Target: Dr. Lekt

As the van cruised down the desolate street, the darkness of the late night enveloped the scene. The city slept, its streets barren and silent, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Brock sat behind the wheel, his hands steady, his eyes focused. Beside him, Stevo occupied the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. In the back, Lin and Sirius sat on opposite sides, with Sirius engrossed in his phone, the screen casting a faint glow on his face.

Sirius leaned back, his thoughts a whirl of disbelief. This has to be some kind of drug trip, he mused, fingers tapping absently on his phone. I'm in a van right now, casually driving up to the most heavily guarded facility in the world, with three strangers. So I basically agreed to die.

Breaking the silence, Lin's voice cut through the quiet, her tone curious. "Hey, Xaldris, what kind of cybernetics do you have?"

Sirius glanced up, caught off guard by the question. "I don't have any."

Lin's brow furrowed in surprise. "What? Really? Did Clark send us off to tackle this place with someone who can't even defend themselves against a Syntharc?"

"Syntharc?" Sirius echoed, the unfamiliar term sparking a flicker of concern.

Lin nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, Syntharc. We're definitely going to encounter some."

Sirius's heart sank. "I didn't think about that."

Stevo chuckled, his voice tinged with amusement. "Yeah, Xaldris, the three of us work together, and we all have cybernetics."

Sirius shot him a skeptical glance. "Illegal ones."

Brock grinned, the corners of his mouth lifting. "Of course!"

Sirius shook his head. "Yeah, those are shady. Not as good as the real thing."

Brock's grin widened. "Although they have some drawbacks, they work just as good as the real thing!"

The conversation was interrupted as Stevo's phone buzzed. "Hold on, guys, Clark's calling." He answered, putting the phone on speaker.

Clark's voice crackled through the line, direct and commanding. "Are you guys nearing the building?"

Brock nodded, though Clark couldn't see. "We're pretty close."

Clark continued, "Lekt headquarters is primarily guarded by robots and under heavy surveillance."

Lin smirked, already anticipating the request. "I can already see where you're going with this. You want me to shut down all of the technology."

"Correct," Clark confirmed.

Sirius looked over at Lin, skepticism etched on his face. "You can do that?"

Lin's smirk deepened. "My 'illegal' cybernetics give me the ability to effortlessly break into technological code."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Maybe this illegal stuff ain't so bad. But are you sure you're capable of breaking into the code of the headquarters of the man who revolutionized technology? I bet if you tried, your head would explode."

Lin's eyes gleamed with confidence. "My cybernetics would be classified as five-star tech if they weren't illegal. My hacking is more like planting an undetectable virus and killing the system from the inside."

Stevo chimed in, his voice carrying a note of pride. "Yeah, and her stuff is widespread too. She can just look in the direction of the building and shut everything off."

Sirius's skepticism softened into admiration. "That's... very useful."

Clark's voice brought them back to focus. "Yes, that's why you're all a team. Lintonic can shut down all of the tech without an issue. Stevo has enough firepower for when things go south. Brock has the manpower to take out robots, and Xaldris is a stealth expert and lethal shooter."

Sirius couldn't help but think, I've never been deemed a stealth expert before.

Brock interjected, his tone serious. "So we're going in there to kill the doc and find what again?"

Clark responded without missing a beat. "Inside the lab, furthest into the building, there's a weapon—a six-star cybernetic."

The announcement drew collective gasps, eyes widening in shock.

Brock's voice betrayed his astonishment. "Did you say six-star?"

Stevo echoed the disbelief. "You're kidding."

Sirius leaned forward, incredulous. "Those exist?"

Clark's tone was grave. "It was finished recently and stored away for a five-star Syntharc that'll be promoted."

Brock pressed for more details. "What does it look like? What does it do?"

Clark replied, "It's a slim metallic body. What it does is unknown. Retrieve it."

Sirius's mind raced. How does he know this? Some of this stuff sounds like private information.

