Zeus directed his new soldiers with powers to various parts of the world, sending them stealthily to eliminate their competition without leaving a trace. General Ube was in charge of some operations along with his two men, who had nearly cost him his life due to the disaster they caused in Arnoldstein.
"I hope this time you don't fail," Ube told Erika and Paul as he handed them bracelets that controlled the subjects under Maos's influence. Both were at the Aldos base in Africa.
"How is everything going, sir?" Aldos asked Ube.
"Good. Everything is going according to plan. My two soldiers will command the support alongside the troops the big boss sent us," replied the operations general.
"Good, Uve. I have an important meeting. I don't want to be disturbed. Do your job carefully and discreetly. You already know what I say: 'Survival is an art, and I am its master.' "
The leader of Radar in Africa left the room with a threatening look that made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to take them all out if anything went wrong.
"You heard the man. Get ready to make preparations and eliminate the competition," ordered the general.
Erika crossed her arms, annoyed. "Why do we have to bring these guys who don't even talk?"
Paul rolled his eyes. "They're soldiers with powers, trained to be lethal thanks to the control Mao imposed on them. Are you even paying attention, you idiot?"
She smiled maliciously. "But I love seeing things explode. It's my passion."
He sighed. "You see, sir? She's insane."
Ube intervened firmly. "Stop fighting. It's time to get to work. Put on your suits. I'll be monitoring you from here. And remember what happened in Arnoldstein. I don't want another disaster. Is that clear? It's an order."
Both nodded. Immediately, everyone began putting on masks that completely covered their faces. It was time to move forward.
Erika, Paul, and five others entered one of the companies called Capalax, a business that handled technological advancements in health but secretly manufactured weapons for the continent.
They moved through the rooms, shutting off all electrical services for a moment. They shot everything that moved in their path, leaving a trail of blood. They disabled cameras to avoid alerting the guards, thanks to the genius who helped them conceal their identities last time.
They took the elevator and descended. Vera, one of the companions, broke the silence. "Why are all the good things always downstairs?"
Paul responded dryly. "Upstairs are just the foolish leaders of the company putting on a false front. Downstairs is where they break their backs, experimenting and building what they really sell, without being discovered."
They reached the lowest underground floor and found many scientists working in their labs. Erika smiled cruelly. "It's your turn, little vermin," she said to the soldiers following them. They exited the elevator and began sowing chaos, burning, freezing, breaking, and cutting down the poor scientists without mercy.
Erika and Paul observed from the elevator door. She licked her lips with pleasure. "Wow, they really are sadistic. Even I'm not like that, but I'd love to have those powers to be that way."
He looked at her with disdain. "You're crazy, Vera."
"And you don't like seeing blood flow or the faces of your victims, do you?" she retorted.
"No, I don't. I only kill on orders," he replied coldly. "Besides, remember that only until seventeen can someone gain powers with that machine the scientists use in Radar—or whatever they're calling it these days. So you can't have them."
Erika drew a sword and slashed at a scientist who was trying to escape. "It's true. I enjoy making my enemies suffer, but those brats don't even know what they're doing. They're being controlled by the higher-ups, like Zeus."
At that moment, Paul received a call from Ube through his earpiece. "Check if there's anything worth taking and bring it."
"Understood, sir," Paul responded before turning to one of the soldiers. "You, go and find something important. This gadget will help." He activated a small scanning robot and handed over several collector capsules. "You're in charge," he said, pointing to the tallest one. "Search everything thoroughly."
Erika looked at him curiously. "Where are you rushing off to?"
"We're going to see the leader of this company," he replied as both stepped into the elevator.
Upon reaching the top floor, they encountered the company's founder and his shareholders, who were still unaware of the danger lurking within their building. The woman known as the Cyber Chameleon, an expert at changing her hair and face to avoid recognition, had done her job well. Some said she did it because her face was disfigured; others believed it made her harder to find. Whatever the reason, she was highly skilled as a hacker—though not as much as Adrian, who had managed to reconstruct the altered image she had created of both subjects, Paul and Erika, during the events in Arnoldstein.
The elevator doors opened, and they followed the corridor. At the end of the hallway stood a large door guarded by two imposing figures armed with knives—the guards. Erika smirked, and then the doors burst open, revealing the two men with knives now embedded in their heads. The business executive screamed, "Who's there?!" The shareholders trembled in fear.
Erika and Paul entered. She glanced at Paul. "Can I?"
"Go for it," he replied simply.
Erika pulled two large ninja swords from her back and began cutting down everyone in sight. Finally, she cornered the leader against a wall and blew his head off. Then, she removed her helmet and licked the blood of her enemies.
"What are you doing?" Paul asked, horrified.
"It's a ritual I like to perform when I finish off my enemies: drinking a bit of their blood."
"You're disgusting," he muttered, thinking she was completely insane.
"Alright, let's go," Paul said, signaling to the five soldiers accompanying them. They left some billiard balls on the floor and leaped out of the thirteenth-floor window using grappling hooks. They activated the bombs with a button, causing the entire building to collapse. They retreated with the loot and boarded their ship.
"This time you did a good job," the boss said. "No witnesses." Meanwhile, on the news, it was reported that the company Capalax had been destroyed due to what appeared to be a malfunctioning reactor, thanks to a note delivered by the Cyber Chameleon.
And so, several similar incidents began to occur around the world.
In what looked like a classroom, Melisa was with her two companions, trying to find any clues about these cases and determine if they had anything in common. In one of the photos, Sheriff Jeff can be seen injured, surrounded by black bags containing corpses.
"Melisa, are you okay?" asked Creg, concerned as he watched her immersed in the bulletin board covered with threads and notes she had assembled, as if solving a case like a detective.
"I think she's gone again," Ian commented, trying to be funny. "I hope she gives me some of whatever she's using."
"Don't be a clown, boy," Creg scolded him while continuing to call out to the girl without getting a response.
"Hot chocolate," announced the professor as he entered with his assistant, bringing drinks and snacks for everyone. He saw that Melisa didn't even flinch and said, "Oh no, not again."
"What do you mean, professor?" asked the two friends present.
"When she's like this, she thinks like a detective, piecing together the puzzle by herself. And I think what comes next isn't going to please you."
Melisa turned and looked at the boys. "Guys, get ready. We're about to embark on an adventure, even if it's dangerous."
"I was afraid of that," said the professor, taking a sip of his hot chocolate.
"I know where these individuals might be, and I'm going to expose them. Even if that group of special agents has to intervene, everything will come to light," she stated. Turning to the professor, she added, "You can call Michelle. I have a job for her."