"Whirrr, Whirrr." Mike stared at the bodies before him, the muffled screams echoing around him like a ringing bell, yet his gaze remained fixated on the holes in their heads. Suddenly, similar memories began to flood his mind. He was still lost in this state when he felt a thick, heavy hand grab him.
"Mike! Snap out of it. They're gone. We need to move; the others can't hold them off much longer." Henry's deep voice pulled Micheal from his thoughts. He quickly shook his head, attempting to refocus on reality. Turning to see Bai and Hei unleashing a barrage of bullets on the Scrapers, and Racheal igniting an inferno of flames against them, Micheal suddenly felt something snap inside him.
"Go, I've got this," Michael said to Henry before turning back and rushing over to where the others stood.
"You guys leave, I'll hold them off," Micheal said to his teammates, who paused, staring at the lightning pulsing around his whole body. They could feel the intensity and power emanating from Micheal, and without wasting time to argue, they pulled back and rushed to the ladder where Henry was already climbing to the top.
"You took my friends from me, and I will ensure that you join them soon." Micheal exclaimed with fury, his hair crackling with lightning, overwhelmed by a rage that resonated through every cell in his body. He observed the Scrapers as they drew nearer, maintaining his composure and patiently awaiting their approach.
"Is he going to be okay?" Racheal inquired with concern as she reached the top of the ladder that ascended to the surface, while Henry was already scanning for potential dangers, and Bai and Hei followed closely behind her.
"He will be okay. I must admit, I've never witnessed anyone attempt to control so much anger quite like Mike just did," Bai replied, casting a quick look at Micheal, who appeared to be gathering his power. Without further delay, the team proceeded, leaving Micheal behind.
"That's close enough; it's time to send you back to hell, you annoying pests!" Micheal initially attempted to maintain his composure, but as he continued to speak, his anger surged, compelling him to unleash his emotions. He thrust his hands forward, and in an instant, a massive wave of lightning erupted, surging toward the Scrapers like a torrent. It engulfed them, reducing them to ashes in a heartbeat, yet it did not cease; it relentlessly advanced, obliterating any Scraper that came into contact with it.
*********************************************
"I hope Mike doesn't do anything foolish," Henry remarked after the others had climbed out. He had only just finished speaking when he and the others felt a huge explosion rock the ground like an earthquake; it lasted for a few seconds before stopping.
"What on earth was that?" Racheal exclaimed in disbelief after the tremor had calmed down.
"I think it came from below," Bai said, turning to his brother, whose eyes widened in shock.
"Micheal!" At the same moment, a hand emerged from the manhole they had just exited, and within seconds, the weary figure of Michael surfaced. His friends quickly rushed over to assist him upon noticing his condition.
"Mike, are you alright? What transpired down there?" Henry inquired with curiosity after Micheal had surfaced completely.
"I don't actually know. Seeing Anna and Greg's deaths made something in me snap. I felt a sudden, huge wave of power appear within me, so I let it out, and that happened. It felt so strange," Michael replied, a confused look on his face, suggesting that he too had not fully grasped what had just occurred a few moments ago.
"Wait, so you're telling us that the rumbling wasn't due to grenades or C4, but it was actually you?" Bai asked in shock, his mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of Michael's words. An explosion had rocked nearly half a city block, and the thought that it originated from the person standing before him was unfathomable. He understood that it would take at least 60 explosives to create a tremor of such size and force.
"I'm not entirely certain what transpired, but...Anna and Greg are gone." Michael paused, his gaze drifting to the manhole, a wave of sorrow washing over him as he recalled the sudden loss of two friends in mere moments.
"It's alright, this isn't on you, nor is it on us. We simply need to bring this to a close, for Yoshi, for Anna, and for Greg." Racheal sighed and spoke, her voice heavy with sadness. They had come so far, and the thought of losing three of their friends made one wonder who might be next.