As the conversation waned, Sirius's attention shifted back to his phone. He glanced at the last message from Zayd: "Imma sleep." With a sigh, he powered down his device.

Clark's voice concluded the call. "I'll call you back after the job is done." The line went dead.

After a few more minutes of tense silence, the van pulled up to the imposing structure of the Lekt Foundation. The building loomed large in the darkness, its silhouette a testament to technological marvels. All lights were off, yet robotic sentinels patrolled the perimeter, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. Security cameras swiveled methodically, scanning for any signs of intruders, while drones hovered above, their presence a constant reminder of the formidable defense.

Brock maneuvered the van further down the street, finally parking it under the cover of a large tree, far from prying eyes. The group sat in silence, the weight of their mission pressing down on them as they prepared for the challenge ahead.

Sirius glanced around, his eyes narrowing. "So, where are we entering from?" he asked, his voice low and expectant.

Lin shot him a pointed look. "Isn't that your job, stealth expert?" she replied with a sly smirk.

Sirius scratched the back of his neck, sheepishly avoiding her gaze. "Well, you don't have to call me out like that..."

Brock chuckled, folding his arms. "Xaldris, you're the one who has to do all the heavy thinking here."

"I know, I know," Sirius muttered. Turning to Lin, he added, "Lin, you can shut everything down, right?"

"Yes, I can," Lin confirmed confidently.

Sirius frowned, deep in thought. "Is the building only guarded by robots?"

Stevo nodded. "It should be. They've got a hotline to call five-star Syntharcs if anything goes wrong."

Sirius grinned, a spark of excitement flickering in his eyes. "Honestly, if that's true, Lin could just shut the whole place down, and we could break in."

Brock gave a nod of approval. "Sounds like a half-decent plan. Let's do it!"

The group piled out of the van and began their approach toward the imposing Lekt Foundation.

"I'm still confused," Sirius began as they walked. "Lin, how do your cybernetics work?"

Lin's gaze fixed on the distant building. "I can see the building from here, right?"

Sirius hummed an affirmative.

"Since it's in my line of vision, I can—"

Stevo interrupted, holding up a hand. "Don't use it until we're closer. We can storm the building at that point."

"Okay, Stevo," Lin acquiesced.

Sirius pulled out his phone, giving it a contemplative look before tossing it into a bush. This thing will slow me down. I'll pick it up after the assassination.

The crew moved stealthily, closing the gap between themselves and the target.

"Okay, Lin. Now," Stevo commanded softly.

Lin's eyes glowed with an intense, electrical blue. Sparks flickered around her, and in an instant, the security cameras blinked off, drones dropped from the sky, and robot guards powered down.

Brock grinned. "Now we go!"

They broke into a sprint, charging toward the front of the building. As they reached the entrance, Sirius eyed the locked door. "We need to kick this down—"

"No," Stevo interjected firmly. "Leave it to me. We can't risk Lekt knowing it's a break-in; he'd probably just assume the building lost power."

Brock turned to Lin. "Any alarms?"

Lin's expression remained calm. "I've already shut them all off."

"Okay," Stevo said, placing a hand on the door. "Here goes nothing. Absolute obliteration."

The door heated up, glowing red before disintegrating silently into ash.

Sirius's eyes widened. "What did you just do?"

"My cybernetics," Stevo explained, "let me create micro-bombs. I just blew them up."

Sirius shook his head, marveling. "Sounds complicated. Let's keep moving. We should stay silent; no need to draw attention."

"I'll head back to the van," Lin announced. "You guys don't need me here." She turned and walked away.

The group stepped into the dark building, navigating through the exhibits showcasing various robots and inventions. Each display was more awe-inspiring than the last.

No way this is so easy, Sirius thought, unease prickling at the back of his mind. Something's off, really off!

They moved cautiously down a hallway lined with deactivated armed robots. Past the corridor, they encountered another room, filled with silent laser sensors.

Damn, she really did turn everything off, Sirius mused.

