"Well, well, well, what a strong will," the fifth higher-up said.
With a click of his finger, the tied hands of Axel were released.
Axel changed his posture, ready to commence combat. "I don't have a choice… I need to do this." He talked to his mind.
"Now, choose your preferred weapon," the fifth higher-up took a word.
Without a second thought, he picked up a sword.
The fifth higher-up takes a grin while clenching his fist. "Ok, I'll give you your upper hand on this; my soldier will also use brute force or fight you with a sword."
"Don't even bother," Axel mocked the fifth higher-up with his words.
"How ignorant. Attack him, kill him if you must!" The fifth higher-up finally takes an order.
Five soldiers dashed towards Axel, but Axel was ready, gripping his sword. The fight started; he blocked all the attacks of the soldiers and returned their attack. One soldier was dashing towards him, but Axel couldn't dodge it in time. Causing him to fly and bump into the walls, he felt the pain all around his body.
"Damn, they're strong." Axel's voice was trembling but still holding up.
Another soldier was already above on him. He used his ability without hesitation; his life was on the line. The time in his eyes was slowed; he cut the soldier above on him. Then he directly continue to attack the remaining soldiers attacking him, he find some openings to there body, and use it to make them wounded.
But before he could do anymore moves, the time return to normal in his eyes again. Causing him to feel dizzy because of the overuse.
"Shit!… Not now," Axel said.
Reason for his drop on the ground, and the soldiers attack all together one by one; they kick him, and they punch him. He was badly beaten. He was still trying to stand up, even though his body was trembling because of pain. All the soldiers stop and watch him. One of the soldiers was walking towards Axel. Axel could feel the presence of someone walking towards him, and as the footsteps slowly approached, he took his sword and aimed it at his head. Axel raised his head and saw a shining sword above him.
"So this is the end, huh? How pathetic," Axel said to himself.
The soldier was ready to cut off his head. At that moment someone's presence was on the place. The soldier moved his hand, cutting the head of Axel, but suddenly a voice appeared from a distance in the dark hall and entered the room.
"Stop right there!" The voice stopped the movement of the soldier on time.
Everyone seems to be shocked by who this presence is. At the moment Kaid started to regain consciousness, as he analyzed what was happening, he saw his teammates behind him also tied up; he wanted to wake them up, but it seemed the sleep drug turned them into a deep sleep. and his eyes shift towards Axel, his eyes widening at the scene he saw; Axel was badly beaten, almost losing his composure.
"Axel!!," he shouted, struggling to get off with the tied hands. He gazed towards the two higher-ups, "What's the meaning of this!! " He is still struggling to and forcing himself to be free.
As the scene goes so tense, the air seems to be thick on Axel. The president started to talk.
"I believe you went too far, the fifth." The voice of a girl seems to be full of confidence.
"Apologies, the second, I'll just follow your orders," he bows to give respect to her while saying his apology.
She took a long gaze at the fifth higher-up, causing him to feel fear; he knew that she was higher than him and more powerful, but still he crossed the line. But she shifts his eyes towards Axel, gazing at him for a second.
"I'm sorry for the action of my rival; it's not my intention to go this far, so please take my apologies." After she said her words while bowing, she took off her mask. A beautiful face, silver hair, she waves her hair as it falls down; it seems to be long, but the color makes it more attractive; she has dark eyes that perfectly match her appearance. Everyone seems to be shocked by her actions, including the fifth higher-up. As Kaid looks at the woman, he seems to be attracted to her face, but he focuses more on what was happening and angrily responds.
"I don't care about your apologies! Just let me go and my teammates! "
"As you wish," she responded calmly, and with a flick of her hands, all of them were set free.
Kaid feels his freedom again, but he needs to wake his teammates; after a second, it seems to work. As they regained their consciousness, they questioned Kaid.
"What… What happened? " Eli asks on Kaid.
"That's not important right now," Kaid responded to him.
"What happened to Axel!?Why is he badly beaten? " Ava talked while still forcing herself to get up.
Lila looked at Axel, and her eyes stunned by what she saw, both hands were covering her mouth.
They walked towards Axel. "Guys…" Axel's voice was so low that almost he was the one who could hear it, and suddenly his vision started to darken; he lost consciousness. Ava grabbed Axel; she's crying. The three of them stand in front of him, facing the higher-ups, protecting Axel.
I don't have the intention to fight you, the second higher-up spoke calmly.
"What's your purpose?"Why did you take us here, and why did you order your soldiers to attack us in the middle of the night?" Kaid responded.
"Apologies, but that's not my idea, you see; the guards should pick you up tomorrow. But i didn't thought that the fifth would make his own decisions" she said.