"You're right, let's keep moving. I must have dropped the bag containing the canisters down there. Damn, well, that's it. Let's double up; we're finally at the boss's dungeon. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open; we wouldn't want anyone to end up with a hole in their head," Michael said, his eyes observing the structure projected from his watch. This was a hologram of the research base. He glanced up at the huge building before him and nodded. They had finally arrived at their destination, and he knew that things were about to get even more crazy.
"So, this is the research base; it truly lives up to its name." Hei gazed at the once-prominent research facility, which now resembled a scene from a horror movie. The New Horizon Research Facility loomed as a battered monument, its concrete walls fissured and aged, with broken windows resembling vacant eyes. The main entrance was askew, ravaged by mysterious forces. The parking lot was strewn with abandoned vehicles, encircled by barbed wire that struggled to contain the lifeless decaying bodies inside. A subtle odor of decay and demise lingered in the atmosphere, reflecting the terrors inside.
"Seems enticing," Bai muttered with a hint of sarcasm, his eyes locked onto the horrific sight before him.
"Looks like the perfect place for an apocalyptic final boss; he likely has the entire area rigged with booby traps," Henry exhaled, his gaze shifting to a contemplative Micheal, who seemed lost in his thoughts.
"Do you guys notice anything abnormal, Mike?" Henry asked with curiosity, fully aware that whenever Michael wore such an expression, it signified that he had uncovered something.
"Take a look around; what do you see?" Micheal inquired with a sense of calmness.
"Death and destruction," Bai replied.
"A scene from a horror movie," Hei also added.
"A research base that looks dangerous," Henry replied with a shrug.
"No sign of Creepers, Reapers or Scrapers," Racheal suddenly exclaimed, prompting a smile from Micheal.
"You're all correct, but Racheal's point stands out as the most crucial. I've been reflecting on this, and it struck me that, for some inexplicable reason, the mastermind behind everything always appeared to know our exact locations at any given moment. Interestingly, during most of our attacks, there were no cameras present, so how could this be possible..." Micheal pondered, pausing thoughtfully as his brows knitted together.
"You're right, there are no enemies present. Whoever is orchestrating this situation knows we're here, this is their way of greeting us." Racheal frowned, her eyes scanning the suspicious-looking building. There was no doubt that their enemy was somewhere within its walls.
"Now I see why protagonists in horror films act the way they do. We realize there's a strong possibility we won't survive, yet we still proceed. I would have once deemed a main character reckless for this, but experiencing a similar scenario, I completely understand. Hahaha, so what's our plan, Mike? Is there a diabolical scheme in place?" Bai asked with a chuckle; he had moved beyond fear at this point. His heart could no longer bear any more trepidation; all that remained was anger and vengeance.
"Haha, diabolical? What could be more diabolical than going through the front door?" Micheal asked with a smirk, prompting his team to grin in response; they were enthusiastic about this plan.
"Reload, secure your gear, and say your last prayers, everyone. We're heading into enemy territory, and the odds may not be in our favor. If you feel it's too perilous or prefer to support us from a safe distance, that's perfectly fine. I've already lost too many friends, and I would much rather not risk losing more." Micheal advanced and reloaded his empty clip, then turned to confront his squad, who gazed back at him.
"CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK" The sharp sound of guns being cocked echoed, marking the team's collective agreement.
"Given all that's transpired, no chance. What do you guys say we go in guns blazing through the front door? If it's the last dance then I would love to go out with a bang." Hei chuckled and remarked, glancing at his friends who nodded in concurrence.
"Very well, guns blazing through the front door it is, let's go," Michael said with a smile before turning around to head to the entrance of the research base with his friends. As they reached the entrance, they paused and looked up at a camera that watched them with a dim red light, indicating that it was active.
"Bai, would you do the honors?" Michael smiled and turned to Bai, gesturing toward the camera.
"My pleasure, say hello to my little friend," Bai replied with a menacing smile. Taking aim at the camera with his gun, he whispered and then squeezed the trigger, "Bang."
BANG!