Chapter 24 - The Lab

We approached a high, wired fence that marked the entrance to the city, and as we neared, two figures—whom I assumed must be metahumans due to their imposing stature and gear—stepped forward to block our path. Their eyes narrowed as they demanded to know our business. I straightened my shoulders and announced confidently, "I am Nexus, and this is my partner…" My voice faltered for a moment, betraying my unease. I hadn't yet learned my brother's secret identity, and the pause in my introduction was unmistakable.Before I could recover, Booker interjected smoothly, "Magnetar," filling the silence with his voice. The guards exchanged skeptical looks, their expressions suggesting they weren't entirely convinced by our cover story. I cleared my throat and explained that we were there on behalf of Sentinel Solutions. One of the guards picked up a radio and transmitted a quick query: "Does anyone know anything about Sentinel Solutions sending reinforcements?"After a brief crackle of static, a reply came. Someone mentioned that Kelcy was expecting visitors. The two guards looked at each other and then shrugged before stepping aside to let us pass.Once inside, our eyes adjusted to reveal a city that was remarkably overgrown by nature. Vines and trees had reclaimed much of the urban sprawl, and while it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, it was unexpected—this city was far more lush and wild than we had anticipated.A man then approached us and introduced himself as Kelcy. He wasted no time in explaining his abilities—he possessed the power to control nature itself. With a confident air, Kelcy offered to give us a tour of the city, believing that understanding its layout and current state of defense would be crucial for the upcoming battle.As we walked along a sunlit sidewalk lined with remnants of concrete and creeping ivy, I mentioned, "We heard that the Harbingers and your people have reached a stalemate." Kelcy sighed deeply, his gaze shifting over the scattered signs of conflict. "This conflict hasn't been easy. Many metahumans and ordinary civilians have come and gone over the past weeks, and countless lives have been lost just trying to enter or leave the city," he explained. "We still don't know what exactly the Harbingers want. They are so powerful that if they wished, they could have taken us all without a fight. It's almost… strange."Intrigued, I pressed further, "Do you think they're plotting something bigger?" Kelcy's eyes darkened as he explained that, ever since the conflict began, the Harbingers had sent their forces in periodic waves. Each wave would inflict some damage and then withdraw, only to return later. Initially, this pattern made little sense to us, but as the days wore on, it became clear that there was a method behind the madness."It appears they are gradually funneling their way in," I suggested, watching Kelcy nod in agreement. Booker added his theory, musing that perhaps the Harbingers were searching for something—or someone—in this area. Kelcy stroked his chin thoughtfully and then said, "I think we might be able to piece together their plan. Follow me." He broke into a brisk pace, urging us to keep up.We soon reached an imposing building that seemed to tower at least fifteen stories high. Inside, on the sixth floor, was a room known as the planning chamber. The walls were dominated by a massive map of the city, marked with indicators of where attacks had occurred. Kelcy guided us into the room, where we gathered around the map to discuss the situation.Almost at that moment, a woman entered the planning chamber with the self-assured, almost regal air of someone who expected to be greeted by adoring colleagues. Without a word, she scanned the room, her expression shifting between boredom and thinly veiled irritation as if nothing here could truly captivate her."Who are these people?" she demanded sharply. Her tone was both haughty and dismissive. Kelcy interjected with a smirk, "These are the heroes sent by Sentinel Solutions, remember?"Her eyes flashed coldly. "Why did they send outsiders? We don't need any strangers meddling in our affairs."Kelcy quickly tried to smooth over the tension. "Bell, please, be reasonable. They only want to help."Bell, as she was known, was infamous for her caustic remarks. "Every time these so-called heroes come in, they end up dying," she snapped. Then, lowering her voice, she added, "Take that girl with the sparkles, for example—she came to evacuate people, but she ended up facing reality head-on."I couldn't hide my surprise and frustration. "What are you talking about?" I demanded forcefully.Bell's eyes narrowed. "You haven't heard? Some newcomer chick tried evacuating people and ended up in a brawl with Monster Masher. She got kidnapped while fighting a blue-class villain.""Blue-class?" I echoed, confused by the terminology. Bell's expression grew even more irritated. "You ask too many questions. Was she your friend?" she snapped.I hesitated, then revealed, "She was my sister." A heavy silence fell over the room. Bell's expression turned scornful. "Well, look at her now. She's probably dead because of her stupidity."Booker's eyes blazed with anger, and his voice rang out in defense, "She is not stupid—she's braver than you could ever understand."Bell, clearly not done, pulled a deck of cards from her pocket and sneered, "You wanna settle this here?""Booker, stand down," I ordered firmly, trying to restore order. "Bell, get out of here now," Kelcy commanded with visible embarrassment, and the woman hastily retreated from the chamber, deck in hand.Kelcy exhaled, shaking his head. "I'm sorry about that. She's very prideful," he explained. I couldn't help but remark dryly, "You're telling me." Booker's frustration eased a bit, and the tension in the room settled into