Rachael and Stefan flinched simultaneously as the sudden crack of gunfire echoed from the rooftop. Though they were too far away to see the chaos unfolding their instincts told them something was terribly wrong.
Rachael saw the retreating Anthropters, their swift departure sparking her concern. "Something's happening," she whispered, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Mike or Christina.
Then, her gaze caught sight of Christina's body plummeting toward the ground, only to be rescued by Djuma. Fear gripped her, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
"Oh my God, Mike!" Stefan shouted in terror, widening his eyes as he took a step forward as if to rush toward the rooftop.
"Stop! Leave my brother alone!" Rachael screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw what she assumed to be her brother's limp form.
She swiftly strode toward Djuma and Christina's direction, wanting to know what had transpired on the rooftop and how Djuma lost Mike to the enemies.
Djuma gently placed Christina on the ground, relief on his face as he confirmed her safety.
"He shot him! He fucking killed him!" Christina wailed, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed on the ground. "What do I do now?"
"Pull yourself together, Christy," Djuma said. "You would need more than a gun to kill a Jyuran."
"He passed out because of the shock. Obviously, he has never been shot before; it could take a while for him to adapt to his new identity."
Christina gave him a sidelong stare, unsure if he was telling the truth. "Are you feeding me empty lies to ease my pain?" she said.
"I'm telling you the truth, Christy. The Jyuran's abilities far surpass your understanding. His healing capabilities are unmatched; you don't need to worry about his safety," Djuma assured.
He sighed and continued. "We should be thinking about how to stop the father and son's reunion."
"Are you certain he'll heal?"
"I'm positive. Not even his son, Dahra, possesses the power to harm him. So rest assured, he's safe, wherever he is."
A hint of relief softened Christina's face, she let out a shallow sigh. "Ughh! That's really good to hear, I thought something terrible had happened to him."
"If Dahra can't harm Mike, why are we stopping them from meeting?" Rachael's curious voice came from behind.
"It's not about physical harm, Rachael," Djuma clarified. "Dahra's influence could corrupt the Jyuran's purpose, undermining his protector role. We can't risk that happening."
"Mike's strong, do you think he would succumb to that monster's influence?" Stefan scoffed.
"We can't be certain. The bond between the Jyuran and his son is complex. And as I mentioned earlier, the Jyuran's mind holds locked memories, and within those memories, Jran's soul lingers," Djuma explained.
"Forcefully unlocking those memories risks Jran's soul gaining full control over his body, as you've witnessed earlier."
"Your brother previously suppressed Jran," he said to Rachael, "but meeting Dahra will catastrophically unlock the memories and unleash Jran's vengeful soul. That's why we must keep them apart until we extract Jran's soul from the memories."
"I promise to do everything in my power to prevent your brother and friend from becoming a monster."
Rachael wiped away her tears and composed herself. "What were those gunshots we heard earlier?" she asked. "Was it the NASA agents attacking the colony?"
Christina's gaze dropped. She couldn't bring herself to reveal the painful truth: her father was attacking Mike, instead of the aliens.
The weight of her secret hung heavy, a guilty burden she couldn't shake.
Djuma shook his head, staring at Christina. "They're attacking..." His voice faltered, trailing off as he read the mix of fear and guilt on her face.
"Attacking... who?" Stefan pressed.
Rachael's eyes contorted in anger as the realization dawned like a stormy sky. "
Don't tell me those people were attacking my brother instead of the Anthropters, or..." she whispered.
"Yes, that's right," Christina replied, summoning courage. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "NASA, led by my father, tried to kill your brother to protect me."
Stefan's eyes bulged in shock. "Your father is in NASA?!" he exclaimed.
"Yes. I'm sorry; I should've told you sooner," Christina replied, her face dropping again as shame colored her cheeks.
"I'm not angry about that, but..." Rachael's words trailed again, lost in thought.
"Is there something I'm unaware of?" Christina inquired, her tone now serious.
"Nothing, you don't have to worry," Stefan attempted to deflect, his smile forced.
"Come on, guys, it's written all over your faces. Something's bothering you. Tell me, what's wrong?" Christina insisted.
"It's really nothing I say. Never mind."
But Christina continued to insist, the intensity in her eyes never wavering. "Are you really not going to tell me?"
Finally, Rachael sighed and turned to face her. "When Mike first discovered his powers," she narrated. "He was rushed to the hospital, unable to see due to the intense energy coursing through his veins. Your father tried to hold him hostage to exploit him as a lab rat."
Just then, Dr. Idris' familiar voice came.
"Thank God! There you are, Christina!"
Everyone turned to see him and his men approaching, their guns trained on Djuma.
"What do you think you're doing, Dad?" Christina shouted. "How could you shoot my friend?"
"Mike's powers made him a monster, a threat to humanity," Dr. Idris replied flatly." If I hadn't taken action, he would've put us all in danger and—"
"That's not true!" Rachael fiercely countered. "He's not a monster! He's my brother, and no matter what you shouldn't have betrayed him."
"He was your brother, but his transformation has changed him. I made the difficult decision to protect us all, and I'll take full responsibility."
"You're willing to harm innocent people to achieve your goals. You're the real monster, Dad!"
"I won't let you get away with this. You'll face consequences for what you've done."
Composing herself, Christina turned to Djuma, her eyes pleading. "Please save Mike, no matter what it takes."
The Anthropter nodded vigorously.
"I'll utilize every resource at my disposal to guarantee his safety," he vowed, and with a swift motion, he levitated into the air, preparing to depart.
"Goodbye, guys."
However, Dr. Idris's voice halted his escape.
"Not yet, 'Mr. Bat.' We still require your presence here."
Before Djuma could react, a massive net plummeted from above, ensnaring him.
"Why are you doing this?" Rachael's anger erupted anew. "What do you need him for?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Stefan said. "Why else would he need him if not for his ridiculous experiments!"
"Release him immediately!" Rachael shouted, a bit of pleading in her voice. "He's the only one that can save my brother from those monsters, let him go!"
Djuma struggled to break free, his fingers clawing at the net's mesh. But before he could make progress, two darts pierced his back, rendering him immobile for some seconds.
"Let him go, dad! Please!" Christina shouted, glowering contemptuously at him, but Dr. Idris ignored her.
"Don't worry, daughter, I'll pay for my crime," he said. Whether he's joking or serious, he shows no emotion to prove it.
The trio rushed toward Djuma, desperate to free him. However, the NPS force swiftly intercepted, forming a barrier between them.
"Take them home," Dr. Idris instructed and folded his arms, his eyes locked on Djuma, who had regained his strength.
Stefan was seized first and dragged toward the building's garage, struggling against his captors, followed by Rachael and Christina.
"Let go of me, you son of a bitch!" Christina cursed through gritted teeth, wrestling against the men's grip.
The trio was forcefully bundled into a black Coupe, which sped away into the night.