No Way Out

As they slipped through the rusted gate, silence greeted them. The shipyard stretched before them, a graveyard of towering vessels, their dark hulls looming like sleeping giants under the dim glow of emergency lights. No workers. No movement. Just an eerie stillness that set every nerve on edge.

Cyrus stopped first, his posture stiffening. Something was wrong. There should've been workers here, refueling ships, loading cargo—anything. Instead, the only sound was the distant hum of idling engines.

Then, the crackle of a speaker cut through the silence.

"Took you long enough."

From the shadows between the ships, figures emerged. Flashing red lights bathed the yard as officers fanned out, weapons at the ready. A lone silhouette stood ahead of them, calm and composed.

Quinn.

"There's no escaping this time, Cyrus. This is the end of the road for you and your buddies." 

"You don't say."

***

The standoff was tense. Quinn stood, an unwavering figure in the distance, flanked by several police officers. The weight of the moment hung heavy in the air as the group tried to make sense of their dwindling options. Then, as the tension reached its peak, a figure stepped forward from behind them, breaking the silence.

It was Razek, grinning like he hadn't just been thrown into the middle of a fight for his life. He wasn't taking things seriously—not yet, at least.

"Aw, come on. You know you don't want to do this," Razek drawled, blowing a kiss in his direction, his hand fluttering dramatically through the air. The police officers stiffened, readying their weapons.

Quinn's eyes narrowed, watching him closely. "You're not going to worm your way out of this. We're done playing games."

"Oh, believe me, sweetheart," Razek said with a wink, "I'm not here to play. I'm here to… well, let's say, deliver."

With a flick of his wrist, something peculiar happened behind him. The air seemed to shimmer for a moment, and a tall, curvaceous figure materialized. A figure of a woman—long flowing hair, striking features, and an almost ethereal presence. She appeared with a soft pop, standing just behind Razek, as if summoned out of thin air.

"Is that—?" Evryn began, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yep," Cyrus cut in with a groan, rubbing the back of his neck. "In other words, his soul reflects his love and obsession with women." He glanced over at Razek, who was still blowing kisses in all directions. "Could've just said that."

The figure behind Razek mimicked his movements with perfect synchronicity, blowing a kiss right back at him. It was like a scene out of some strange battle anime, but the absurdity of it only made it that much more disorienting.

"Alright, here's the deal," Razek said, unfazed by the surreal scene unfolding. "I'm gonna need you all to back up a bit. Things might get… boisterous."

As he spoke, the air around him seemed to pulse with an odd energy, and the woman behind him continued to mirror his every move—blowing kisses, waving, and making exaggerated gestures. There was something both unsettling and ridiculous about it, like a bizarre comedy playing out in real-time.

Without warning, Razek blew another kiss toward Quinn. It was playful, almost silly—but the moment it left his lips, the energy around it rippled. The kiss wasn't just a gesture; it carried an odd, magnetic force with it, drawing attention and throwing off the enemy's focus for a split second.

"Relax, it's not that bad," Razek said, still grinning. "She's just here for the show."

Evryn shot a glance at Cyrus, who looked equally confused. "What kind of fight is this?"

"Trust me," Cyrus muttered. "Just wait. It gets even weirder."

"Alright, enough games!" Quinn raised his weapon toward Razek, preparing to shoot.

The next second, a web shot out and latched onto Quinn's weapon. "What the—?" Before he could react, it was yanked from his grasp.

The officers behind Quinn reacted immediately, drawing their weapons and opening fire. 

Evryn and Cyrus barely managed to escape blaster fire, diving behind a stack of metal crates. Sparks erupted as shots struck the surface, sending bits of scorched debris flying. 

Above them, Helaine wasted no time. She leaped onto the hull of a docked starship, her movements fluid as she jumped with ease. Perched on the edge of a vessel, she scanned the battlefield, her sharp gaze picking out targets. With a flick of her wrist, another web shot out, ensnaring the leg of a nearby officer. She yanked hard, sending them crashing onto the hard floor of the shipyard. 

Meanwhile Razek ducked behind a stack of metal crates, peeking out to assess the situation. "Damn, they're really not holding back, huh." His usual grin remained, but his stance was tense, ready to move. Instead of rushing blindly, he stayed low, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Above Helaine continued her assault, darting across the hulls of various docked ships. The towering spacecraft provided plenty of vantage points, and she used them to her advantage. 

