The dilapidated compound offered little comfort but ample concealment. The walls were faded, but tall, scraggly bushes provided a natural screen from prying eyes. Reno left them with a crate of provisions—water, Indomie noodles, some garri, and tins of sardine – before disappearing as quickly as he'd arrived. The air settled into a tense quiet.
G, leaning heavily on Umar, was guided into the building. It smelled of damp earth and disuse. They laid him down on a thin, dusty mattress. He was weak, his breathing shallow, but the pallor in his face slowly began to recede.
"He needs rest," Reed stated, looking at G with concern. He opened his battered medical kit, pulling out a sterile wipe and a small bottle of what looked like concentrated electrolytes. He knelt by G, cleaning a small cut on his forehead.
Ahmad watched, his arms crossed. "So, 'Doctor.' You sure this place is safe? No more 'anticipated diversions'?"
Reed looked up, his movements slow. "My contacts are reliable, Ahmad. This compound is known only to a very select few. And Kane wouldn't waste time on a place like this, not when he's still reeling from the prison break."
He poured some of the water for G. "He'll be sending his task force soon. But they search for targets, not abandoned hideouts."
Nasir, always practical, scanned the perimeter. "then we need to secure this place. Look for weak points."
"Good idea," Reed agreed, standing. "Use your abilities. I'll help where I can."
Umar snorted. "Help? You de make mouth too much. You almost die for the hall. And you no fire one shot for the Titan. Why we go trust you?"
Reed met Umar's gaze head-on. "You're right. I'm not a fighter. My expertise is… tactical. And scientific. My value to you isn't in a brawl. It's in understanding Kane. His technology. And your powers." He looked at the disruptor still clutched in Ahmad's hand. "That device… it was designed to overload Nucranium cores. It's a temporary solution, but it shows the potential for a counter." he explained
"My regret is real, Umar. I was complicit in a madness. But I'm here now. I helped you escape, and I can help you defeat Kane. I have no other choice, and neither do you." he continued.
A heavy silence descended. The boys exchanged glances. Reed's words resonated with their own grim reality. He was a means to an end.
"Okay," Ahmad said finally, the word clipped. "We'll work with you. And we'll stop Kane once and for all."
Reed nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "Agreed."
They spent the next few hours securing the compound. Nasir used subtle gusts of wind to clear dust and debris, checking for loose structures. Umar reinforced the flimsier walls with quick bursts of earth manipulation, patching holes and shoring up weak points. Sadiq, his technical mind sharp even after everything, found and disabled old, defunct surveillance equipment, ensuring their new base truly was off-grid. Ahmad, though exhausted, kept a watchful eye, his senses alert for any approaching threats. Finally at the end, they all went in for a well earned sleep.
By midday, G was stirring more forcefully. He sat up, pushing away the blankets. He looked stronger, the familiar glint back in his eyes. He looked around, surveying his environment as he got up from the mattress. He walked through the building and arrived at the living room where the boys were awake and eating.
"So boys," G said, a relieved smile crossed his face as he exhaled.
"Godiya commander." Ahmad said as he dropped his plate, standing to greet G. G scoffs, noticing their Ahmad's new bulkier physique. The others also got up to greet him and he noticed the changes in all of. G smiles.
"well done boys." he said with pride. "you've done well, and I am proud of you." he said. They all smiled.
"and don't worry, we'll get through this…. together." G added as he shook their hands firmly.
He looked at each of them, his gaze lingering on Reed. He scoffs
"looks like their was some normalcy in you after all." he sneered.
"no need to explain anything. I know what went down on that Island, and its time to move forward. What's the situation?" G asked.
Reed stepped forward, quickly outlining Kane's plan, the mind chips, the Nuragen's true purpose, and the increasing danger. He spoke of Kane's ability to absorb Nucron energy, making him more powerful with each defeated foe.
G stood up slowly, testing his own recovered strength. He walked to the center of the largest clearing in the compound, a patch of hard, sun-baked earth. He turned to the boys, a determined look in his eyes.
"Everything you have, everything you've learned… it's just the beginning. Kane is not a bandit. He's not a cult leader. He's something else. And if we want to stop him, we have to evolve."
He looked at Reed. "what else do you know about this Nuragen? Its limits? Its potential?"
Reed, surprised by the shift in G's demeanor, quickly pulled out his tablet.
"From what I've observed, the Nuragen seems to unlock latent potential within the Nucron cell, pushing it beyond its normal limits. It's a rapid acceleration. Your physical attributes are enhanced, but so is your core Nucron ability. It's why your powers have more raw force now."
