CHAPTER 12: A.I CONFRONTATION 1

JESSICA

The Quinjet hums steadily as it cuts through the clouds, the sun casting streaks of orange and pink across the horizon. The cabin is tense, the quiet before the storm. Below, Newark is in chaos—plumes of smoke rise from the city like dark veins, twisting upward in grim defiance.

"How many do you think we're up against?" Trivium asks, leaning back in his seat, though his eyes betray his readiness.

"Thirty, forty... maybe more," Morinjo replies, his hand resting on the chair hands

"That's bad, isn't it?" Trivium presses.

Samuel folds his arms. "Yeah. That's why we need to move."

John leans forward, his voice sharp. "Why Newark? Zack's main target is New York. This doesn't make sense."

Morinjo doesn't hesitate. "The destruction is a message. A prelude to his assault on New York—and the Earth itself."

Samuel scoffs, his eyes narrowing in the rearview mirror. "A warning? Seriously?"

"Yes," Morinjo says, his voice firm.

I pull the Quinjet lower, maneuvering around a rising column of smoke. "Alright, Ventures. We're here. Get ready—we've got a city to save."

Golden Prince is already unbuckling his seatbelt, his jaw set. "Finally," he mutters, heading for the hatch.

"Who's coming with me?" he calls over his shoulder.

"I am," Trivium says, standing with a crackle of energy as he grabs his axe.

"Count me in," John adds, unbuckling his seatbelt and moving quickly to the door.

Samuel intercepts him, grabbing his arm. "Hold up, kid. What do you think you're doing?"

John glares at him. "Don't call me kid."

"Fine, John," Samuel snaps. "But you're not jumping out of this jet without a parachute."

John grins. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"Scared?" Samuel's voice rises as he points at the others. "Belteshazzar can fly, Trivium can teleport, and I've got armor. What do you have?"

John doesn't answer. Instead, he grabs the latch, yanks the door open, and lets the howling wind fill the cabin.

He smirks at Samuel. "Immortality. And an indestructible body." With that, he leans back and lets himself fall into the chaos below.

"John!" Samuel yells, but it's too late.

Trivium steps to the edge, his axe gleaming. "See you down there." Lightning strikes him, and he vanishes in a flash.

Samuel stares after them, fuming. "This is insane," he mutters, before stepping out himself.

---

SAMUEL

The wind tears at me as I plummet through the sky. Newark's burning streets rush toward me, the flames below flickering like angry veins across the city. Ahead, John freefalls effortlessly, his arms outstretched like he's enjoying the ride.

I spot Golden Prince speeding toward the battlefield, his golden armor glinting. Lightning streaks down, signaling Trivium's arrival.

"Alright," I mutter. "Time to suit up."

I press the button on my wristwatch, and a distant hum fills my ears. My armor rockets toward me from the Quinjet, streaking through the air like a silver comet.

The first piece snaps onto my shoulder with a satisfying clank. The chest plate follows, locking into place with a hiss. Gauntlets slide over my arms, boots clamp onto my legs, and finally, the helmet encases my head, sealing with a metallic click. The HUD flickers to life, scanning the battlefield below. A surge of power courses through me as the armor integrates with my body. I am the Time Manipulator.

I catch up to John and grab the back of his shirt. His body jerks as he turns, his face full of irritation.

"What the hell, Sam?" he shouts over the roar of the wind. "I told you—I've got this!"

"And I told you I've never seen anyone risk their life this recklessly," I fire back.

"We're almost at Newark," he says, a grin spreading across his face.

"I noticed."

"So let me go. Drop me like a bomb."

I hesitate, the logic obvious but the risk gnawing at me. "You're insane."

"I'm immortal, remember?" John grins wider. "Trust me."

I sigh, loosening my grip. "Fine. Don't make me regret this."

As we pass over the main square, I release him. He plummets like a missile, crashing into a cluster of robots. The shockwave ripples through the street, scattering the machines like leaves in a storm.

I ignite the nitrogen thrusters in my back and boots, surging forward. Plasma bolts streak from my gauntlets, cutting through the robotic swarm with precision.

