Zaire cautiously entered the underground passage.
The faint sound of the hidden door closing behind him and the gradual illumination of motion-activated lights reminded him of one thing:
This underground facility was still operational.
Moreover, its interior appeared meticulously maintained.
Zaire heightened his vigilance, his armored hand gripping the plasma pistol tightly.
Carefully descending the staircase, he moved deeper into the passageway.
After several minutes, he estimated that he had reached a depth of about 15 meters below the surface.
Still, he pressed on, eventually arriving at the end of the passageway.
He stepped into a narrow corridor, its walls bearing the words Emergency Exit.
Clearly, his initial point of entry was not the official one.
A short while later, Zaire came face to face with a heavy metal door that blocked his path.
Raising his helmet, he gazed at the camera above and said:
"David, report on the interior situation."
"My lord, the base behind this door appears to have a rectangular ring structure. The outer area is divided into individual rooms, many containing medical equipment. At the center is a sealed laboratory. However, as there are no cameras inside, I cannot confirm its details..."
"The only thing certain is the personnel count: 31 individuals in total—25 guards and 6 medical staff."
"Only this few? Perhaps it's just an abandoned lab..."
Taking a deep breath, Zaire addressed the Iron Man through his comms:
"Never mind. Open the door. We'll figure it out once we're inside."
But David's mechanical voice came through once more, filled with an almost comical resignation:
"My lord, this metal door can only be opened manually. The handle is located inside the base..."
"Fine... I'll do it myself."
Zaire, clad in his combat armor, stepped back several meters.
He activated the refractor field generator.
Reaching behind, he drew his chainsword.
With everything prepared, Zaire leveled his plasma pistol and pulled the trigger.
Boom, boom, boom—
Basketball-sized balls of searing plasma shot out one after another, slamming into the thick metal door.
In the blink of an eye, brilliant plasma detonated, melting through everything in its path.
Bzzt—
As the door crumbled, an alarm blared loudly for a moment before cutting off abruptly.
Even so, the brief signal was enough to alert the guards inside.
One by one, burly guards armed with firearms rushed out of their rooms.
"What's going on?!"
"Emergency exit!"
Exchanging quick words, they began running toward the commotion.
"Level Two alert! There's an intruder!"
The squad leader shouted orders as he led the charge.
But in the very next moment—
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed ominously.
A monstrous figure clad in strange armor rounded the corner, rushing at them with terrifying speed.
The towering figure resembled an unstoppable charging bull.
The squad leader barely registered the bizarre pistol in the intruder's hand and the roaring chainsword before his consciousness faded.
Thud, thud, thud—
Zaire, now fully in combat mode, swung the buzzing, serrated blade of his chainsword.
In one swift motion, he decapitated the squad leader.
Splat—
Blood sprayed violently from the neck, splattering even the ceiling above.
Without hesitation, Zaire raised his plasma pistol and fired again, blue plasma balls scorching through several guards who had attempted to open fire.
This was only the beginning.
Zaire charged forward, the whirring chainsword cutting through the air with deadly efficiency.
The tall figure clad in combat armor barreled into the enemy ranks, leaving behind a trail of severed limbs and anguished screams.
For several harrowing moments, the sounds of carnage reverberated throughout the corridor.
Thud.
When it was all over, Zaire came to a halt, his chainsword falling silent.
Turning around, he surveyed the guards—dead or dying—who had barely managed to fire a shot.
Letting out a slow breath through his helmet, he muttered, "Hah..."
Spotting a few guards writhing in their final moments, he raised his plasma pistol once more.
With precise shots, he unleashed a barrage of plasma balls, turning the area into a blazing sea of energy and ending their suffering.
Without looking back, Zaire continued forward.
Turning another corner, he saw five people—dressed in white lab coats—desperately huddled near another sealed metal door.
They worked frantically to bypass the lockdown, attempting to escape.
Thud, thud, thud—
The sound of Zaire's armored footsteps grew louder as he approached.
The sight of the towering figure, blood-soaked chainsword in hand, struck terror into the medical personnel.
Paralyzed by fear, they slumped to the ground, leaning against the wall.
Clinging to one another, they sobbed uncontrollably.
"Help us!"
"I don't want to die..."
The cries and pleas made Zaire furrow his brow.
He swung his chainsword deliberately, the motor roaring to life with a high-pitched whine.
Hearing the menacing sound, the five medical workers instantly fell silent.
"First question... Is this underground lab owned by Roxxon Industries?"
Satisfied with their response, Zaire cracked his neck and spoke in a low, threatening tone.
The group exchanged glances, hesitant to answer.
As Zaire prepared to resort to harsher methods, a brown-haired woman, tears streaming down her face, shakily raised her hand.
She stammered:
"This... this is indeed a secret lab of Roxxon Industries. In fact, it was one of their earliest labs..."
"You'll stay alive if you keep talking. Go on."
Zaire fixed his gaze on her, his chainsword rising to emphasize the point.
The weapon's deadly edge hovered menacingly near her colleagues, ensuring compliance.
"I'm just a medical worker, so I don't know much... After World War II, Roxxon Industries wanted to recreate the Super Soldier Serum—the one that created Captain America..."
"I don't know if they succeeded or failed. But what I do know is that they received guidance from an external source, completely changing their approach..."
"In the end, Roxxon developed something far superior to the Super Soldier Serum—a mysterious compound..."
"Decades of research and refinement led to what the staff now calls..."
"Compound V."
.................................................................................
Merry Christmas 🤶 Guy's
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