"Playing dumb, huh? What was your true purpose?" Eli spoke up.
"Know your place!" The fifth interrupts their conversation.
"Shut up!, the fifth, You're the reason for this chaos; you don't have the right to interfere. The second was angrily responding to him.
The fifth was speechless.
The room was filled with silence and tension. The second offered to come to them.
"Follow me if you want answers so that we can treat your wounded partner," she said.
Kaid took a gaze at her and finally made a decision. "Ok, but in the moment I sense danger, we will fight," Kaid replied to her.
They follow the higher-up offer; as they walk in the hallway, it seems to be filled with advanced walls and locks. They finally reached the end of the hallway. As they analyzed the place, they stepped in on an elevator floor, and with the second that had passed, the elevator started to go up. They seemed to be out of balance because it was the first time they saw how advanced this prison was. Kaid cleared his throat.
They finally reached the top floor. The place was like a round; the walls were plain white and had blue stripes all around the circle. It represents the power of the prison. There were soldiers roaming in different places, including guards and scientists.
They continue to follow the second higher up; as they enter a door, it opens, revealing a huge armory, training ground, and advanced armory. They continue to walk towards the office of the second higher-up and finally reach their destination.
"Welcome to my place, but before I answer your questions, I want to introduce myself. I'm Victoria, also known as the second higher-up. I'm the one who's in charge on the battlefield." She smiles at them while introducing herself.
Before Kaid could respond, one of the guards suddenly took Axel to a chamber that only one person could fit in.
"Hey! What are you doing? Give him back!" Ava grabbed the soldier's arm.
"Don't worry, he will only get some special treatment," Victoria spoke up.
But before they could react, Axel was settled down in the chamber. As they gazed, the machine started to move; a laser was scanning all of Axel's body. After it finished analyzing, the green laser suddenly appeared, treating Axel's wounds and injuries.
Kaid was astonished by what he saw; also, his comrades saw such an advanced way to treat a patient.
"What just happened? His wounds were disappearing," Eli said, while his face couldn't believe what he just saw.
"That is an instant regeneration chamber; it will heal kinds of injuries or wounds, but because it was instant, the patient will experience tiredness after he wakes up," Victoria said.
And just like what she said, Axel woke up. After Axel analyzed the place, Axel didn't understand what happened. He flashed back in his mind to how he ended up defeated. He started to get up, but suddenly he felt dizziness, causing him to drop on the chamber. Kaid dash towards to Axel, and carry him towards to his teammates.
"What happened? " Axel asked; the voice was low, but he just forced himself to speak.
Don't worry about it, kid; we have a big problem to deal with. What's more important, that your wounds are now gone? Kaid responds with a serious face on him.
As Kaid and Axel arrived at his teammates, Kaid asked Victoria.
"And? What was really your purpose?"
"Sigh. Your team wishes to become super soldiers, right? , and that's why I'm here. I'm the one going to monitor your improvements. Because the first higher-up has an interest in you, I'm just following his orders. Also, your team has the potential to become Apex." Victoria responded she was more attractive when she looked serious.
"Apex?" Axel ask even though he jus force himself to spoke.
"You see, in this world we are not alone, and I know you're already aware of it. There were also other facilities that gathered humans to become their soldiers. The world was connected in the seventh type of rank; each facility must have a stronger team that can wipe out the enemies. All ranks are Recruit, Sentinel, Vanguard, Brawler, Warblade, Gladiator, and Apex is the highest rank; it can use its power to control other teams in different facilities. Even the higher-ups will acknowledge them. But to become an Apex rank, you need to get stronger," Victoria responded to the question of Axel.
"Even though we have the potential to become an Apex, that's not our purpose to become a super soldier," Axel responded seriously, while his teammates took a long gaze at Victoria.
"I like your mindset, kid," Victoria takes a grin while responding to him.
"You will stay in this place for the meantime and will undergo training to get stronger; also, you need abilities to fight outside. In the future you will choose whatever abilities you want," Victoria continues.
The guards took them to their designated rooms; as they walked, something was bothering their minds.
"I'm not sure about this, but something was off," Lila spoke up after a long time of staying silent.
"Yeah, they just treat us just like a normal person," Ava replied.
"Don't give in to their sweet talk," Eli responds.
"Even though they treat it as special, their purpose is to wipe all the enemies in no time. Also, they want us to become an Apex thing," Kaid replied to them both.
"I don't care what they want from us; they are just hiding their doings. We all know they use this prison to make soldiers. And there's a possibility that Mara was here…" Axel responded to
them, his face was so serious that it could make them all feel its rage.
"We need to get stronger if we want to achieve our goals."