CHAPTER 41: The White House
HERO TOWER – CORRIDORS – PANIC
The Tower's corridors were in turmoil. Assistants ran, screens flickered, voices clashed.
Lion walked with a quick step, his face closed. Anastasia followed him, a tablet in hand, rattling off information at breakneck speed.
"The tweet was deleted as quickly as it was posted, but it's too late. People grabbed it, captured it, reposted it. The confidential information has leaked."
Lion didn't slow down.
"The Gambling Agency has launched a massive recruitment campaign. At the same time, an account has just published info on the White House."
He stopped dead.
"The White House?"
Anastasia nodded.
"An ultra-secure laboratory, sponsored by the Association. According to the USB key, it contains experiments involving humans, animals, and demons."
Lion closed his eyes.
"So what?"
"We found documents on Gap."
His eyes opened.
---
FLASHBACK – MIDAS'S MANOR – THAT EVENING
Midas was in his office. His mother's statue watched over a corner. Before him, Amélie – Silva's sister – held the USB key.
"The White House. An ultra-secure laboratory, sponsored by the Association."
Midas didn't react.
"According to the key, they run experiments there. Humans, animals, demons."
"I don't give a shit."
Amélie looked at him.
"We found documents on Gap."
Midas's gaze froze.
He looked at his mother's statue. Flashbacks rolled by. That night. The bridge. Gap who had saved him.
He stood up.
"Prepare a team. We're going."
---
IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE – NIGHT
The team was there. The casino pillars. Sharky, blade in hand. Midas, his golden hands gleaming in the darkness.
"We force the entrance."
They launched the assault. Soldiers. Organized. Brutal.
The enemy formations collapsed under the power of their abilities. Sharky slashed the first guards. Midas turned the doors to gold.
They entered.
---
INSIDE – THE LABORATORY
The corridors were white, sterile. Glass tubes, machines, screens.
And in the tubes, things.
Fusions. Half-human. Half-animal. Half-demonic.
Motionless creatures, frozen in glass, eyes open.
The group advanced in silence.
A young girl stepped out of the shadows. She held a gun.
She fired at Midas.
CLANG.
His body turned to gold. The bullet ricocheted.
He lunged at her. Caught her. Looked at her.
She was Julie's age. Maybe younger.
He thought of his daughter. Then he thought of Silva. Of everything he had lost.
"Sorry."
He snapped her neck.
She collapsed.
The silence was total. Sharky, the pillars, the whole group – frozen.
In that moment, they understood.
This mission had awakened the sleeping monster.
Midas turned to them. His face was empty.
"We continue."
---
TO BE CONTINUED…