Burning cars lay toppled to the side, scattered across the grass, while fire consumed most of them. A handful of SUVs remained unscathed on the road, impervious to the missile onslaught. Noria's black pants and jacket were soiled with dirt and stained with blood and she had a streak of dried blood just below her lip. She kicked the car window, shattering it, and struggled to squeeze herself out of the tight space.
She stood outside the vehicle, waiting for Trent, who was also trying to escape the car himself. Finally, he extended his hand, and she helped him out.
Two of their fellow contractors rushed over as their driver grappled to escape from the car. "More than half the contractors got burned to death; we're the only ones who weren't targeted by the missiles," one of the men exclaimed, his voice tinged with disarray.
Noria grew concerned. "How many of us are left?"
He glanced around. "I don't know just under a dozen."
Noria's eyes darted around as she tried to gather her thoughts, her mind ran on Turnner. "Where's Turnner? He was in our car."
Trent peered inside the SUV and replied, "He's not here. He must have teleported to the plant; it's not far from here."
Noria let out a sigh and surveyed the burning vehicles, clenching her teeth. "Everyone, get into the remaining vehicles. We're going straight to the plant."
With her command, they all headed toward the four intact SUVs.
***
Meanwhile, Turnner entered the building and found himself in an open room with six colossal tanks and a complex network of pipes leading towards them. Overhead walkways criss crossed above him. He scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary and, looking down, noticed a flight of steps leading to a hallway beneath the floor.
Suddenly, a microphone crackled to life, and Irina's voice filled the air. "Where's the Theatom, Turnner? I assume it has a physical form."
Turnner's gaze darted around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. Finally, he gave up and responded, "The Theatom is yours once I see Amelia alive and well."
"Very well. Proceed down the steps right beside you and stop at the third room."
Following her instructions, Turnner descended the stairs and entered a short corridor with a series of rooms, each containing a see-through glass window, a door and a silver box on the wall. In the third room, he spotted Amelia, Irina, and Victoria.
Amelia, clothed in a nightgown, sat in a black chair, firmly secured and blindfolded. Irina held a gun to her head, while Victoria gripped a black-handled knife.
Turnner's face tensed, and he tested the locked door. Irina warned, "Don't bother checking that door, and attempting to teleport into this room will result in disaster if the room detects more than three people inside, the explosives we've planted will trigger."
Turnner retreated to the glass window and said, "What can I do?"
Amelia perked up at the sound of Turnner's voice.
Irina pressed the gun closer to Amelia's head. "Start by showing us the Theatom."
Turnner let out a sigh. "It's always fascinating to witness the lengths people go to in order to steal the Theatom from me. I seem to have made quite an impression on the world, haven't I?" The woman pulled back the gun's slide.
Turnner noticed but continued speaking, "All because of the belief that I was responsible for the Bullet God's death?"
Irina suddenly fired a shot just in front of Amelia's legs, startling her and making her fidget in her chair. Irina fixed Turnner with a menacing stare. "The Theatom, Turnner. Otherwise, the next bullet will be going in her head and It's Lethal." She pulled back the slide once again.
Turnner turned serious. "I don't have it."
Irina looked down, then back at him. "Why don't you have it?"
"Because I have a better offer."
She aimed the gun directly at Amelia's head and stated, "There is no better offer."
"Oh, but there is. You see, there are nine children living at the Victorian Mansion in Russia, being trained to become skilled assassins. It would honestly be a shame. If their instructors were to return to Russia and find them all dead."
Irina squinted slightly, while Victoria became visibly concerned. "What Russian children are you talking about?" Victoria asked.
Turnner gazed up into the sky as if recalling something. "Hmm, I believe their names are Natalya, Larisa, Eva, Dinara—"
"How do you know about those girls?" Victoria shouted, her eyes wide with worry.
Turnner glanced over at her. "Because you tried to take something valuable from me, so I did the same."
"Don't listen to him, Victoria," Irina said, diverting attention back to herself. She then lowered the gun to Amelia's head, "If you can't produce the Theatom in the next 10 seconds Amelia dies."
"Wait, Irina think about this." Victoria begged walking over to her slowly with worry in her eyes.
"Yes Irina reconsider your decision otherwise I'll have to kill the wins." Turnner said mocking her.
But Irina ignored and started counting down, "5, 4" As she counted Turnner took out his phone and called Buchae, "3, 2,"
"Wait Irina he's gonna kill the girls!" Victoria pleaded, now holding Irina's arms.
"Hello, Mr Turnner?" Buchae asked as Turnner held the phone to his ears.
"1," Irina said coldly. Then the gun discharged.
"Pap!"
"No!" Victoria shouted, she jumped in the way of the gun shot and took a lethal bullet to her heart.
Irina saw her fall and the blood slowly painted a red spot on her white shirt. Irina's face suddenly flushed with worry, she dropped the gun and rushed to her sister, grabbing her lifeless body in her arms.
Turnner sees this and replies to Buchae, "Call of the Massacre there's no need for it anymore."
"Understood sir." Buchae replied firmly.
"Victoria!" Irina shouted, shaking her in her hand but Victoria's eye had already shut.
Taking advantage of the situation, Turnner teleported inside the room, muttering to himself, "If the room senses people, it probably won't detect a dead person. This is a big risk." Irina spotted him mid-air, with anger flaring inside her she grabbed the assassin knife her sister had dropped, and moved to stab Amelia in the neck.
However, Turnner seized her arm, leaving Irina stunned. She glanced around at him and noticed his smirk. Irina chuckled wickedly and twisted her wrist, driving the knife into Turnner's arm. "Here's some information for you: the assassin knife can also render you unconscious. Whether my sister lives or dies, I'm proceeding with the plan. Our objective was to acquire the Theatom and eliminate you, and that's what I'm going to do."
Turnner landed on the ground, staggering back, clutching his injured wrist. He looked up at Irina, who stood eyeing him intently. Then he whispered, "It's not over yet," before his vision blurred, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Irina approached a silver box on the wall, opened it, and revealed a lever with a red handle inside. She pulled it down, causing the entire room to shake, and then it began to descend. The glass partition turned into a solid wall as the room descended further into the depths.