Cullen and Mira stood amidst the chaos, the burning wreckage of the Consortium base casting flickering shadows across their faces. Smoke billowed high into the night sky, and the acrid smell of chemicals and charred debris lingered in the air. The distant sounds of small explosions punctuated the eerie silence that had settled over the battlefield.
"Where is he?" Mira asked, her voice sharp with both impatience and concern.
"Do you think he's dead?" one of Cullen's men ventured hesitantly, his tone betraying a mix of dread and hope.
"He should have been back by now," another muttered, shifting nervously.
"It's highly possible, considering he went in alone," Cullen said flatly, though even he seemed doubtful of his own words.
Mira shot Cullen a glare. "I didn't know you and your men were moonlighting as comedians."
"Pardon?" Cullen frowned.
"You heard me. If you think Kael's dead, you clearly haven't been paying attention," Mira retorted, crossing her arms.
"Care to explain that in a way that makes sense? Because right now, it just sounds like nonsense," Cullen countered.
Mira took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering. "Fine. Let me spell it out for you. Compared to my sneakiness and your team's straightforward hammering approach, Kael is… let's call it a calm massacre. He's clinical, detached, and absolutely ruthless. He kills without hesitation or remorse. Hell, he wouldn't think twice about killing us if we turned a gun on him."
Cullen raised an eyebrow. "You're exaggerating."
"Am I?" Mira challenged. "The man walked into that—" she gestured to the flaming wreckage, "—armed with poisons, fire, and that cold, calculating brain of his. Trust me, he's coming back. He's too damn smart to die in there."
Before Cullen could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"What the hell are you spouting?" Kael's voice was as calm and detached as ever, though the faint edge of irritation was unmistakable.
The group turned to see Kael emerging from the smoke, lugging several filled duffel bags over his shoulders. His coat was singed in places, and his boots were caked with soot and ash, but his steady stride and unflinching demeanor betrayed no sign of injury or distress.
"Oh, welcome back," Mira said with a smirk, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of relief.
"Not so fast," Kael said, stopping in his tracks and gesturing for her to keep her distance. "First, go to my crawler and bring me the container labeled 'admix'. Until then, don't come close."
Mira raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. She jogged over to Kael's crawler, rifled through the storage compartments, and returned with a small black canister. The word 'admix' was crudely scratched across its surface.
"Here," she said, holding it out.
Kael gestured for her to toss it. "Don't come closer. Just pass it to me."
Mira hesitated for a moment but complied, tossing the canister toward him. Kael caught it with practiced ease, set his duffel bags down, and twisted the nozzle at the top of the canister.
A fine mist sprayed out, and Kael turned it on himself, methodically coating his coat, gloves, and boots with the substance. The group watched in silence as he ensured every inch of his exposed gear was treated.
After a minute, Kael removed his gas mask, revealing his face, streaked with sweat and faint traces of soot. He exhaled deeply, taking in the fresh air for the first time since the assault began.
"Happy now?" he asked, glancing at Mira and Cullen.
"What's that stuff?" Cullen asked, nodding toward the canister.
"Neutralizer," Kael replied curtly. "It breaks down any remaining toxins or residue from my poisons. Without it, I'd risk spreading contamination to myself—or worse, to all of you." He gave Cullen a pointed look.
"Is that really necessary?" Cullen asked skeptically.
Kael arched an eyebrow. "You want to risk finding out the hard way? Be my guest." He capped the canister and stowed it back in his coat.
Mira chuckled. "See? What did I tell you? Too smart to die."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Your confidence is appreciated, but spare me the dramatics. Did you secure the outer perimeter while I was inside?"
Cullen nodded. "We held the line. Minimal losses, but we didn't push too far in. We figured that was your job."
"Good," Kael said. "The base's lab and data center are gone. I made sure of that. But we need to leave now. Reinforcements will arrive soon, and we're in no shape for another fight."
He hoisted the duffel bags over his shoulders again and started walking toward his crawler. "Load up. We're moving out."
Mira fell into step beside him. "So, what's in the bags?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Kael didn't look at her as he replied, "Samples. Documents. Things I didn't want to destroy just yet."
"Planning on selling them?" Mira pressed.
"Planning on surviving," Kael said flatly, ending the conversation.
As the convoy prepared to move out, the group couldn't help but glance back at the smoldering remains of the Consortium base. It was a stark reminder of what Kael was capable of—and why they were both grateful and wary to have him on their side.