G nodded. "Okay, boys. No rest for the weary. This is our new training ground. But this time… we're not just learning control. We learn war. We'll learn how to break limits. We'll hone your new abilities. To fight fire with fire. And to find others like you."
"I think I have a few Nucrons in mind that can help us." Sadiq said.
"Then follow up that info with Reed and find them. We need as much help as we can get." G commanded.
He looked at Ahmad, Sadiq, Nasir, and Umar, a fierce pride in his eyes. "Kane has an army. But he doesn't have you. And that's a power he can never understand."
The sun beat down on the makeshift training ground. The air, once thick with tension, now hummed with a renewed purpose. The fight was coming. And they would be ready.
1 WEEK LATER…
The new remote location offered peace, but a gnawing impatience settled in. G, fully recovered, pushed the boys relentlessly. The Nuragen, he explained, had not just enhanced their powers; it had deepened their connection to the elements, demanding more precise control. Their training was no longer about raw power but about intricate manipulation, about sensing the world around them in new ways. Sadiq refined his liquid control, able to extract moisture from stone. Umar felt the very pulse of the earth, shaping it with a whisper of thought. Nasir commanded air with a dancer's grace, and Ahmad's flames burned with an almost surgical intensity.
Reed, meanwhile, was a constant, unsettling presence. He spent hours on his encrypted satellite phone, his voice low, urgent. He dissected Kane's known plans, studying schematics, murmuring about "neural pathways" and "psychic feedback loops." He was their brain, mapping the war.
One evening, Reed finally lowered his phone, his face grim. The boys and G gathered around him in the main room, the air thick with anticipation.
"The jamming network around the black site has lifted," Reed announced, his voice tight. "But the news… it's not good."
He switched on a battered tablet, its screen displaying a news channel. The broadcast showed chaotic scenes: protests, skirmishes in city streets, and Nucrons in black attires subduing people with bursts of strange, glowing energy. A news anchor, her face serious, spoke of a "rapid increase in Nucron activity" and "government counter-insurgency operations."
"Since your incarceration," Reed explained.
"Kane has accelerated his plans. He's deployed the mind-chipped Nucrons. They're called 'Enforcers.' They're everywhere."
"The madness begins." G said, his arms folded
"And it gets worse," Reed continued, swiping the screen to a grim report. "There are many missing. Students, government workers, even some… less savory individuals. Anyone with latent Nucron abilities, or those who showed resistance to the antidote."
Ahmad felt a cold dread. "Zainab. James. Christina."
Reed nodded slowly. "Zainab Hamza. Reported missing. Last seen near the school. Christina Obi, also missing. James Okoro, missing." He paused. "And there are others. Two Nucrons from your school, not known to be close to you, but noted for their unique powers:
Chike Obi, known for his ability to manipulate sound. And Amara Eze, whose power is the creation of light constructs."
Sadiq gasped. "Them too?"
"And Retro," Nasir added, his voice low. "Fuhad Abdullahi. The news reported him as 'resisting intervention' then 'missing.' What of him?"
Reed's face tightened. "Retro… Fuhad Abdullahi. He's not missing. He's… active. My contacts report he took control of an entire village in the northern plains. With his constructs. He's fortified it, declared it a 'Nucron sanctuary.'"
A collective silence fell. Retro, the quiet, bullied tech guru, had taken over a village.
"A sanctuary?" G mused, a flicker of thought in his eyes. "Or a trap?"
"Either way," Ahmad said, standing.
"We go find am. We need to go there. Find Retro. Find out what truly happened to him." His gaze hardened.
G nodded. "This is our first real step. Our true mission. But it won't be easy. Kane will be watching, he'll be waiting."
"with that being said, I have some good news for us." Reed said enthusiastically.
"with Sadiq's help, I have managed to access my secret funds. And in the process he found a back door into some of Kronos labs code and we located a secure lab-base in the Zuma Rock." he explained.
"inside Zuma rock? Seriously?" Umar asked, surprised.
"Yep."Sadiq answered, a smug grin on his face.
"you are indeed gifted young man. Now we can move there and begin our operation in full force." Reed said.
"that's great, but are you sure that place is secure. If we move in whats to say we don't trigger a silent alarm when we're in?" G asked, skeptical.
"yes Commander, its secure. It's a forgotten area, abandoned years ago. Even if it wasn't, I have people on the inside that will keep it quiet. They are making sure the place is ready for us as we speak. Transportation is enroute, ETA 5 minutes" Reed explained.
"Alright then, boys start packing. Lets leave this place." G said as they all went to get ready to leave. A few minutes later, they all walked out of the building with bags of supplies.