The hallway seemed endless, each step taking them closer to their goal. Finally, they reached a locked door.

"We're really close," Stevo whispered.

Without a word, Brock grabbed the door and, with remarkable ease, tore it off its hinges, gently placing it aside. They stepped into a pitch-black room.

"Damn, it's dark," Sirius whispered, squinting.

"I can kind of see," Stevo murmured. "It's just another room packed with deactivated robots. Let's keep going."

I can only imagine how different this would be without Lin, Sirius reflected as they moved deeper.

They stopped before a door marked "Living Quarters of Lester Lekt."

Lekt is a Lester? Poor him, Sirius thought with a wry smirk.

They creaked the door open, revealing a dimly lit, cluttered room. Robot scraps and tools were scattered around the bed.

"Shouldn't the doctor be here?" Sirius whispered.

Cautiously, they approached the bed, only to find it empty.

Stevo's voice trembled slightly. "He…he isn't here."

Suddenly, the room flooded with blinding light. Armed SWAT men descended from the ceiling on ropes, their weapons trained on the group. Behind them, Alaric, Eunhye, Yaroslav, and a robotic German Shepherd emerged, their presence commanding.

A helicopter spotlight bore down on them as the SWAT men shouted, "DON'T MOVE!" and "PUT YOUR HANDS UP!"

Sirius's heart raced as the weight of their situation hit him. Damn, I should have figured it out sooner! His thoughts were a blur, the panic creeping in like a cold sweat as he raised his hands, knowing the fight was all but over.

Alaric's voice broke through the tension. "Hah, you see that, Eunhye? My plan worked."

Eunhye, ever the loyal second-in-command, smirked. "I never doubted you, chief."

Alaric's eyes glinted from beneath the shadow of his cap, and he drew his pistol with a smooth, practiced motion. The metallic click of it being cocked echoed ominously. "Xaldris, Silent Boom, and Knuckle Luster! You criminals have been on the run for far too long. You're under arrest."

Sirius's blood ran cold at the sound of his alias being thrown out.

Alaric's lips curled into a twisted, psychotic grin. The orange gleam of his eyes pierced the dim light as he continued, "We let Lintonic slip away because we managed to slip a tracker in her after she hacked our precious building."

His grin widened, exposing too many teeth. He looked almost unhinged. "But now, this is where your journey ends. My way of arresting people—well, it's the worst kind a cop can bring." He licked his lips, his voice dripping with malice. "You all have murder charges stacked to the ceiling, and instead of prison time or an execution, I'll give you something much sweeter: death."

Drool dripped from the corners of his mouth as he began to foam at the mouth, eyes wide with ecstasy. His cheeks flushed red.

"Sweet justice. Nobody will miss you," he muttered, almost to himself, his voice tinged with delirious satisfaction.

Yaroslav's voice cut through the madness, a note of disapproval in his tone. "Chief, you're getting a little too excited here. I agreed to killing these criminals, not watching you get off on it."

Alaric's expression twisted further, but he didn't care. "It's just so satisfying," he muttered, his eyes locked onto his prey.

Sirius's pulse pounded in his ears, his mind scrambling for an escape. Shit, is this it?! How do we get out of this?! His eyes flicked toward Stevo's hands, a sudden realization striking him. Wait... He can—

Before he could finish the thought, explosions erupted around them, filling the room with a deafening roar. The force of the blast threw the group back, engulfing half the room in flames.

Brock, grinning ear to ear, shouted, "Nice!"

Stevo grinned, his voice steely. "Let's take this chance to get out of here!" Through the smoke and chaos, the imposing figure of the robot German Shepherd emerged, followed by Alaric, Eunhye, and Yaroslav, all protected by a shimmering purple force field.

Eunhye raised an eyebrow, her expression nonchalant. "Well, there goes the SWAT team."

Sirius cursed under his breath. "Shit."

