes more complex the further in we go. Intersections split into multiple paths, each marked with coded panels and reinforced access points.
But Kai continues as if he know exactly where Ethan and Noah are.
We make our way around the next corner and catch movement through a glass partition. I stop and pull Kai back just enough to stay out of sight.
The room beyond is larger, lined with equipment and control stations. Four guards take positions, eyes fixed on the corridor we're approaching. Waiting.
"They're just trying to delay us" Kai murmurs.
I watch their spacing, their sightlines, the way one keeps glancing toward a secondary entrance at the back.
"They're covering the front, not the sides" I reply evenly.
Kai's gaze shifts. Understanding settles immediately. Without another word, he moves.
The shadows slip under the doorframe, hugging the edges of walls, crawling into the room unnoticed. I circle to the side, keeping close to cover, and find a access panel.
The guards remain focused on the main entrance.
Kai strikes. Shadows surge upward, forcing them to turn, to react to a threat they cannot see. One fires into the darkness, another shouts, trying to regain composure.
I step in from the side. My first shot drops the nearest guard before the others can adjust. I move immediately after, closing the distance instead of holding it, reducing their ability to aim. A second guard pivots toward me, weapon raised, but I shift just enough to throw off his angle and fire again.
The last two try to regroup, one moving for cover, the other scrambling toward the alarm panel. Kai doesn't allow it. Shadows snap forward, pinning him against the wall, slamming him hard enough to silence him instantly.
The room goes quiet again. Only the faint crackle of damaged systems and distant alarms remain. I exhale slowly, steadying my breathing as I scan every exit, every corner. There are no immediate threats.
I look toward the back of the room, where a reinforced corridor leads further in.
"Lets keep going" Kai says.
I glance at him and notice the streak of blood along his nose. He's rubbing at it quickly, almost dismissively, but it doesn't escape me.
I step closer, voice low but threaded with concern. "Hey… are you okay?"
He hesitates for a fraction of a second, then shakes his head slightly, forcing a smile. "Don't worry about me. We just need to get to Ethan and Noah as soon as possible." He continues down the corridor, his pace steady but just a little too deliberate.
He's right. We need to move. Not just for Noah and Ethan, but for Kai. I can feel the strain radiating from him. His powers aren't limitless, and every moment counts.
We move forward, weaving past rubble and debris, when an open doorway catches my eye. A hand shoots out, grabbing Kai by the wrist.
I bring the rifle up instinctively, training it on the figure.
"Noah?" the voice asks, confusion edging through it. Then recognition. "Wait… you're not Noah."
The hand retreats, and the figure steps back into the room.
"Daisy?" I say, lowering the rifle just enough to signal I'm assessing, not attacking. Both of them turn toward me, tension still in the air.
"You know her?" Kai asks.
Relief flashes across her face. "Officer Lennoy, thank God you're here." She steps closer, urgency in her movements. "They took Noah down there." She points to a corridor to the left. "He… he seemed to be in danger."
Kai and I exchange a quick glance, reading each other without words.
I speak firmly, my voice leaving no room for hesitation. "You need to leave. Right now." I nudge past her carefully but with purpose.
"Wait!" Daisy calls after us. "If you're looking for Dr Langford, he went the opposite way when the alarms went off."
I nod, acknowledging her warning without slowing down. "Thanks. Now run."
She disappears down the corridor we just came from, and the sound of her footsteps fades.
I turn back to Kai. "What do you want to do?"
He stands for a moment, eyes following the direction Dr Langford went. I can see the tension in him, the desire to chase, to make his father pay, but he shakes his head, the control returning almost instantly.
"Let's get Ethan and Noah," he says quietly, voice measured. "Then get out of here."
I nod, keeping my attention forward. Every corridor, every shadow, every echo could hide a threat, but we don't stop. Not now. Not until we've got them.