Clara's Whereabouts

"Tch... Some toys they've got there," Tommy clicked his tongue, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed their pursuers' feeble attempts to breach the energy shield.

"What's the matter, Mark? Getting scared?" Tommy teased, a playful glint in his eye as he glanced sideways at Mark.

Mark didn't respond immediately. Instead, a frown creased his brow as his thoughts raced. "How did he get here? And how does he look completely fine?" he wanted to ask, but with the chaos rising around them, he pushed the questions from his mind for now.

"Just watch," Tommy muttered under his breath. "Activate, energy shield," he commanded calmly.

In an instant, a shimmering, transparent dome enveloped the aircraft, its magical appearance momentarily captivating Mark. The shield crackled and glowed, absorbing the impact of the attacks with ease. A wave of relief washed over him as he realized they were protected from the barrage of explosions outside. The cacophony of blasts faded into the background, replaced by a reassuring hum of the energy field.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom." The relentless laser shots from enemy vehicles slammed against the shield, each impact creating a dazzling display akin to a mesmerizing fireworks show.

Despite the onslaught, the shield held firm, its shimmering surface undisturbed, a testament to its formidable strength.

"Now, it's my turn," Tommy declared with unwavering confidence.

"What's he going to do now?"

With a mixture of awe and apprehension, Mark watched intently as Tommy prepared his next move.

"Activate the anti-particle cannon and raise its power to level three immediately," Tommy commanded, his voice steady amidst the chaos.

In response, two massive mechanisms extended from the aircraft's sleek fuselage, unfolding with precision against the backdrop of swirling smoke and flashing lights.

The cannons gleamed ominously, their polished surfaces reflecting the turmoil around them. As they powered up, a low, ominous hum filled the air, drowning out even the relentless barrage of enemy fire. The anticipation built, palpable and tense, as the cannons glowed brighter with each passing moment, poised to unleash their devastating force upon their attackers.

"Lock the target," Tommy ordered, his voice firm and commanding.

"Target locked," responded the AI of the aircraft with mechanical precision.

"Very good," Tommy murmured approvingly. "Now, proceed with the charging."

"Confirmation received. Charging the anti-particle artillery. 1%... 2%... 10%... 49%... 100%. Charging complete. Ready to fire."

"Fire!" Tommy's voice cut through the tension, authoritative and resolute. In an instant, two concentrated beams of anti-particles erupted from the cannons, blazing through the air with unstoppable force.

The dazzling blue-white beams streaked towards the enemy vehicles, leaving trails of incandescent energy in their wake. The destructive power they unleashed was awe-inspiring, obliterating the opposing vehicles in a flash of blinding light and reducing them to smoldering debris and ash.

The once-menacing threats were now nothing more than scattered remnants, strewn across the battlefield.

"Oh, heavens!"

The aftermath of such destruction left Mark speechless, his complexion pale, as he struggled to reconcile the reality of what he had just witnessed.

"Is it so easy to end human lives?" he whispered, his gaze fixed on Tommy, who remained surprisingly composed amidst the chaos. Tommy's expression was far from remorseful. Rather, he had a satisfied expression on his face.

"Warning! Warning! Remaining energy: 48%," the AI's voice interjected, breaking the silence with a reminder of the aircraft's dwindling resources.

"Tsk. Insufficient energy problem again? We can't stay here any longer. Hey, are you listening, Mark?" Tommy's voice snapped Mark out of his reverie, his gaze fixed intently on him.

Mark gathered his wits quickly, forcing himself to appear calm despite the turmoil within. "No, nothing. Let's go," he replied, hiding the inner turmoil.

"What else can he do in this situation?" He felt like a useless bum, relying on Tommy to save him the whole time.

Thereafter, the aircraft sliced through the clouds, ascending into the night sky with a determined purpose. As they soared above the clouds, a startling realization dawned upon Mark. The facility they had escaped from was not a hospital, but some kind of underground secret facility.

"So, are you ready to give me the answers to my questions now? Where is my sister?" he demanded of Tommy, his voice trembling with urgency and resolve.

"Not yet," Tommy replied calmly, his demeanor relaxed, as though he held all the answers within his grasp. Or maybe it was just Mark's imagination.

Reluctantly, Mark acquiesced, realizing that his fate was inexplicably intertwined with Tommy's. Despite his reservations, he sensed a glimmer of trust beginning to form—a fragile alliance forged in the crucible of danger and uncertainty.

The hum of the aircraft's engines filled the uneasy silence between them as they flew onward, each passing moment adding to the weight of unanswered questions and unspoken fears. In the distance, the city lights twinkled like distant stars, a stark contrast to the darkness that cloaked their immediate future.

Several hours passed in tense silence, while the aircraft carried them across unfamiliar terrain, finally descending upon an unknown desert expanse. The aircraft stopped before an inconspicuous entrance of a hidden underground tunnel.

"Follow me," Tommy instructed quietly as he disembarked from the aircraft.

Mark obeyed without protest, his footsteps echoing softly against the hardened earth as they ventured deeper into the subterranean labyrinth.

The bullet wound on Mark's leg had already been healed miraculously, which Mark left Mark speechless.

The narrow tunnel glowed softly with ambient light, casting long shadows that danced along the walls as they traversed its winding path.

Emerging into an expansive, extravagantly decorated lobby, Mark marvelled at its beauty. A stark contrast to his experience as a slum rat.

Yet, their journey did not pause there. Led by Tommy, Mark ventured further into a chamber adorned with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including a hospital bed, which was occupied by a figure whose presence struck him like a thunderbolt.

"Clara..." Mark gasped, his heart constricting painfully as he saw Clara lying unconscious, her features pallid and drawn as if caught in the grip of a profound slumber.

"Clara! Wake up! It's me, your brother," Mark pleaded desperately, his voice cracking with emotion as tears streamed down his cheeks.

But Clara remained impassive, with no reaction whatsoever, seemingly in a deep coma.

Tommy observed quietly from afar, his impassive gaze betraying no emotion.

After what felt like an eternity, Mark regained a semblance of composure, his trembling hands gently caressing Clara's hair in a gesture of tenderness and longing.

"Who did this to her?" he demanded hoarsely, his gaze snapping to Tommy, who stood silently amidst the sterile surroundings.

Unexpectedly, a faint grin tugged at the corners of Tommy's mouth. A cryptic response to Mark's raw anguish.

"The Nexus Corporation," Tommy uttered, his voice carrying a weight of solemnity.

The name echoed in the confines of the room, reverberating with implications that stretched far beyond the confines of their current predicament.

At that moment, a storm of emotions raged within Mark. Grief, anger, and an unyielding determination surged through him.

But as he met Tommy's unwavering gaze, he calmed down.

"Tell me, what's going on? Who are you exactly? Tell me the whole story, from the beginning," he demanded strongly from Tommy.