Brock, eyes flashing with determination, cracked his knuckles. "We've got fewer of them now. Maybe we have a chance!" Without warning, his left arm morphed violently. Metal parts twisted out, bloodied and raw, but the transformation was complete. His arm became one massive, robotic appendage.

"Take this, you bastards!" Brock roared, swinging his newfound weapon forward. A massive orb of electricity shot toward the enemy group.

Sirius's eyes widened in awe. Illegal cybernetics are badass!!!

Yaroslav, however, was quicker. In a blur of motion, he stepped in front of the group and pulled out a large metal cleaver. With swift precision, he sliced the orb in half. The two halves spun away, narrowly missing him, but detonating in a shower of sparks as they collided with the ground.

"Piece of cake," Yaroslav remarked, his tone as icy as his expression.

Eunhye wasted no time. "I've got this one." With a swift motion, she lunged toward Brock, her metallic nails aiming for his throat. Brock raised his arm to block, but the moment his hand made contact with hers, a surge of purple electricity shot through him. His body convulsed as he screamed in agony.

Suddenly, his cybernetic arm reverted to its normal form.

"She turned my cybernetic off!" Brock gasped between breaths, staggering back.

Eunhye didn't give him a chance to recover. She kicked him hard in the chest, sending him crashing through a wall into the next room. She walked calmly through the hole she created, giving Sirius a sidelong glance as she passed.

Alaric cracked his knuckles, the sound loud and deliberate. He turned to Yaroslav and handed him a thumb drive. "I want these people all to myself. Take this and find Lintonic for me."

Yaroslav barely gave a nod before vanishing in an instant, his form a blur of speed.

Alaric's grin grew wider, his mouth frothing with anticipation. He aimed his gun at Stevo and Sirius, the gleam in his eyes wild with mania.

Stevo's voice was cold and challenging. "You think you, a simple three-star cop, can take on the both of us?"

Alaric's laughter was manic. "Hell yeah I can. Enneakilion, activate combat mode."

The robot German Shepherd's body shifted and morphed, its mechanical limbs expanding into a towering, humanoid form. Its claws extended to razor-sharp points, and its eyes glowed a fierce, eerie red.

Stevo, never one to back down, grabbed a pile of metal from the ground and threw it at Enneakilion and Alaric. The robot's eyes glowed bright red, and in a flash, it darted forward, slicing through the metal with ease. The pile exploded, but Enneakilion didn't even flinch. It was on Stevo in a heartbeat, kicking him hard in the chest and sending him flying into a wall.

Stevo crashed to the ground, coughing up blood, but not out of the fight yet.

Sirius didn't hesitate. He pulled out his silenced pistol, aiming carefully at Alaric. With deadly precision, he fired. But Alaric, with an almost supernatural reflex, dodged the shots with ease, retreating behind the charred bodies of the fallen SWAT team.

"Joke's on you, Xaldris," Alaric taunted, his eyes glowing with an eerie orange hue. He stared through the pile of corpses as though it were nothing more than clear glass, his X-ray vision revealing Stevo's vulnerable skeleton.

"I can see through walls," Alaric boasted, aiming his gun and firing blindly without even looking.

Sirius's heart skipped a beat as the shot barely missed, the bullet embedding itself in the wall behind him. He dove behind Lekt's bed for cover, cursing under his breath.

"Fucking cheater," Sirius muttered, the words barely escaping his lips.

Stevo struggled to his feet, the pain from his wounds searing through his body. His vision was blurry, but his resolve remained—he wasn't done yet.

Alaric's mocking voice cut through the air. "How stupid do you criminals have to be? You thought it would really be THAT easy to break into the world's most secure building?"

Stevo grunted, wiping the blood from his mouth. "It was... worth a try." He reached out, desperate to grab anything that could help him fight back. But before he could even make a move, Enneakilion lunged at him. Its claws slashed across his face with terrifying speed, the impact sending a spray of blood into the air. Stevo fell to his hands and knees, howling in agony.