Below, John rises to his full height, his transformation into Lycon Wolf fully unleashed. His human features are gone, replaced by the hulking form of a beast. Thick, emerald-green fur ripples across his muscular frame, each strand catching the dim light of the overcast sky. His claws, long and razor-sharp, glint menacingly as they flex with deadly purpose.

A guttural snarl escapes his throat, deep and resonant, growing into a feral roar that reverberates through the air. The ground beneath him seems to tremble as the sound pierces the chaos around him, a primal warning to everything within earshot. His elongated fangs flash in the dim light, dripping with an unspoken promise of destruction.

Every movement exudes raw power and savage intent, his glowing eyes locking onto the battlefield with a predatory focus. Lycon Wolf is not just a transformation—it's a force of nature unleashed, ready to tear through anything that stands in his way.

MORINJO

The Quinjet touches down with a low hum, its engines winding down as smoke and dust billow around us. The ramp lowers with a hiss, and we step into the chaos. Newark burns ahead, buildings crumbling, and Zack's robotic army swarms the streets like locusts.

I take a deep breath, feeling the nanotech stir beneath my skin. It activates with a shimmer, rippling across my body as the suit takes shape. Plates of sleek, black armor snap into place, molding perfectly to my frame. My visor slides down over my eyes with a soft click, its HUD lighting up, feeding me battlefield data. Path Finder is ready.

Jessica steps forward, the metallic scrape of her swords echoing as she draws them from their sheathes. She gives each blade a quick spin, her eyes scanning the carnage ahead with razor-sharp focus.

Joseph kneels beside her, his movements precise. He pulls three arrows from his quiver, notching them onto his crossbow. The string hums as he draws it back, his gaze steady, calculating.

Behind us, Leonard clenches his fists, green lightning crackling along his arms and legs. His eyes glow with the same electric intensity, each spark a promise of destruction. "I'm ready," he mutters, his voice low but charged with energy.

The air around us feels heavy, alive with tension. The sounds of battle grow louder—metal clashing, explosions rocking the streets.

"Ultimate Ventures, roll out!" I shout, raising my hand as flames burst to life in my palm.

Zetacode is the first to charge. He dashes forward, joining forces with Golden Prince and Time Manipulator.

LEONARD

I stop in a New York minute. The streets of Newark are a mess—fire everywhere, smoke choking the air, and buildings looking like they've been through a war zone. People are running, screaming, dodging as those metal freaks—Zack's robots—hunt them down like they're sport. My heart's racing, but let's be real—it always is.

I glance at Time Manipulator and Golden Prince beside me. "Guess it's time to get serious," I say, smirking.

Before they can reply, I'm off. The world slows to a crawl as I zip through the battlefield, a streak of lightning against the chaos. I weave between the robots, my hands a blur as I tear at their joints, knock their heads clean off, or just shove them into each other. Sparks fly, metal crunches, and before they even realize what's happening, they're scrap on the ground.

I stop for a split second to catch my breath, standing over a pile of twisted robots. More of them are coming—of course they are.

Overhead, Golden Prince is lighting up the sky. He slams into the ground nearby, sending a shockwave that wipes out half the bots in my line of sight. His fists glow with that insane cosmic energy of his, and he's blasting them left and right like he's in a shooting gallery.

"Nice, Belteshazzar!" I call out, darting past him and ripping the weaponized arm off another bot.

Above us, Sam's blasting away, missiles streaking from his suit and turning entire groups of robots into flaming wrecks. "West side's looking heavy!" he calls out.

"I've got this!" I shout back, already zipping toward the swarm.

I skid to a stop near a group of civilians trapped in an alley. The robots are closing in, blue eyes glowing, guns charging. "Hey, ugly!" I yell, waving my arms. "Over here!"

It works. They turn toward me, and I'm gone in a flash, darting between them and yanking their weapons apart before they can react. One bot tries to swing at me, but I'm too fast—I twist behind it, shove it into another one, and they both go down in a heap.

"Move it, people!" I shout to the civilians, pointing toward safety.

As they run past, I feel the ground shake. Looking up, I spot this massive war bot—easily three stories tall—marching toward the city square. "Oh, great," I mutter, preparing to bolt.

But Golden Prince beats me to it. He shoots into the sky, collides with the thing like a freaking meteor, and just *punches* his way into its chest. The light from his energy attack is so bright I have to shield my eyes, but when it clears, the bot's gone—just a smoking crater where it stood.

