Fractured Alliances

The tension in the vault was suffocating. The Quantum Anchor gleamed on its pedestal, but no one dared touch it. The faint hum of energy emanating from the device felt alive, almost sentient. Morgan's biotech arm twitched involuntarily, his instincts screaming that this was a trap.

"Iris," he said, his voice steady but low, "we can't stay here. Valtor knows exactly where we are. We need to move—now."

"I'm aware," Iris replied, her sharp eyes scanning the room. "But this is the Anchor. The job's not done until we secure it."

Renji hesitated, glancing between the device and his crewmates. "I could rig a containment field around it to make transport safer, but it'll take time."

"We don't have time," Leo snapped, pacing near the entrance. "Every second we're here, we're sitting ducks. And I don't trust that thing to not blow up the moment we touch it."

Kane leaned casually against the wall, though his eyes betrayed his nervousness. "It's funny, isn't it? The moment we get what we came for, everything suddenly feels...wrong."

"It's not funny," Iris said sharply. "It's calculated. Valtor's playing with us, trying to fracture the team. Don't let him win."

---

Morgan's Growing Frustration

Morgan stepped forward, his towering presence demanding attention. "Enough talking. This thing is the key to ending my nightmare. If no one else has the guts to take it, I will."

"Morgan, stop!" Iris said, her voice like steel.

He froze, his hand inches from the pedestal. The look in Iris's eyes stopped him more than her words.

"I understand your desperation," she continued, her tone softening slightly. "But if you act recklessly, you'll doom us all. This isn't just about you."

Morgan's jaw tightened, but he stepped back. "Fine. But we need to decide now. Are we taking it or leaving it?"

Before Iris could respond, Renji's stabilizer began to beep wildly. He looked down, his face paling.

"Uh, we have a problem," he said.

"What now?" Kane asked, exasperated.

Renji pointed to the stabilizer's screen. "The Anchor's energy output is spiking. Something's triggering it."

---

An Unexpected Intrusion

As if on cue, the walls of the vault began to shimmer, and a portal opened near the far corner. The air around it rippled like water, and from the swirling void stepped a figure that made everyone freeze.

It was another version of Morgan.

This alternate Morgan was clad in sleek, black armor that gleamed under the vault's lights. His biotech arm was fully integrated into his suit, its design more advanced and menacing than Morgan's own. His eyes glowed faintly with a golden hue, a clear sign of his connection to the Siri Totem.

"Well, well," the alternate Morgan said, his voice smooth and confident. "Looks like I arrived just in time."

The crew immediately drew their weapons, but the alternate Morgan raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Relax," he said, smirking. "If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have bothered stepping through the portal. I'm here to talk."

"I don't negotiate with myself," Morgan growled, his pistol trained on his alternate.

"Maybe you should," the alternate replied. "After all, who knows you better than you?"

---

The Offer

Iris stepped forward, keeping her weapon lowered but ready. "If you're here to talk, start talking. What do you want?"

The alternate Morgan's smirk widened. "Simple. I want the Quantum Anchor. Hand it over, and I'll make sure none of you leave this vault in pieces."

"That's not happening," Iris said firmly.

"Think about it," the alternate continued, ignoring her. "You don't even know how to use it. But I do. I've spent years studying its mechanics, understanding its power. I can wield it in ways you can't even imagine."

Morgan took a step closer, his weapon still trained on his alternate. "You mean you want to use it to wipe me out, don't you?"

The alternate Morgan tilted his head, his glowing eyes narrowing. "Only if you make me. But honestly, why fight? We both know what it's like to be hunted, to watch our families suffer because of this curse. Let me take the Anchor, and I'll make sure they're safe."

Morgan's grip tightened on his pistol. "I don't trust you."

"You don't have to," the alternate said with a shrug. "But deep down, you know I'm right. This is bigger than just one of us."

---

A Battle Erupts

Before anyone could respond, the vault's alarms blared, and the shimmering energy field around the Quantum Anchor intensified.

"He's stalling us!" Leo shouted.

The alternate Morgan's smirk disappeared. "No, that's not me. Something's wrong."

The vault began to shake, and the portal behind the alternate Morgan flickered erratically. Iris glanced at Renji, who was frantically working on his stabilizer.

"Renji, what's happening?" she demanded.

"The Anchor's destabilizing!" Renji yelled. "If we don't contain it, this entire vault could collapse into a quantum singularity!"

The alternate Morgan moved toward the Anchor, but Iris fired a warning shot at his feet.

"Stay where you are," she said coldly.

"Do you really think you can stop me?" the alternate growled.

Morgan stepped between Iris and his alternate, his biotech arm glowing faintly. "You're not getting past me."

For a moment, the two Morgans stared each other down, their identical faces reflecting anger, determination, and a hint of fear.

"Fine," the alternate said, his voice low. "Have it your way."

He lunged, and chaos erupted.

---

Fighting the Mirror

The two Morgans clashed in a brutal hand-to-hand fight, their movements eerily similar. Each strike was met with a counter, each maneuver mirrored with precision.

The rest of the crew scrambled to deal with the vault's destabilization. Renji worked furiously on his stabilizer, while Leo and Kane fought off a new wave of automatons that had appeared from hidden compartments in the walls.

"Iris!" Renji shouted over the noise. "I need more time!"

"You've got thirty seconds!" Iris yelled back, firing at the automatons.

The alternate Morgan managed to pin Morgan against the wall, his advanced biotech arm pressing against Morgan's throat.

"You can't win," the alternate snarled. "You're just a weaker version of me."

Morgan gritted his teeth, his free hand reaching for the knife at his belt. "Maybe. But I've got something you don't."

With a swift motion, he drove the knife into the alternate's side, forcing him to release his grip.

---

A Narrow Escape

Renji's stabilizer emitted a high-pitched whine, and the energy field around the Anchor began to stabilize.

"I've got it!" Renji shouted. "But we need to move—now!"

Iris signaled the crew. "Grab the Anchor and fall back!"

Morgan picked up the Anchor, its weight surprisingly light despite its immense power. The alternate Morgan, clutching his side, glared at him with pure hatred.

"This isn't over," he growled.

"No," Morgan said, his voice calm but firm. "It's not."

With that, the crew retreated, leaving the alternate Morgan behind as the vault began to collapse around him.