Alaric's voice was cold and dismissive. "Boy, come here." Enneakilion obediently walked over to him, its red eyes glowing with menace.

Alaric's grin grew wider, filled with derision. "I want these criminals all to myself, so go off and help Yaroslav find Lintonic!"

Enneakilion's form shifted back into the robot German Shepherd, and with a quick motion, it bolted from the room, its mechanical paws clattering on the floor as it disappeared into the corridor. Alaric stood up from behind the cover and walked slowly toward Stevo, each step deliberate and heavy with disdain.

Alaric's voice dripped with contempt. "You're all worthless, meaningless, a waste of life. I don't understand how humans can be so evil. I thought that with every new generation, humanity would be saved, and people would get smart enough to realize that crime leads to nothing but loss."

Stevo, struggling to lift himself, spat blood onto the floor. His voice came out weak but defiant. "S-Sometimes crime is... the only way to live."

Alaric shook his head, his expression one of disgust. "That's never true. If everyone found a way to be a good person, we wouldn't have people born in unfortunate situations."

Stevo wiped the blood from his face, his fingers trembling. His mind raced for any kind of advantage, anything that could give him a fighting chance. He flicked the blood from his hand at Alaric, and to his surprise, the droplets exploded in a burst of fire.

But Alaric, already anticipating the move, dodged the blast with ease. In one fluid motion, he swung a fist into Stevo's chest, sending him crashing into the wall. Before Stevo could recover, Alaric pistol-whipped him twice in the face, the impact knocking him back down onto the floor with a sickening thud.

Stevo, bloodied and bruised, managed to lift his head, defiant even in the face of death."You think killing criminals makes you a good person?"

Alaric, loomed over him, eyes burning with fury "Makes me hell of a lot better than you."

With a sudden, desperate motion, Stevo flung more blood at Alaric, causing it to explode in another fiery burst. But Alaric was quicker this time, dodging the blast and leaping backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly explosion.

Alaric's eyes narrowed. Where did Xaldris go? His vision sharpened, glowing orange as he focused. Through the floor, he could see Sirius moving below them, heading toward something—toward the cybernetic.

He's after the cybernetic!

A wicked grin spread across Alaric's face as he slowly cocked his gun. The weapon emitted a faint blue glow as he cocked it, the air around it crackling with energy. He picked up his radio, switching it on with a sharp click.

"Reporting: Silent Boom is dead, over."

Stevo's eyes widened. "What—"

Before Stevo could process the words, Alaric fired. A piercing, thin laser shot out from the gun, cutting through the air with deadly precision. It slammed into Stevo's chest, a violent explosion of pain erupting as the beam punched through his body. Blood sprayed from the wound as Stevo crumpled to the floor, the massive hole in his chest still smoldering as the wall behind him was torn apart by the force of the shot.

Stevo gasped for breath, but it was too late. His body went limp, collapsing against the floor in a bloody heap.

Alaric stepped over his body with casual indifference, his eyes scanning the room. He approached the bed, his movements methodical. With one powerful push, he shoved the bed aside, revealing a hidden bunker door beneath it.

A wicked grin spread across his face as he crouched down, ready to unlock whatever secrets lay behind the door.

Brock staggered to his feet as Eunhye advanced with an unsettling calm. Alaric's message about Stevo's death echoed faintly in the room, adding a grim undertone to the fight.

"Stevo, no..." Brock's voice was filled with despair. His arm morphed back into its massive robotic state, trembling with rage and sorrow.

Eunhye's smirk was cold. "Gosh, isn't that embarrassing."

With a roar, Brock lunged at her, his robotic fist crashing down in a relentless barrage. Eunhye dodged each swing with effortless grace, her movements fluid and precise. As Brock continued his assault, she calmly pulled out a baton.

"Is that left arm of yours worn out yet?" she taunted.

"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ME!" Brock slammed his fist down with all his might, the impact shaking the entire room. Dust and debris rained down, but to his shock, Eunhye had blocked the blow with her baton, deflecting it with surprising strength.