"Not bad," I say, zipping to his side.

"Focus, Leonard!" He snaps, but he's grinning.

Sam swoops down next to us, his armor practically glowing. "Civilians are almost clear. Let's mop this up."

"Sure thing, boss," I say, taking off again. Robots fall around me as I carve through their ranks, the city spinning by in a blur of smoke, fire, and sparks.

I stop for a second next to Sam and Golden Prince, taking in the battlefield. "Hundreds down, thousands to go. We've got this, right?"

Golden Prince powers up, his body glowing brighter. "We don't stop until every last one is gone!"

"Fine by me," I say, my feet already moving.

Sam just nods, his repulsors charging. Together, we dive back into the chaos, a perfect team in the middle of total destruction.

MORINJO

Lycon Wolf is the second to charge, his towering form a green blur as he barrels into the robots. His claws shred through metal like it's paper, sparks flying with each vicious strike. I follow close behind, releasing a torrent of fire that engulfs a line of advancing bots. Their bodies twist and melt, collapsing in heaps of molten steel.

Trivium leaps into the air, lightning swirling around him like a storm given form. He slams his axe into the ground, sending a thunderous shockwave that ripples outward, ripping through the machines in its path. "Stay behind me if you want to live!" he bellows, his voice booming over the chaos. I glance to the side and see Black Cardinal weaving through the battlefield with lethal grace. Her swords flash in fluid arcs, slicing through robotic limbs and torsos with pinpoint precision. A bot swings at her, its blade coming dangerously close, but she ducks, counters, and drives her sword into its core, ending it in a burst of sparks.

"Nice move!" I call out, hurling a boulder conjured from the ground into a cluster of machines.

"Focus, Morinjo!" she snaps, her tone sharp but laced with a smirk.

Menace is perched on a crumbled rooftop, his arrows flying with unerring accuracy. Each shot hits its mark—an exposed joint, a power core—dropping bots in rapid succession. He moves like a shadow, slipping to new vantage points before the machines can lock onto him.

The ground trembles beneath us as Terminator 2 strides into view, its towering form gleaming under the dim light. Zack's robotic brother is a monster, twice the size of any other bot, its arms bristling with weapons.

"Path Finder, we've got a problem," Trivium mutters, his eyes narrowing.

"I see it," I reply, already summoning a massive wave of water. I release it with a shout, the torrent slamming into the hulking machine and sending it stumbling back.

Lycon Wolf takes the opening, launching himself at Terminator 2. His claws rake across its chest, leaving deep gouges in the metal, but the machine retaliates, swatting him aside like a rag doll. He crashes into a car, the impact denting the frame, but he's up again in seconds, his eyes glowing with fury.

"I've got your back!" Menace yells, firing an arrow tipped with an explosive charge. It strikes Terminator 2's shoulder, detonating in a burst of flame and shrapnel.

Trivium joins the fray, his axe crackling as he hurls it like a lightning bolt. It embeds itself in Terminator 2's chest, electricity coursing through its body, causing it to convulse.

"Finish it!" I roar, slamming my hands into the ground. Metal spikes shoot up from the earth, skewering the remaining bots around us.

Black Cardinal sprints toward Terminator 2, her swords flashing. She leaps onto its back, driving both blades into its neck joint. The machine staggers, sparks erupting from its wounds. But just as we seem to gain the upper hand, more robots pour in, swarming the streets. Their sheer numbers overwhelm us, and the destruction spreads. Buildings collapse under stray blasts, cars erupt into flames, and screams pierce the air as innocent lives are lost.

Realizing the tide is turning, Terminator 2 emits a mechanical roar. It signals a retreat, the remaining bots following it as they march away from the battlefield.

I drop to one knee, my body aching and my breaths ragged. Around me, the others gather, bloodied but unbroken. The streets are eerily quiet now, save for the crackle of fire and the distant wail of sirens.

"We didn't finish them," I say, my voice heavy with frustration.

"But we held the line," Trivium replies, gripping his axe. "And that counts for something."

I nod, though the weight of failure lingers. Newark lies in ruins, but for now, the battle is over.

To be continued....

Season 3 coming soon.