The Enemy's Strategy
Inside the enemy stronghold, Lester sat in his dimly lit chamber, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest of his wheelchair. Across from him stood Lathan, his smirk confident, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"It's time," Lathan said smoothly, adjusting his gloves. "Time to steal the show."
Lester raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "You sound rather eager."
Lathan chuckled, tilting his head slightly, his golden eyes practically glowing in the dim light. "Why wouldn't I be? You and I both know the best way to win isn't just brute force—it's deception. And no one does deception like me."
Lester gave a slow nod, his lips curling ever so slightly at the corners. "True. And Emjay's team is getting too comfortable. That last mission barely left a scratch on them. They've grown overconfident. We need them shaken, confused."
Lathan stretched his arms dramatically, rolling his shoulders as if he were preparing to take the stage. "Which is exactly why I'm going to do what I do best. I'll break their trust. I'll make them question who their allies truly are."
Lester leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "You have full freedom on how you wish to proceed, but I expect results. This isn't just about causing confusion—this is about weakening them from within. They rely on their bonds. If you break that, they crumble."
Lathan's grin widened, his excitement evident. "Oh, don't worry. By the time I'm done, they won't even trust their own reflections."
Lester drummed his fingers against his armrest. "How long will it take?"
Lathan shrugged. "Give me a single mission's time, and I'll plant the seeds of doubt. Give me two, and they'll start looking at each other differently. Three? They'll start falling apart without us lifting another finger."
Lester studied him for a moment before nodding. "Then go. Show them what chaos really looks like."
Lathan turned, striding toward the door with an easy confidence, but before he exited, he glanced back over his shoulder. "Try not to miss me too much, Lester. It's not every day you have someone as talented as I am on your side."
Lester let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. "Get out of here, before I change my mind about letting you have all the fun."
And with that, Lathan disappeared into the shadows, ready to begin his masterpiece of deception.
Planning the Next Mission
Back at Emjay's base, the team gathered in the war room. After a day of rest, they were ready to jump back into action.
"We've located another enemy stronghold," Emjay began, pointing at the map. "We hit them hard here, and we cut off a major supply chain. It won't be easy, but it's necessary."
Leon crossed his arms. "How heavy are the defenses?"
"Moderate, but they'll be expecting us," Kazuki added. "We need to go in with a solid strategy."
Crimson cracked his knuckles. "Then let's stop talking and start doing."
Nami rolled her eyes. "If only it were that simple."
Emjay smirked. "Alright, listen up. We split into two teams. Kai, Leon, and Crimson take the west entrance. Kazuki, Nami, and I take the east. We hit them hard, gather whatever intel we can, and get out."
With the plan set, they geared up and headed out.
The Battle Unfolds
The moment they arrived, the battlefield erupted into chaos. Bullets flew, shouts echoed, and the team moved like a well-oiled machine.
Kai darted through the battlefield, using his speed to disarm and knock out enemies before they even realized what was happening. Crimson was a force of nature, taking down soldiers with sheer brute strength, while Leon picked off enemies with deadly precision from a distance.
On the other side, Kazuki used his sniper rifle to provide cover while Nami weaved through enemy lines, her blades striking with perfect accuracy. Emjay directed them, ensuring they maintained control of the fight.
The battle raged on, each member pushing forward, but then—
Leon barely had time to react before Kai suddenly lunged at him, fists flying. Leon dodged just in time, confusion flashing across his face.
"Kai, what the hell?!" Leon shouted, blocking another strike.
Kai didn't answer. His attacks were relentless, his expression unreadable.
Leon gritted his teeth. "Did you betray us? Is that it?!"
The two clashed, Leon using his teleportation to evade Kai's strikes while counterattacking when he could. The fight was brutal, fast-paced, neither holding back.
Then, out of nowhere, another Kai appeared and tackled the first one, sending him skidding across the ground.
Leon stumbled back, breathing heavily. "What… the hell?"
The second Kai stood up, panting. "Leon, listen to me. That wasn't me. That was someone else."
The first Kai smirked. "Heh. That was fun." And before anyone could react, he sprinted away, vanishing into the darkness.
Leon turned to the real Kai, still trying to process what had just happened. "What just happened?!"
Kai wiped sweat from his forehead. "His name is Lathan. He can turn into people—copy their appearance, their voice, even their powers. He got me earlier and used my abilities against me. He wanted to make you think I was a traitor."
Leon exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "That's… that's dangerous."
Kai nodded grimly. "And he works with Lester. That means this was just the beginning."
Despite the disruption, the team completed their mission, gathering intel and retreating before reinforcements arrived. But the weight of what had just happened hung over them.
Back at the Base – The Discussion
The atmosphere was tense when they returned. The team gathered, all eyes on Kai as he explained everything he knew about Lathan.
"He's not just some spy," Kai said, his tone serious. "He can become anyone. That means at any point, he could replace one of us and we wouldn't know."
Kazuki leaned forward. "Are there any weaknesses to his power? A time limit? A flaw?"
Kai hesitated. "I don't know yet. But the fact that he fought me directly instead of just replacing me long-term tells me he might not be able to hold a form forever."
Leon exhaled. "That means we need a way to verify if one of us is real. A code word or something."
Nami crossed her arms. "Even then, if he can copy memories, that might not work."
Crimson frowned. "So what? We just start being paranoid all the time?"
Emjay remained silent, thinking. Finally, he spoke. "No. We don't let this break us. But we do stay cautious. Until we know more, we double-check everything."
The weight of the situation settled over them. They had faced powerful enemies before, but Lathan was different. He wasn't just a fighter—he was a manipulator, a trickster. He could be anywhere, anyone.
Kazuki ran a hand through his hair. "We need to figure this out fast. Because if he gets close enough to one of us, and we don't realize in time…"
No one needed him to finish the sentence. They all knew what it meant.
For now, they had survived the encounter. But they all knew—this was only the beginning.