The air in the room was thick with tension.
"Raven! Raven! What's happening? Answer me, Raven!" the president shouted into the comms.
"Sir! You are loosing your breath. Please, use your inhaler, " Mason urged, his voice is steady despite the chaos.
The President ignored him, his eyes glued to the monitors. "What happened, Mason?! A minute ago, they were finishing the raid, and now the visuals are gone! The screens are dead!"
"The backup forces are reaching the location now, Mr. President, "Mason replied, leaning over the console. "It may be a techni-buzzzz-"
The communicator on the officer's shoulder suddenly crackled to life, spitting out static and distorted noise.
"Mason, quick! Receive it!"
"Yes, sir, " Mason said, his fingers flying across the controls. "This is the Justice House. State your situation, Sergeant."
Buzzz-Si-ZZZ-Haaa-(A deep ragged inhale sounded over the line.) "I It's the backup team, sir..."
Before the sergeant could finish, the president snatched the communicator from Mason's hand. "STATE YOUR SITUATION! What's happening there?!"
"Ah...zzz.... " A pained groan echoed through the speakers. "We got... ambushed, Mr. president..."
"Zz-No...No...We have a third par-PHICHIKKK-zzzzz..."
The line went dead with a bone-chilling screech. Even without a visual, everyone in the room knew the truth: the man on the other side of that signal was no longer alive.
The communication link shattered. The visuals remained lost. The only person who could have updated them was now dead.
The "Sting Operation," Organized by the Hero Alliance to exterminate the world's most wanted, had been calculated at a 97% success rate. But now, it felt like as if the every string they had pulled towards victory had snapped.
The President sat in his chair, drowned in darkness. Classified document were scattered everywhere. The only light source in the room was the massive screen at the front wall-flickering with the lost visuals of "Operation Null."
" Hooo..." The President took a long, shaky breath. " Mason, What's the next step?"
Mason, a tall man dressed in a sharp black suit, stood firmly behind the president. "We are sending in air force joined in by Elite heroes led by Ember."
"How much time until they reach the location, Mason?"
Hardly fifteen minutes, sir."
That's too long, Mason. We should have sent Ember with them from the start."
Mason stood still his gaze fixed on the dead screen. Then, he adjusted his glasses, looking at the President with cold eyes. "Mr. President what if we deployed Tsunamini to the location. ? She is close to the operation zone."
The President stiffened. "We can't Mason. She guards the prison and what lies in prison is as dangerous as the void himself. We cannot risk breach."
"Then why not deploy that danger against them Mr. President.?"
"Don't even think about it, Mason, " The President snapped "It's reckless. We still have people out there, and we must confirm the death of Void first."
"hmmm. "Mason let out a long, deep exhale. "I understand, sir."
The room sank back into a strange, heavy silence. For a full minute, neither man spoke. Then, the communicator buzzed again.
This time, There was no rush to answer. Neither Mason nor the President moved immediately because they knew the new back up team hadn't contacted them yet, and the main contact team was already dead. Everyone from raid party was probably gone.
As the static hummed, only one thought remained in the room:
It was either the potential sole survivor The rank first hero or-
The static cleared into jagged, mocking voice.
" Buzzz-Nhaa... You unfair piece of corrupts. Add this to your record..."
The President's blood ran cold.
"Mourn until the day you can find breath to say it: ' I reaped the Metal. I killed the Immortal.' Your first rank Sovereign, your 'Absolute Metal', is nothing but a loath of meat hiding behind the steel. HeheeHaa...
Count your remaining days - your f*king days*- because I am coming for every single one of you. You- You will be punished. You all will be sent to hell. And as your world burns, everyone will knows the true face of Jus-buzzz."
This was the day when Void, one of the most ruthless and dangerous men alive, was finally confirmed dead. It should have been the a victory, but with the fall of the greatest hero this century ever seen, the "Golden Era" has collapsed too. The foundation of the world has crumbled, and in the ashes of the fallen heroes, the only thing left is "The Struggle".