Reed looked back at them and smiled. "relax boys, everything we need is already waiting for us there. Good food, new cloths and gadgets. Everything." he said as a loud engine roared, the sound grew louder as it came closer. The boys tensed up, anticipating a threat but Reed remained calm.
A large technologically advanced aircraft flew in and hovered over them with sounds from the engines blaring. G and boys looked up in awe, slightly expecting an attack but the aircraft remained there, hovering. It slowly began to descend as its cargo bay door opened. Standing inside was Reno, a smile growing on his face as he saw G who was now awake and strong. G immediately relaxed, he walked to the aircraft and jumped on to the ramp and shook Reno's hand.
"welcome to the land of the living." Reno said, his voice low in the noise of the engines.
"thank you brother, its good to see you." G said, grateful. The boys relaxed upon seeing this and they aslo got onto the ramp and walked into the aircraft as they greeted Reno. Reed followed and they all set off to the new base of operations where their mission would really begin.
The plane was huge from the inside, just as much as it was on the outside. The cockpit was full of technology, ready to be used in any way shape or form. The boys walked around, looking at all the tech and gadgets, Sadiq was in dream world, he stood at a console and was just tickering while the others looked around. G and Reno sat close, catching up on past events while Reed sat on a chair just relaxing near the pilot. The aircraft got closer to the Zuma rock and Umar was the first to notice.
"so how does this work? If we land on top we'll be seen now." he said.
Reed opened his eyes, "that's exactly what we're going to do. And we're currently cloaked, so no one can see us." he said with a smug grin. The other boys walked up to the windshield, watching as they came closer to the mountain. The aircraft hovered above the Zuma rock and began to descend just as Reed said, but as it came closer to make contact with the mountain, mechanical doors opened up, allowing the aircraft to landing inside as the doors closed, completely concealing the aircraft inside.
The cargo door opened and everyone walked out, the boys still surprised to what they saw before. G and Reno remained unfazed. Reed led them into the base, they walked over a metal bridge that stood over body of water.
A large, reinforced door ahead slid open with a soft hum. Inside, the base was a maze of sleek, grey metal corridors. Fluorescent lights glowed from concealed strips in the ceiling, illuminating advanced technology mounted on every wall: shimmering data displays, humming power conduits, and intricate control panels. This was a place of serious work.
"Welcome," Reed said, a hint of pride in his voice. "This is 'The Vault.' My old research and development facility."
Sadiq's eyes widened, already darting from one console to another. This was his dream world, real and tangible. He gravitated towards a large, multi-screen display, his fingers itching to touch the glowing interfaces.
Umar walked with a heavy tread, taking in the scale of the place. Nasir observed everything, his enhanced senses picking up the faint whir of machinery, the subtle shifts in air pressure. Ahmad, though impressed, kept a watchful eye, his instincts still on high alert.
They passed through several sections:
The Lab: A vast space filled with analytical equipment, gleaming microscopes, and containment units. Test tubes bubbled with strange liquids. Diagrams of Nucron cells and Nuragen structures covered holographic screens.
The Armory: Racks of advanced, energy-based weapons stood against one wall. Plasma disruptors, sonic emitters, and sleek, unfamiliar firearms. Body armor, clearly designed for Nucron engagement, was displayed on mannequins.
The Data Core: A central chamber, cool and silent, filled with towering servers. Data streamed across transparent screens, projecting complex algorithms and global intelligence feeds. It was the nerve center.
As they entered the Data Core, a calm, synthesized voice echoed through the space, seemingly from everywhere at once.
"Greetings, Doctor Reed. All systems operational. External perimeter remains secure."
Reed nodded. "status report."
The voice responded immediately. "Confirmed. No anomalies detected since arrival. All personnel accounted for."
Umar frowned. "Who be that?"
Reed smiled faintly. "This the Artificial Intelligence that oversees all operations here. My greatest creation."
"what do you call it… or her?" Sadiq asked, his attention immediately captured.
"well the program is called the 'African Youth Ascendant,'" Reed explained.
"you have a weird affiliation with the youth bruh." Ahmad said form a distance.
"it's the culmination of years of work. Designed to analyze data, manage security, and coordinate our… unique resources. It adapts, learns. It is the mind of this entire operation."
"Ayyah." Sadiq blurted out.
"Ayyah? What?" Reed asked confused.
"African Youth Ascendant… the initial spells A.Y.A, so we'll call her Ayyah." Sadiq stated.
"well… very well then, do as you wish." Reed said as he walked to the centre console.
A soft, almost imperceptible hum filled the Data Core. It was the sound of A.Y.A. (Ayyah), watching, processing, already learning everything about them. This hidden base, deep within Zuma Rock, was not just a place of refuge; it was a silent, powerful weapon, ready to be wielded.