White House – Oval Office
"Sir, they're in position," reported the suited officer in a firm tone.
The President of the United States, with a serious and worried expression, nodded slowly.
"Let them begin."
"Yes, sir," replied the officer, pressing his earpiece decisively.
Somewhere in Russia – Stormy Night
A stealth helicopter cut through the sky at high speed, wrapped in darkness and the fury of a lightning storm. Its movements were invisible, revealed only by the occasional lightning strike that lit it up briefly.
In the cockpit, the pilot operated the controls with precision.
"We're close," he announced confidently.
In the back, five soldiers equipped with advanced tactical gear prepared for the mission. They adjusted backpacks, secured helmets, checked ammunition. They were ready.
"In sixty seconds, we'll be right above the target," warned the pilot.
59… 58… 57…
The seconds fell slowly, like the rain itself, which seemed to stop in time.
One of the soldiers, the leader, turned to the others:
"Guys, this is just like any other job. We get in, grab what we came for, and get out without being seen."
The group replied in unison with a battle cry:
"AUUU!"
"We're over the target. Good luck," said the pilot.
The hatch opened abruptly, and a gust of wind and rain slammed into the soldiers' visors. One by one, they jumped into total darkness.
They fell with pinpoint precision, stabilized by their parachutes, until they finally touched ground.
Theralux Complex – Perimeter Access
As the last soldier landed, the leader stood up.
"All right. Activate night vision. We're going in here," he said, pulling out a spray can.
He shook the can and sprayed a corrosive liquid onto the metal fence. A faint sizzle accompanied the way the material melted, leaving a hole just big enough for the team to pass through.
A short distance away, two guards in black uniforms were watching over a control tower. The Theralux logo was visible on their shoulders.
"Damn crappy day," one complained.
"My bones are soaked," growled the other.
The American soldiers approached with knives in hand. Two swift moves. Two silent cuts.
Zaaassss.
The blades sank into their necks. A hand silenced their mouths. Their bodies were dragged into the shadows.
"Good. Follow me," ordered the leader.
The group moved with skill, avoiding lit areas until they reached a set of metal double doors. On them, a name:
THERALUX
"This must be it," the leader whispered, signaling one of his men.
The soldier knelt, pulled a cable from his forearm, and connected it to the terminal. His fingers danced over the screen on his wrist. A couple of seconds later, the door opened with a soft click.
A guard on the other side barely had time to react.
Zaaasss.
Ahhhg!
A flying knife struck him straight in the neck. Another body down. Another shadow on the ground.
"You, cover this exit," the leader ordered.
The soldier nodded silently. The rest of the team advanced through cold, white, brightly lit corridors. They knew exactly where they were going.
One of the soldiers, upon receiving a signal from the leader, stopped when he saw a scientist approaching. Without hesitation, he crouched and waited. When the scientist was close enough…
Crack.
A quick twist of the wrist snapped his neck with a dry sound. The soldier dragged the body into a nearby room, took his access card, and returned to the group.
He tossed the card in the air. The leader caught it effortlessly and headed toward a reinforced door covered in warning signs:
"Restricted Access — Maximum Security Level — THERALUX"
He swiped the card through the reader. A green light blinked. The door opened slowly.
The team entered with caution. The room was strangely empty—no furniture, no visible machinery, just a spotless white covering the walls, floor, and ceiling.
They moved forward with distrust.
Rrrrrrrrr…
A mechanical hum came from the floor. A hatch opened, releasing a dense cloud of white vapor. The leader stepped back. From inside, a metallic structure began to rise.
A kind of storage capsule with robotic arms. Inside, a series of test tubes perfectly aligned. Some were empty. Others contained a strange, glowing violet liquid.
The leader gave a signal. One of the men opened a silver briefcase with padded interior. He moved with extreme care, as if afraid the contents might explode with the slightest bump.
He took one of the vials. Stored it delicately. Closed the case with surgical precision.
