Location: Damien's Private Office – Wycliffe Tower
The flames in the hearth flickered low, casting long shadows across the map Damien had been poring over. Red pins marked Kael's last known movements; blue ones, their family's remaining safe zones. All were in danger now.
Nora entered quietly, her hair still damp from the rain outside. She held a USB drive in her hand.
"This was in the vault," she said, dropping it onto Damien's desk. "Project Genesis wasn't just about Kael. It was about you too."
Damien frowned. "Me?"
Nora nodded, jaw clenched. "You weren't supposed to survive, Damien. You and Kael were both designed for war. But the experiment split—Kael went rogue. You were raised as if none of it ever happened."
Damien stared at the screen as the files loaded. Medical reports. Growth graphs. Neural maps. His entire life, charted like a military asset.
"All these years…" he whispered. "They made me into this. A weapon."
"You chose who you became," Nora said firmly. "You broke the chain. Kael didn't."
He looked up at her, fire lighting the gold in his eyes. "Then I'll end this. One way or another."
---
Location: Kane Holdings – Offshore Communications Bunker
(Operative Lucas on call with Damien)
The signal crackled to life.
"We located Celine," Lucas said. "Private island off the Atlantic coast, shielded by ex-NATO tech. She's surrounding herself with mercenaries, but Kael doesn't trust them. He's… different now."
"How different?"
"He questions her. He speaks of a child. A memory."
Damien's voice was low. "He's remembering."
"If we wait long enough, he might fully break from her."
"We're out of time," Damien said. "Prepare the team. We strike tomorrow."
---
Location: Celine's Island Fortress – Observation Wing
Celine stood watching Kael through bulletproof glass as he trained in the yard below—his strength unearthly, his reflexes predator-sharp.
"He's slipping," said Roka, her second-in-command. "He let the guard live yesterday. He's showing restraint."
"He's searching for who he used to be," Celine said, eyes narrowing. "That makes him dangerous."
She turned, entering the bio-chamber behind her. Inside was a cryo pod marked: Subject Alpha: HYBRID-X.
"Activate this if he turns," she ordered. "We only need one monster to win this war."
---
Location: Damien's Aircraft – Inbound to Enemy Island
The engines hummed with purpose. Seated beside him, Nora wore full tactical gear, her eyes grim.
"We're walking into hell," she said.
Damien gave a cold smile. "Then let's make sure it burns our enemies, not us."
As Tavara's coastline disappeared behind them, the future hung in the balance.
Two brothers. One fate.