Unshackled Power

Location: Tavara – Raven Safehouse Echo, Main Corridor

The humming silence that followed Subject Theta's declaration didn't last long.

Just beyond the corridor, heavy boots thundered against metal grates. The next wave of mercenaries was already breaching the perimeter—better armed, faster, more ruthless than the last.

Damien checked the mag on his rifle and glanced at Shade, who had blood trailing down his temple but eyes sharp as ever. "You up for round two?"

Shade cracked his neck. "Was born in it."

Behind them, Nora guided Subject Theta to the center of the corridor. Every sensor on her was beginning to spike. Her skin glowed softly again, but this time, the energy wasn't unstable. It was focused. Balanced.

Ashford barked over the comms, "Reinforcements are eight minutes out. You need to hold the line until then."

"We hold," Damien said, leveling his rifle.

The lights above flickered, and then the corridor doors burst open—enemy troopers stormed in formation, two rows deep, each armored in adaptive gear, faces hidden behind tactical visors.

"Targets locked," one barked, aiming directly at the girl.

Subject Theta didn't flinch.

Instead, she stepped forward and raised both hands, palms open.

A sound like collapsing thunder erupted.

A blastwave expanded outward, folding the incoming enemies like sheets of paper. The ones not thrown into the walls were pinned to the floor as if gravity had doubled. Some screamed. Others gasped. And a few simply lay unconscious, crushed by their own armor.

Nora's eyes widened. "That wasn't just kinetic. She tapped into gravimetric modulation."

Damien muttered, "We're standing next to a living weapon of mass precision."

Subject Theta turned to face them, her voice calm and steady. "I was engineered to destroy. But I've chosen to protect."

Shade leaned on his baton. "You sure you're not a goddess in hiding?"

Suddenly, a sharp beeping came from Damien's earpiece.

"Command channel's been hacked," Ashford warned. "They're using quantum keys—we have a data leak incoming."

"From where?"

"From inside the safehouse."

The team froze.

Nora drew her sidearm slowly. "There's a mole in Raven."

Shade swore under his breath. "We've been compromised from the inside."

Before anyone could speak further, the doors at the far end of the corridor hissed open—and from the mist emerged a woman.

Tall, composed, dressed in a jet-black suit with violet lining and sharp silver eyes.

Nora's breath caught. "No. Not her…"

"Who?" Damien asked.

"My aunt," Nora whispered. "Mireille."

Mireille de Silva stepped forward, clapping once, slow and precise.

"Well done, niece. You've managed to survive. And corrupt the prototype in the process. I warned your father you'd be a disappointment."

Damien's voice dropped like ice. "So this is who Harold was working for."

Mireille smiled. "Family. Always the hardest to betray. And yet, somehow… the most satisfying."

Subject Theta stepped forward, her energy spiking again.

Mireille tilted her head. "Let's not be hasty, darling. I didn't come here to kill you. I came to claim you. As I always have."

"You don't own me," Theta said coldly.

Mireille grinned. "Oh, my dear… you were never just a project. You were a legacy."