Evryn glanced over, eyes locked onto the fight. "We can't just sit here." 

"No." Cyrus muttered, eyes locked onto the fight. "We wait. Then we move."

Blaster fire whizzed past as officers scrambled to reposition, ducking behind cover while returning fire. Helaine moved swiftly along the hulls of the ships, striking with precision. Meanwhile, Razek watched, waiting for an opening. 

One officer broke from cover, rushing toward him. Perfect

Razek smirked and stepped forward, twisting his body as he swung a punch. His fist connected with the officer's gut- but the real shock came a second later. 

The spectral women behind him mimicked behind him mimicked his movements perfectly, delivering a second punch at the exact same time, but from a slightly different angle. The force of the double impact sent the officer flying backwards, crashing into a stack of crates. 

"Ohhhh that looked like it hurt." 

The officer groaned, struggling to rise, but Razek was already on the move. He pivoted, dodging a strike from another enemy, then delivering a sharp elbow to their ribs. Once again, the mirage followed, slamming her own ethereal elbow into them. The double impact sent them reeling. 

Evryn, still crouched behind cover, narrowed his eyes. "Did… did that thing just mimic his movements?" 

Cyrus exhaled. "Told you it gets weirder."

Razek weaved through the chaos, slipping past blaster fire with ease. His body moved like liquid, each step carrying him seamlessly between attacks. An officer lunged, swinging a baton toward his ribs. He twisted, letting it sail past him before driving a sharp punch into the man's stomach. The mirrored figure behind him mimicked his motion, delivering an strike. The impact was doubled-the officer wheezed, eyes widening in shock before collapsing.

Another attacker rushed in from the side, aiming a blaster. Before Razek could react, his mirrored figure raised her arm, a shimmering aura absorbing the shot with a brief flicker of light. Razek didn't even look-he just smirked, shifting his weight and slamming his elbow into the attacker's jaw. Again, the woman behind him followed up, her mirrored strike landing just after his, as if reinforcing the impact. The officer crumpled, knocked out cold.

More enemies charged. Razek ducked under a swinging baton, his movements fluid as he struck the assailant's ribs with a quick jab. His mirrored figure mimicked him, striking the same target just a moment later with eerie precision. The force of the dual impact sent the officer sprawling.

Another officer raised his blaster--this time from Razek's blind spot. The mirrored figure reacted instantly, stepping in and absorbing the shot with her protective aura. Razek spun toward the shooter, his grin never fading. With a swift uppercut, he sent the officer flying backward. His mirrored figure mirrored him, adding another punch right after, knocking the officer even further off balance.

*** 

The fight raged on, but then—a sudden shift.

A sharp, rhythmic clank echoed through the massive hangar bay, cutting through the chaos. The unmistakable sound of armored boots against the reinforced flooring.

Reinforcements.

From the far end of the bay, beyond the towering starships and cargo haulers, another squad of officers poured in. Not like before. These weren't just standard patrolmen—these were enforcers. Tactical gear. Coordinated movements. Not rushing, but closing in methodically.

Razek whistled. "Oh, look. They brought the big boys."

Then, another sound—softer, but sharper. Deliberate footsteps. Unhurried. Unshaken.

Quinn.

He emerged from the shadows cast by the massive launch scaffolding, walking with the calm of a man who already won. The emergency lights flickered across his face, sharp features unreadable. No armor. No flashy weapons. Just a sidearm at his hip and the unwavering presence of someone who never needed more.

"Enough." His voice carried through the vast space, steady and absolute.

Helaine froze mid-movement, her instincts flaring. Something about him was wrong. He wasn't posturing. He wasn't stalling.

He was waiting. Calculating.

Quinn's hand hovered over his holster. A quiet moment stretched—then, in one swift motion, his blaster was up.

Crack.

A single shot.

The air whipped past Razek's cheek, precise and fast enough that, for the first time, his grin flickered. Just for a second.

Cyrus barely had time to react before Quinn shifted his aim—right at Evryn.

No hesitation. No wasted movement.

Just another pull of the trigger.