a wary calm.Once the commotion died down, we returned our attention to the map. Kelcy pointed out that despite all the ongoing skirmishes, the battle site itself hadn't changed significantly. "The area under assault remains more or less the same," he said, though his tone suggested he was as clueless as the rest of us regarding the enemy's ultimate goal.Suddenly, Booker's voice broke through the discussion. "What about that building over there?" he asked, nodding toward a structure offset from the main conflict zone. "It looks abandoned."Kelcy shrugged. "That building has been empty for as long as I can remember. It hasn't been of any importance."I frowned, curiosity overcoming caution. "Have you ever been inside it?" I inquired.Kelcy shook his head. "No, I haven't."A thought sparked in my mind. "Then maybe that's where we should start," I suggested. "It might be a strategic location that the Harbingers are using—or maybe it's hiding something crucial."Kelcy agreed, and he quickly summoned two more individuals to join our small party. We made our way toward the abandoned building, which loomed darkly against the overcast sky. Its facade was riddled with cracks and layers of peeling paint, and nature had begun to reclaim its structure with ivy and wild shrubs growing in the crevices.Inside, the atmosphere was tense and foreboding. Booker activated an orb of light with a flick of his wrist, casting a soft blue glow that illuminated our path through the dusty corridors and debris-strewn halls. We pressed deeper into the building until we came upon a pair of heavy double doors, which were secured with thick, black-and-yellow striped caution tape that stretched diagonally across their surface. The tape was labeled "Warning" in bold, unmistakable letters.I reached out and peeled the tape away, my heart quickening with anticipation. "You think they're guarding something behind these doors?" I asked, half expecting an answer from the silence.Kelcy frowned, "What could be behind them?" he mused aloud.He then ordered his men to pry open the doors, but they struggled with the heavy metal, unable to force it open. An idea flashed through my mind. "Step aside," I instructed. "Booker, help me with this."Booker stepped forward, and with a sudden surge of blue energy, he struck the door with a powerful bolt. I took that opening and pressed my hands against the surface. To our amazement, the door's material began to liquefy, melting away as if it were made of wax. Within moments, the barrier collapsed at my touch, pooling onto the floor.Kelcy's eyes widened in admiration. "Amazing," he said, clearly impressed by my ability to manipulate energy in such a way."Thanks," I replied modestly, though the rush of power was both exhilarating and disconcerting.We entered the room beyond the door and found ourselves in a vast laboratory that spanned nearly half the size of a football stadium. In the center of the lab floated a massive, gleaming sphere, its surface covered in intricate patterns that pulsed with a soft inner light. Surrounding the sphere were numerous control panels, their displays flickering with data and maps of the city.I exchanged a glance with Booker and Kelcy. "This might be bigger than we thought," I observed. Suddenly, the lab began to tremble as if something outside was causing vibrations that echoed through the building."Something's happening outside," Kelcy said, his voice tight with concern.I quickly spoke, "You guys stay here and guard this room in case someone tries to get in from below. Booker and I will head back to the surface and check the battle site." Booker and I nodded in agreement before dashing out of the lab.Outside, the situation had escalated. The previously quiet battle zone was now overrun with enormous brutes wielding massive battle hammers. Their roars mixed with the clashing of metal, and the ground trembled beneath their steps. The air was thick with tension and the unmistakable scent of impending conflict.Booker's voice rang out as we ran. "This is insane," he exclaimed, eyes wide behind his visor. "We need to get closer before we're spotted!"I nodded in agreement, pushing my aching legs faster. "Let's move quickly," I urged, trying to keep my mind focused on the task rather than the chaos unfolding around us.Before long, we found ourselves in a more open area near the edge of the battle site. Booker charged up, his body bathed in a brilliant blue aura that pulsed like liquid fire. He soared upward with practiced ease, maneuvering to engage the enemy head-on. I braced myself for my turn, drawing energy from the environment and channeling it into a single, focused ray."Bring it on," I muttered, and unleashed my concentrated beam at one of the approaching brutes. The creature dodged, circling me and retaliating with a barrage of attacks. I quickly raised my shimmering cloak as a makeshift shield, absorbing the impacts with a series of crackles and flashes. The relentless volley forced me to reconsider my tactics, and I scanned the creature's movements for any sign of weakness.From the corner of my eye, I noticed Booker deftly evading attacks while countering with precision strikes of his own. The brute continued to attack me until, eventually, it ran out of ideas and attempted to use ranged assault. In the ensuing scuffle, the creature pulled a minigun from its back and sprayed rounds in my direction.Despite the inconvenience, I scrambled to regain my footing while the brute continued its assault. However, I was pinned down by the relentless minigun. Just then, Booker appeared from the side with reinforcements; he leaped into action, sending one of the adversaries hurtling away with another burst of blue energy. This distraction gave me the precious seconds I needed to gather energy, this was going to be a problem if left uncontrolled.