Chapter 5: The Pieces in Motion
The warehouse on the edge of town was dimly lit and humming with quiet. Lance leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, his laziness a mask for the sharp mind behind his eyes. Evelyn paced in front of him, the glow of the data tablet on her face as she scrolled through the stolen Zenith files.
"This is bigger than I thought," she said, her voice full of wonder and fear. "The Aetherium Initiative isn't just about tech. It's about something… more."
Lance raised an eyebrow. "More is vague. Try again."
"They're building gods," Evelyn said, stopping to look at him. "And they'll destroy the world to do it."
Lance whistled low. "So, where do we fit in? Pawns, knights or something more original?"
Evelyn rolled her eyes. "If this is a game, Lance, it's one where everyone loses. The Initiative's experiments are destabilizing entire regions. They're behind the rise of superhuman factions, underground wars and—"
"And your parents," Lance said. His words hung in the air.
Evelyn nodded, swallowing. "Yes. My parents."
Before Evelyn could get lost in her thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed through the warehouse. A figure emerged from the shadows—Dmitri Kael, information broker and king of the underground's chessboard. His suit was sharp, his stride confident, in the midst of the grime.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said, his voice dripping with irony. "You two have been busy."
"Cut the small talk," Lance said. "You have something we need or you wouldn't be here."
Dmitri smiled. "Straight to the point. I like that. The Aetherium Initiative has a secret research facility in the Obsidian Zone. But getting in isn't easy. It's heavily fortified and the surrounding area is infested with mercenaries and experimental… subjects."
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. "Subjects?"
"Failed experiments," Dmitri said. "Enhanced individuals whose minds couldn't handle the modifications. They're little more than wild animals now, but they're deadly."
Lance groaned. "A death trap. Just what I wanted."
"You'll need a team," Dmitri said, ignoring Lance's sarcasm. "And resources. I can provide both for a price."
"Of course you can," Lance said, his laziness vanishing for a moment as a calculating look entered his eyes. "But let's be clear—if this goes south I'll make sure your name is at the top of the blame list."
Dmitri smiled. "Noted."
Lance and Evelyn spent the next two days assembling their team. Each recruit brought a different skill set and each had their own secrets. There was Kael, a tech genius who could hack into supposedly unhackable systems; Mira, a sharpshooter with a grudge against the Initiative; and Elias, a demolitions expert whose bravado was a mask for a troubled past.
As the team gathered in the warehouse, Lance surveyed them with his signature laziness, though his mind was meticulously analyzing each member.
"We're not friends," he said, his voice deadpan. "We're not allies. We're tools. You do your job and you get paid. Screw up and I leave you behind. Got it?"
Mira raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Very motivational."
Lance shrugged. "I aim to disappoint."
The Obsidian Zone was a barren wasteland on the outskirts of the city, where nature had been warped by untested experiments. The air was heavy with metal and the ground was cracked and uneven. As they approached the facility the stakes became very clear. Turrets patrolled the perimeter and the distant growls of failed experiments echoed through the night.
"This is a nightmare," Elias said, adjusting the explosives on his belt.
"Focus," Lance said, his voice hard. "Mira, cover the entrance. Kael, take out the security grid. Evelyn, you're with me."
As they moved into position Lance's mind was racing. He knew this was more than a job. The facility would have answers to questions he hadn't dared to ask. Questions about the Initiative, Evelyn's parents and himself.
Kael's voice came over the comms. "Grid is down in three… two… one. Go."
They slipped through the breach, moving silently. Inside the facility was a labyrinth of white corridors and flickering lights. Lance's laid back exterior dropped away completely and he was all cold calculation.
In the heart of the facility they found what they were looking for: a massive server room with data on the Initiative's experiments. Evelyn worked fast, downloading files while Lance kept watch.
"This is it," she whispered, her voice shaking. "All we need."
But before they could high-five, the air was filled with a blaring alarm. Lance cursed. "Kael, what did you do?"
"I—I don't know," Kael stuttered. "Something triggered a secondary system. You've got company."
The failed experiments descended on them fast. Twisted and ugly, they moved like predators, their enhanced abilities making them deadly. Mira picked them off from a distance, her shots precise, while Elias set off controlled explosions to slow them down.
Lance and Evelyn fought back to back, their movements almost in sync. Despite being inexperienced, Evelyn held her own, her determination driving her forward. Lance was fighting like a beast, his refusal to modify his body not seeming to be a hindrance at all.
"We need to go," Lance yelled above the din.
As they backed away Evelyn looked at him. "Why are you helping me, Lance? What's in it for you?"
He didn't answer right away, his eyes on the bad guys. Then he said. "Because it's fun."
They escaped the facility as it fell down behind them, Elias's explosives making sure nothing of worth remained in existence. Back at the warehouse, each member broke apart, disbanding into the night.
Lance and Evelyn did not leave now but were still glued to those data. Their discoveries matched their worst anticipations. The Aetherium Initiative was not only making superhumans; it was garnering for all intents and purposes godlings, each shaped by individual intentions.
"This changes everything," Evelyn said, her barely-there voice making it no more than a whisper.
"It's not this that has changed the picture," Lance said, leaning back with an air of easy detachment, "it just makes things more certain."
"What is that, then?" asked Evelyn, looking into his knowing eyes.
Lance's grin was unsettling. "That everybody is a piece on my board."
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