"You have such a temper," she remarked, stepping back as her baton extended into a pole. 

Brock glared at her. "What do you cops get out of bringing justice into your own hands?"

Eunhye shrugged. "That's a question for the chief. He gives the orders, I just follow." The tip of her baton crackled with purple electricity as she thrust it forward, releasing a powerful bolt that struck Brock square in the chest. He cried out, the electricity coursing through him as she rushed forward, unleashing a barrage of strikes to his chest and stomach. Each hit sent another jolt of electricity through his body.

With a final uppercut from her baton, Brock was lifted off his feet, electricity surging through his skull. His eyes and mouth emitted a faint glow as he collapsed onto his back, steam rising from his body.

Eunhye twirled her baton. "Just give up, honey. Even if I don't kill you, the chief certainly will."

Brock groaned, struggling to stand. His robotic fist began to glow with stored energy as he charged forward. "You will all pay for what you did to Stevo!" He leaped into the air, his fist glowing brightly, aiming for a devastating final blow.

Eunhye sighed and flicked her wrist, sending small sparks of purple electricity toward his arm. Instantly, the charge in his robotic fist backfired, sending a surge of electricity through his own arm. Brock screamed as he crashed to the ground, his arm violently electrocuted. The metal, bone, and flesh fused into a grotesque, melted mass.

Eunhye shook her head. "What a shame. If your parts weren't so phony, you might still have that arm."

Brock glared at her through the pain. "Damn you—"

Before he could finish, Eunhye grabbed him by the neck, her metallic fingers tightening around his throat. His struggles weakened as his oxygen was cut off, his eyes rolling back.

"But I'll put you out of your misery," she said coldly. "I don't want to keep the chief waiting too long." With a brutal crunch, she snapped his neck, letting his lifeless body drop to the floor.

Meanwhile, Alaric descended into the secret basement of Dr. Lekt's room. The dimly lit space was filled with large tanks of oil, unfinished tech, and weapons scattered around. His eyes were drawn to the back of the room, where a large object was covered with a white sheet—the six-star cybernetic.

Alaric moved silently through the dimly lit room, his footsteps muted against the polished floor. His voice, cool and composed, echoed faintly in the stillness. "I wouldn't have even known about all of this if it weren't for you, Xaldris."

The silence stretched on as he continued, his tone carrying a hint of menace. "Be lucky I'm humoring your little game of hide and seek. Any moment now, I can just find you."

Suddenly, the radio clipped to his belt crackled to life. "Knuckle Luster is dead, over," came Eunhye's voice, dispassionate and efficient.

Alaric's lips curled into a frown. A flicker of irritation crossed his face. "I should have sent her away too. She's taking all the fun." With a resigned sigh, he pressed the button on his radio.

"You're free to leave the building," he instructed. "Join the rest of the police force outside and make sure nobody gets out. I'll take care of Xaldris. Over."

Before he could release the button, a voice rang out behind him. "Like hell you will!"

Alaric spun around just as a shot rang out. Sirius stood in the doorway, gun aimed squarely at him. The bullet shattered the radio in Alaric's hand, sending sparks flying.

"You came out? You lose," Alaric sneered, his orange eyes glowing with a dangerous light. In a flash, he pulled his own gun, firing back with manic glee. Sirius dove behind a table, the bullets whizzing past.

"Dude, you have a problem!" Sirius shouted, emerging from cover to return fire. Alaric rolled behind a wall, evading the shots effortlessly.

"I envy a criminal like you, Xaldris," Alaric called out, his voice laced with mock admiration. "You're the type of criminal who doesn't discriminate." He peeked around the corner, his gun barking as he fired another volley.

Sirius ducked back behind the table. "Being a hitman is a moral job," he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Alaric chuckled darkly. "That's what I like about you. Your previous hit was a drug lord, doing my job for me. But before that, you murdered a retiring businessman on his birthday."

