They walked into a dark alleyway, despite the sun shining brightly. The deeper they went, the quieter the world became — the sounds of Vexen's streets fading behind them, replaced by the hum of flickering power lines and the soft drip of water from rusted pipes. The walls were covered in graffiti, most of it gang symbols: flames, ice, and lightning. Alec noticed the gang symbol, and so did the others.
Alec walked near Joel, his steps careful and measured. Crystal stayed close to Mira, whispering occasionally as if trying to keep her calm. Owen lingered beside Hiro, alert and restless, while Irene took up the rear, her gaze flicking behind them every few seconds.
"Wait," Alec said suddenly, halting mid-step. His eyes darted around the narrow space. "Where exactly are we going again? I mean, I know Joel says we have a plan, but... Phoenix territory? We're walking straight into a war zone, right?"
Joel didn't flinch. "I'm aware, between you and me. Crystal, Hiro, and I aren't new to this stuff," he said nonchalantly, voice steady and quiet. "But if they don't see us, we'll be fine. With Crystal here, we can sense their movements and avoid unnecessary fights. If fighting breaks out nearby, we'll know before it reaches us."
Crystal stared at Joel.
"I sense something. The temperature shifts slightly when energy-based powers are being used nearby — like heat signatures," she explained. "Those are probably gang members. They're nearby, but not close to us." They all stopped to look at her.
"Great," Owen muttered. "So we're sneaking into gang territory, and not only that, but our reasons aren't valid. I like Mira's reasoning more."
Joel glanced over his shoulder. "Listen, I'm desperate, I don't have much time, nor does Hiro. But we sneak so no one attacks us if we move smart."
Mira remained quiet, her thoughts consuming her. The words "Great families" echoed in her mind — she was able to connect them to what Sylvia told her. But she didn't know how to feel about her family: not just because she thought about the many lives these powers had already taken and the factions that destroyed lives. Beneath her fear, a flicker of anger burned. They were distributing the very drug that had been circulating across the world and ended so many lives… including her parents'.
"Can we just keep moving? This place gives me the creeps, like, actually," Irene said quietly.
They continued to walk through the alley until it opened up into a massive industrial courtyard. Rusted metal structures loomed over them, and in the distance, the faint hum of machinery could be heard. Beyond a row of containers, the red insignia of the Phoenix gang glowed faintly — a flaming bird spreading its wings across a concrete wall.
Joel crouched behind a crate, motioning for the others to do the same. "We're close," he whispered. "That base up ahead — that's where some shipments come in. The drug, Autonomisation, is being manufactured and tested there."
Irene frowned. "So we're not just raiding a hideout… this is a production site."
"Correct," Hiro said. "They'll be weak then, and when the gang war is over, they'll be too busy rebuilding their production site, and with that, all violence from them will be paused, since they didn't exactly create the drug — they just made copies of the original samples they stole."
"Wait, the hell do you mean?" Irene asked, her voice low. Alec and Owen looked at Hiro, who appeared confused about what he meant.
"It was stolen," Joel said. "It came from a rich, once well-known family. They went bankrupt after the government stopped funding their research. The drug was intended to strengthen allies in war — it was designed to benefit our allied countries during wartime, helping them survive impossible situations. It was nearly finished, but before it could be sent to them, the news got out. Then gangs across the world, or just people in general, broke into the lab where it was being worked on out of fear and stole samples of it. But Phoenix was the first to take action and was able to get their hands on it first."
Owen exhaled. "So Phoenix ended up with the biggest sample, others got a small, limited supply, and Phoenix is just constantly replicating the samples?"
Joel nodded grimly. "Sounds about right. And that made them stronger than ever. They've always been around, but never this strong."
Crystal's expression hardened. "This is really just to weaken them, but our success is crucial. We need to weaken them, or at least we think we need to." Crystal stared at the ground.
"Exactly, you get it," Joel replied. "But remember, no trying to win unwinnable fights. If we gotta run, just run. Do what we came to do: weaken Phoenix, destroy samples, then leave. We move fast, hit hard, and disappear before they realize what happened." Crystal forced a smile.
The group exchanged looks—determination and adrenaline all mixed.
Irene took a deep breath. "Let's do this. I've been a bit bored for a while, to be honest."
Joel glanced up at the facility's rooftop — faint silhouettes of gang members pacing. "Crystal, freeze the cameras when I give the signal. Owen, Irene, you'll handle the entry. Alec, you're with me."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "This isn't just for us anymore. We need to be good until we can't be. We need Phoenix out of our way, out of others' way, even if it's temporary. We can't get caught in their conflict or let others get caught. Out of all gangs in Vexen and across the globe, Phoenix causes the most trouble. And we want good things to happen. Let's do this."
