As Melton and the rest of the group were about to move, a sudden prompt popped up on a holographic screen:
"You are now a target."
Melton was blasted into the ground by a strong stream of water before he could respond. He was rendered unconscious by the force of the crash and had difficulty breathing.
"Melton!" Zara yelled and raced to him, but before she could get to him, two figures materialized. With uncanny swiftness, they moved, and the ensuing mayhem demonstrated their prowess.
Melton was hit by a strong electric blast from one of them, a tall figure with crackling electric energy swirling over their body. The other, a lean figure whose body seemed to shimmer and change, rapidly ensnared Melton in a cage of metal bars that she created by manipulating the surroundings with her metal-bending talents.
Barely had the rest of the team a chance to respond. When Darius and Cass attempted to charge at the assailants, a force field stopped them. Nadia started to utter a defensive spell, but her words were interrupted when the attackers moved at superhuman speed, swerving her spell with ease.
"Who are you?!" Zara demanded, her voice a mix of anger and fear.
With a snarl, the person with the electric powers showed their intense and ferocious glow in their eyes. "He's ours now," they declared in icy, frightening tones.
Melton felt a last electric shock before losing consciousness and his world went dark. The last sound he heard was his teammates yelling his name in a panic. When he regained consciousness, the metal bars of the cage were pressing against his back and he was in a poorly lighted room.
The thrashing he had received left his body hurting, and the spot where the electric bolts had struck him was dull and throbbing.
"Nexus," he thought weakly, hoping the system was still operational. "Status report."
"Analyzing," Nexus responded, its voice faint but steady. "You are currently in a containment cell. Physical injuries are significant but not life-threatening. Energy levels are low. Recommend immediate action to escape and recover."
Touching the steel walls of where he was confined in, Melton activated energy absorption, absorbing the static energy within the walls to heal himself. Then Nexus chimed in almost immediately, "energy level at 65%"
Melton tried to gather his thoughts, the pain making it difficult to focus. "Who were those people?" he wondered aloud. "And why did they target me?"
His mind raced back to the moment before the attack. The prompt on the screen, the suddenness of the assault—it all pointed to something or someone powerful enough to track him and strike without warning.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Nexus, do you have any data on our attackers? Anything that can help me understand what we're up against?"
"Analyzing recent data," Nexus replied. "Identified attackers possess high-level abilities: one with electric manipulation, the other with advanced metal bending. No further information available at this time."
Melton clenched his fists, frustration and determination boiling within him. He couldn't let this setback stop him. His team was counting on him, and he had to find a way out.
"Nexus," he said, his voice gaining strength, "prepare a plan for escape. We need to get out of here and regroup with the team."
"Negative," Nexus responded. "No escape protocol available. Stand by for detailed instructions."
As Melton tried to gather his thoughts, a familiar voice echoed from outside the steel box that confined him. "In this small space, you've become quite a hard man to find, Melton Ryder."
The voice struck a chord in his memory, but he couldn't quite place it. The speaker continued, "You never allowed me to introduce myself. I am Linda Scott, head of the Central City Tactical Division."
Even with the introduction, Melton struggled to recall where he had met her. The darkness and confinement of the steel box made it impossible to see her face. It was as if Linda and her associates could read his mind, anticipating his thoughts.
The metal bender suddenly moved. Melton's ankles and wrists were chained by metal bars that protruded from the cage. As the steel box broke down, the bars lifted him upward and left him hanging with his feet and hands apart.
Though the room was faintly lighted, he could now clearly see his kidnappers. Linda Scott was standing in front of him, her gaze piercing and sharp. She was surrounded by the metal bender and the electric manipulator, both of whom had icy, uncaring faces.
Linda took a step forward and scanned Melton with a mix of interest and contempt. Her tone was almost sarcastic as she asked, "You don't remember me, do you?" "It is not unexpected. We had a brief encounter when you first gained entrance to Erebus on one of your previous missions.
Melton, you have been a real pain in our side." Melton clenched his jaw, trying to put the pieces of memory together in his head. On his travels, he had made a lot of enemies and allies, but Linda's face remained elusive.
Asking, "What do you want?" as he strained to free himself from his bonds. The metal would not budge, and each motion caused his limbs to tingle with pain.
Linda grinned, obviously taking pleasure in his unease. "Information," in response. "You're not even close to realizing how much you've found. The powers you have acquired, the fabled chimera known as Erebus—these are only the beginning. Melton, we need to know what you know. And we're prepared to take extreme measures to obtain it."
Melton's eyes narrowed, shocked that they knew about his visit to the dungeon and his encounter with the legendary chimera. "You'll get nothing from me."
Linda's smile faded, replaced by a steely determination. "We'll see about that." She nodded to the electric manipulator, who stepped forward, electricity crackling at their fingertips.
"Nexus," Melton thought desperately, "what are my options?
"Analyzing current situation," Nexus responded, its voice calm despite the dire circumstances. "Escape is not feasible in current condition. Recommend stalling for time and gathering information on captors."
"Stall for time," Melton echoed in his mind. He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm despite the growing fear.
"You think you can just torture me into talking?" he said aloud, trying to buy some time. "I'm not that easy to break."
Linda tilted her head, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "We have other methods," she said softly. "But if you cooperate, this can all end quickly and painlessly."
Melton stared at her defiantly. "I'll never cooperate with you."
Linda sighed, almost as if she were disappointed. "Very well," she said, stepping back. "Let's see how long your resolve lasts."
The electric manipulator raised their hand, and Melton braced himself for the impending pain. As the electricity surged through his body, he clenched his teeth, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream.
Nexus chimed in, "System loading with electric charge, currently at 30%.
"Nexus," he thought, his mind a whirlwind of pain and determination, "I need an escape plan. And fast."
"Understood," Nexus replied. "Continuing analysis. Stand by for further instructions."
Melton's vision blurred as the electric current intensified, but he held onto a single thought: he had to survive this. For his team, for his mission, and for the answers that only he could uncover.