"It was his birthday?" Sirius asked, feigning innocence.

"Seventieth," Alaric replied coldly. "He worked hard for his children, the kindest man in the room. He even maintained a marriage after his wife died in a tragic car crash forty years ago."

Sirius frowned, his curiosity piqued. "How do you know all of this?"

Alaric's voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "You murdered Luis Hochstetter, my father."

Sirius's eyes widened in shock. "Oh shit."

In a blur of motion, Alaric charged from cover, too fast for Sirius to react. He grabbed Sirius by the neck and slammed him into the table, the wood splintering beneath their weight. Sirius groaned, struggling to stand as Alaric landed a brutal punch, sending him crashing into a covered object. The sheet slipped away, revealing the gleaming six-star cybernetic.

That's the six-star cybernetic! Sirius's mind raced.

Alaric's voice was cold and resolute. "It's my legal job to deliver justice to criminals. And it's my duty as a son who misses his father to avenge him."

Sirius, still clutching his gun, managed to raise it, pointing it at Alaric.

"Xaldris, give up!" Alaric's eyes flared once more, his entire body vibrating as he seemed to accelerate. From his perspective, the world slowed to a crawl. Sirius, caught mid-action, was an agonizingly slow-motion tableau.

Alaric raised his gun, unloading the entire magazine into Sirius. Time snapped back to normal, and Sirius's body jerked violently as the bullets tore through him. He slumped against the containment unit, blood pouring from his wounds.

"You're a little too slow on the trigger, Xaldris," Alaric said, his voice tinged with grim satisfaction. "At least I can live knowing that you and my father will never see each other again." He reloaded his gun, his footsteps echoing as he walked away, methodically shooting holes in the oil tanks.

As he climbed the stairs, the oil ignited behind him. The flames roared, consuming the room and everything in it.

Sirius's mind drifted, the agony overwhelming. This is the worst pain ever. I can feel it all... Is this... death?

The fire raged, swallowing him and the six-star cybernetic. The room exploded in a deafening blast, obliterating everything. Outside, Alaric barely escaped, thrown forward by the shockwave as the building erupted into a blazing inferno.

Police cars and helicopters surrounded the scene. Amidst the chaos stood Dr. Lekt, his expression unreadable as the flames painted the night sky with destruction.

Dr. Lekt stood amidst the chaos, his eyes wide with disbelief as the flames consumed what was left of his life's work. His voice trembled with anguish. "My lab!"

Behind him, Yaroslav approached silently, Enneakilion by his side, their presence a steady contrast to the doctor's despair. "We did warn you about this happening, sir," Yaroslav said, his tone calm but firm. "Silent Boom was in the building."

Dr. Lekt's eyes darted to Yaroslav, desperation flickering in his gaze. "The six-star cybernetic!"

Yaroslav nodded solemnly. "Yes, I know. It's unfortunate."

The sound of approaching footsteps drew their attention. Alaric strode over, his expression as composed as ever. "Did you find Lintonic?" he inquired, his tone businesslike.

Yaroslav shook his head. "She managed to override the tracking device. She's on the run."

A faint smirk played at the corners of Alaric's lips. "She's nothing without her little team. She won't survive for long." He turned to Dr. Lekt, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Your establishment will be entirely paid back and rebuilt by the government, sir," Alaric assured him, his voice steady and confident.

Dr. Lekt's shoulders sagged under the weight of his loss. "All my hard work," he murmured, staring into the inferno.

Alaric's tone softened. "It won't be in vain. We all appreciate what you did for the betterment of humanity." He gave Dr. Lekt a thumbs up, his gesture meant to convey reassurance, before turning away.

Yaroslav watched Alaric leave, then sighed, fatigue evident in his voice. "I guess that's it for today. I'm tired. Could go for a nap." With Enneakilion by his side, he walked away, leaving Dr. Lekt to stare at the smoldering remains of his lost building, his thoughts consumed by the ruins of his dream.