Vinzo's eyes snapped open.
"Eliana?"
"I'm here," Eliana replied, shaking him.
"What happened?" Vinzo asked.
"Tiberius's device emitted an EMP," Lorenzo said. "Took out our comms."
Kael helped Vinzo stand.
"We need to move," Kael said.
Vinzo's gaze locked onto Tiberius.
"Where is he?"
Eliana's expression turned grim.
"Escaped during the blackout."
The countdown continued in Vinzo's mind.
"how much time left?"
Lorenzo checked his watch.
"Less than 5 minutes."
Vinzo's eyes narrowed.
"Find Tiberius. Stop Phoenix."
The team dispersed.
Vinzo and Eliana sprinted through the chaos.
"Eliana, what if we can't stop it?" Vinzo asked.
Eliana's voice remained steady.
"We will."
Suddenly, Tiberius's voice echoed.
"Time's up."
A massive screen flickered to life.
The countdown reached zero.
And then, everything went white.
The whiteout slowly cleared.
Vinzo blinked.
"Eliana?"
"I'm here," Eliana replied, shaken.
Around them, chaos erupted.
People screamed.
Buildings crumbled.
"What... what happened?" Vinzo asked.
Tiberius's laughter echoed.
"Phoenix has risen."
A massive holographic display materialized.
A map of the world.
Cities burning.
Governments collapsing.
Vinzo's eyes widened.
"Global reset... it's real."
Eliana's grip on Vinzo's arm tightened.
"What do we do?"
Vinzo's jaw clenched.
"Regroup. Reorganize."
Lorenzo and Kael appeared.
"Vinzo, we've got hostiles closing in."
Marcus's voice crackled over comms.
"Vinzo, I've hacked satellite feeds."
"What do you see?" Vinzo asked.
"Global devastation... and something more."
Vinzo's eyes locked onto Marcus.
"What?"
"A mysterious facility... activating."
"Location?" Vinzo demanded.
"Unknown," Marcus replied. "Encryption's advanced."
Vinzo's mind raced.
"Eliana, get me to Marcus."
Eliana nodded.
The team navigated through chaos.
They reached Marcus's location.
Marcus's eyes met Vinzo's.
"What is it?" Vinzo asked.
"A facility... hidden beneath the city."
Vinzo's grip on his gun tightened.
"Phoenix's hub?"
Marcus nodded.
"Let's move," Vinzo ordered.
As they descended into the depths.
The air thickened with tension.
Suddenly, alarms blared.
"Unauthorized access detected."
A voice echoed through the corridors.
"Welcome, Vinzo."
Tiberius's smile appeared on screens.
"You're just in time... for the rebirth."
Vinzo's eyes locked onto the screens.
"Rebirth of what?"
Tiberius's laughter grew.
"The world... in Phoenix's image."
A massive door slid open.
Revealing a chamber filled with rows of servers.
And a central console.
Counting down.
60 seconds... 59... 58...
Vinzo sprinted toward the console.
"Eliana, hack the system!"
Eliana frantically typed.
"Encryption's adapting!"
Vinzo's eyes locked onto Tiberius's smile.
"Stop this!"
Tiberius's laughter echoed.
"Too late... Phoenix spreads."
The countdown accelerated.
30 seconds... 29... 28...
Marcus shouted.
"Vinzo, I've found the kill switch!"
"Where?" Vinzo demanded.
"Lower level, server room!"
Kael and Lorenzo provided cover.
Vinzo and Eliana rushed down.
Tiberius's voice grew urgent.
"Phoenix will rise... from ashes."
The countdown reached 10.
9...
8...
Vinzo burst into the server room.
"Where's the switch?"
Marcus pointed.
Vinzo slammed his fist down.
The countdown stopped.
1.
But instead of zero...
A message flashed.
"PHOENIX ASCENDING"
The room began to shake.
"NO!" Vinzo roared.
Vinzo's roar turned to relief.
"It's stopped," Eliana whispered.
The shaking ceased.
Tiberius's smile faded from the screens.
"Confirmed," Marcus said, "Phoenix's launch sequence terminated."
Lorenzo and Kael cheered.
Vinzo's eyes locked onto Eliana.
"We did it."
Eliana smiled.
"Team effort."
Vinzo turned to Marcus.
"Get me to the control room."
Marcus nodded.
"Already on my way."
The team ascended, cautious.
In the control room, Tiberius awaited.
Defeated.
Vinzo approached him.
"It's over."
Tiberius's gaze dropped.
"You'll never understand... the world needs Phoenix, Eliana has to die!."
Vinzo's grip on his gun tightened.
"The world needs peace."
Tiberius sneered.
"You'll see... another will rise, and we will use Eliana's blood for the final launching, so make sure to keep her safe." Tiberius replied laughing.
Vinzo's eyes narrowed.
"Not if I stop them."
Tiberius's smile returned.
"We'll see."
Vinzo handed Tiberius to Lorenzo and Kael.
"Take him away."
As they left, Eliana approached Vinzo.
"What now?"
Vinzo's gaze swept the room.
"Rebuild. Restore."
Eliana nodded.
"Together."
Vinzo smiled.
"Together."
Epilogue:
The world slowly healed.
Vinzo's team became legendary.
Phoenix's remnants were hunted.
A new era dawned.
Vinzo, Kael, Lorenzo, Marcus and Eliana stood watch. Ever vigilant.