For a moment, no one spoke. The tension in the air was alive, like static before a storm.
Then Hiro cracked his knuckles, his expression calm but fierce. "Let's just move."
The group spread out, blending into the shadows as the first part of the operation began — silent, calculated, and deadly precise.
Crystal stared at the security cameras, extending her right hand toward the cameras that hung like eyes above the facility gates, watching everything. Frost crept across the lenses, spreading until each one was encased in ice. "Done! That was easy," she whispered, then wiped the blood coming from her nose.
Joel gave a small nod. "Owen and Irene, you guys are up."
Owen and Irene both placed their hands on the reinforced door ahead. He generated immense heat on the door, forming cracks through the metal. A second later, the door gave way with a quiet pop. They slipped inside the base.
The interior was dimly lit — long hallways lined with pipes and the faint hiss of pressure releasing somewhere far away. The air smelled of metal and smoke, mixed with something chemical and sharp. Footsteps echoed faintly in the distance, and the hum of machinery grew louder as they moved deeper inside.
"This place doesn't really seem guarded that much. Is it because they're dealing with gang wars?" Alec muttered. "It's like walking through a public place. It's weird."
Hiro nodded quietly. "I believe so too. Guess they just went to fighting without thinking."
They passed through a narrow corridor until they reached an open area — a vast laboratory filled with glass chambers and metallic consoles. Glowing vials of red and blue liquid were stacked across tables, each labeled with the same symbol — the Phoenix insignia burned into every crate.
"Autonomisation," Mira whispered, her stomach twisting at the sight. "They're mass-producing it."
Joel motioned for them to fan out. "Find where it's being made. We destroy it, the production halts, but only at this site. But as long as it keeps them busy, let's move out."
As they moved and destroyed at the same time, Alec noticed something — a faint sound of coughing from behind a curtain near the back of the lab. He motioned to Joel. Alec extended his hand cautiously and pulled the curtain aside with his telekinesis. Joel walked near him.
A man sat slumped against a wall, legs chained to the ground. His lab coat was torn, and his face was streaked with exhaustion. Owen, Crystal, and Irene walked to Joel. "Hey guys, me, Irene, Crystal destroyed some stu—" They noticed the man.
"Who the hell—" Owen started, but the man interrupted weakly.
"You're not with Phoenix, right?" the man said, his voice hoarse. "That doesn't matter. The question is, who are you?" Irene said cautiously.
Joel crouched. "Who are you?"
The man's eyes lifted slightly. "My name is Dr. Varin." They stared at him.
Mira entered the room.
Mira's eyes widened as she stared at him. "I would like to know what you are doing. Are you involved with Phoenix, or do you have something to do with the drug?" she asked.
In response, he quickly shook his head. "Maybe, yes. I didn't intend for it to be used in this manner. I didn't even complete it. I tried, I wanted to help, not destroy. The lab got raided before we even blinked an eye. People took my research and weaponized it."
Joel's expression hardened. "You're coming with us."
Dr. Varin's eyes were full of hopelessness. "I don't care. Everything I ever had is gone. It's gone. My lab, my home, everything. Phoenix was really only able to produce this amount of the damned enhancer because of me. But if they find out I escaped, they'll kill me. But I know you're thinking if I die, the distribution stops, which is far from the truth. They only used me to adjust my unfinished work, but the fact that they replicated it is enough to keep the distribution going. But shouldn't Phoenix be the least of your worries?"
Before Joel could reply, the floor beneath them rumbled. A loud explosion shook the far end of the compound. The group turned sharply as an alarm blared overhead.
"The ice on the cameras melted," Crystal warned. "Someone's noticed us; we should've broken it instead."
Red lights flashed across the corridor. From the far end, Phoenix members stormed into the lab, flames bursting from their hands. They generated an enormous ball of fire aimed directly at where Owen was.
"Move!" Joel shouted. "Owen, cover the doctor!"
"Owen, come on!" Irene muttered.
Owen nodded.
He and Irene raised their arms, conjuring a wall of fire that absorbed the attack. A torrent of fire roared toward them, but Crystal stepped forward quickly, slamming both her raised hands together. Ice erupted in a towering wall, which melted due to the heat. Blood spewed from Crystal's mouth. Owen and the rest noticed the blood. Owen stared. "Crystal, are you okay!?" he exclaimed, worried.
"I'm just keeping going! Just move!" she yelled through gritted teeth.
Hiro darted ahead, pulling Dr. Varin toward the exit as Joel and Alec provided cover. Owen slammed the remaining guards back with fire shockwaves, which gave them burns. The smell of burnt flesh hit Owen's nose, making him feel disgusted with himself. Mira stood in place. Phoenix members glanced at Mira; about four surrounded her.
"Should've run, Mira. You've been causing us a lot of trouble for a while, and here you will pay."
A small spark of purple lightning slithered around her fingertips. They noticed the lightning. "It's four against one. Just give up," one of them exclaimed. They prepared to shoot fire at her.
She touched the ground quickly before their attack could finish, generating lightning at high voltage, shocking every Phoenix member. The group regrouped near a loading bay. Smoke billowed from the lab entrance behind them.
Dr. Varin clutched his chest, panting. "Just leave me here. They'll kill me one day nonetheless."
Joel looked over at him. "Listen, you're smart. You single-handedly created something very powerful, right? You start fresh with us. You'll help us figure out how to get rid of these powers and make a cure. Since you know, you can probably get rid of them or be useful."
Varin hesitated, then nodded slowly. "If I can help stop this endless cycle… I'll do it. I've seen too much of what my creation does. It kills."
"Let's just get out of this place. It's not exactly comforting," Irene said.
They glanced toward the exit and ran into the same alleyway they used to enter this area. As they ran, suddenly a loud broadcast could be heard.
Everyone stopped to listen. A loud masculine voice echoed across the city:
"This is an international emergency notice. We are issuing a call for all enchantment users and raw energy or manipulation specialists to come to allied nations. Multiple regions are under high alert following violent outbreaks tied to a certain thing that has been going around. We require help now."
Owen processed what he had just heard. "That drug is causing more issues than these powers themselves."
Joel's eyes narrowed. "No. Those drugs are minor; people are just power-hungry. These powers are forced on us, and we need them to have a place in this society."
The voice faded, replaced by the sound of wind blowing. The group stood in silence, the air heavy with tension and the faint smell of smoke.
Mira looked at Dr. Varin, her voice quiet but firm. "You said something about wanting to stop the cycle. Then help us break it."
"Yeah, the least you could do. How'd they even break into your lab? You practically allowed idiots across the globe to get more power," Irene muttered.
Varin stared at them, then looked away with a saddened expression.
The emergency broadcast still rolled through the city from passing patrol vehicles.
All enhancement users and raw energy specialists report to allied authorities immediately…
No one commented on it this time.
Alec finally looked at Varin.
"You said it was built for war."
Varin didn't dodge it.
"Yes."
Irene's voice was sharp. "To defend, right?"
A pause.
"To dominate."
That word landed harder than any explosion tonight.
Owen's brow furrowed. "Dominate who?"
"Anyone who wasn't us," Varin answered quietly. "It was commissioned to push American operatives beyond their natural ceilings. Increased output. Amplified reaction speed. Higher damage tolerance. It was designed to create temporary superiority on the battlefield."
"Temporary?" Hiro caught that.
Varin nodded once.
"It was unfinished."
They all slowed slightly.
"What does that mean?" Crystal asked.
"It means," Varin continued, "while the drug is active, the user experiences no strain. No instability. They feel stronger than they've ever been."
Mira's jaw tightened.
"And when it wears off?"
Varin looked ahead instead of at them.
"That depends on the user."
Silence.
"Depends on how?" Alec pressed.
"It can cause neural collapse. Organ failure. DEATH. Some users would survive with permanent damage. Some would end up in a coma. Some..." His voice lowered. "Would die hours later."
Owen stopped walking entirely. "You made a war drug that kills the soldier after the fight?"
"It was in stabilization," Varin snapped, defensive for the first time. "We were close to fixing the drawback window."
Mira's voice was colder now. "So America would've deployed enhanced operatives to destroy their enemies."
"That was the intention."
"And other countries found out," Alec said.
Varin nodded.
"Intelligence leaks. Data intercepts. Once it became clear that we were nearing mass production, foreign agencies moved."
"Moved how?" Irene asked.
"They stole fragments of the research. Intercepted supply chains."
"Phoenix included," Owen muttered.
"Yes," Varin confirmed. "They obtained unfinished samples along with others."
"So now everyone has pieces," Hiro said.
"Yes."
"But no one has the stabilizer," Alec finished.
"Correct."
The broadcast shifted again in the distance — elevated alert levels, military mobilization, diplomatic strain.
Crystal pieced it together slowly.
"So other countries attacked before we did."
"Yes."
Owen let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck as they kept walking.
"Guess going on this mission was worth it."
Irene glanced at him. "Was it?"
They made their way to Crystal's apartment.