"We got it," the leader announced.
Oval Office – Live Feed
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Applause filled the room. High-ranking officials and the U.S. president were watching the entire operation live from the White House.
"Well done," murmured the president, barely forming a smile.
"Now get them out," ordered the officer.
Back in the Theralux Complex
"Copy that, sir," replied the leader firmly. He turned to the team. "Move out. Let's go."
But something had changed.
Plof. Plof. Plof. Plof.
Rushing footsteps echoed through the halls. Within seconds, a dozen armed and well-organized Theralux soldiers stormed the room and pointed their rifles.
"Freeze! Drop your weapons and get on the ground!" one shouted authoritatively.
The leader raised a hand and made a silent signal.
As if planned, the soldier covering the exit hurled a flashbang inside.
BAAAAAANG.
A blinding flash lit the room like an artificial sun. The Theralux soldiers were stunned.
"FIRE!" the leader shouted.
BANG BANG BANG.
Gunfire erupted. Theralux soldiers dropped one after another. Blood stained the white walls, now bathed in chaos.
But not all the Americans made it out unscathed.
One of them, riddled with bullets, fell lifeless to the floor.
"Shit!" cursed the leader, knowing there was nothing he could do.
Without wasting a second, the remaining four ran through hallways filled with sirens, red lights, and the echo of running boots.
It was like a stirred hornet's nest. Theralux soldiers emerged from every direction.
During the retreat, another member of the team was hit. He collapsed, and before he could get up…
BANG.
Executed.
"Shit! We need to get out NOW!" yelled the leader. "Tell the chopper to get to the extraction point!"
Like an arrow cutting through the storm, the helicopter raced toward the designated point, dodging lightning with aggressive maneuvers.
The three remaining soldiers reached the outside, immediately struck by wind and rain. But they weren't alone. Behind them, the entire Theralux facility was on full alert.
They ran while firing at anything in their way. They finally crossed the fence.
There it was. The helicopter was descending.
"GO! We have to get out NOW!" screamed the leader in desperation.
They were just a few steps away when suddenly…
FIUUUUUUUMMMMM.
A whistle sliced the air. Barely visible. Barely audible.
The pilot's eyes widened in horror.
"Oh, shit…"
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!
The explosion was brutal. The helicopter became a fireball, hurling metal fragments into the air. The shockwave threw two soldiers into the mud as the leader instinctively shielded his face.
Their only way out… destroyed.
Amid the chaos, a spotlight lit up above them, illuminating them completely. Theralux corporate vehicles surrounded them like a pack of wolves.
They were trapped.
From one of the vehicles, a man stepped out.
His face couldn't be seen.
Only his long white lab coat, his black corporate shoes, and the sound he made stepping into a puddle:
Plafff.
He stopped in front of them. And began to clap, slowly.
Clap… Clap… Clap…
"Well, well, well… What do we have here?" he said with a cold, calculating voice. "So, you came to steal from me, huh?"
The American soldiers said nothing. Only the rain and the crackling of helicopter debris filled the air.
"Nothing to say? I understand… it doesn't matter."
Immediately, the Theralux soldiers moved in. They struck the Americans with their rifle butts, knocking them into the mud.
"Take them. I want to show them something," ordered the man in the lab coat.
The soldiers obeyed without question. They placed black bags over their heads and began dragging them through the corridors.
Darkness. Footsteps. Silence.
From the leader's perspective—only shadows and distant sounds.
Finally…
"We're here. Remove the bags. Let them see."
White light blinded them for a moment. Slowly, their eyes adjusted.
They were in a different room.
Operating tables. Surgical instruments. Monitors. Screens. But that wasn't what caught their attention the most.
Cages.
Massive cages, reinforced with bars as thick as human torsos.
"I'm going to show you something you'll love," said the man with a smile that couldn't be seen but could definitely be felt.
He approached one of the cages and tapped the bars lightly.
Clang. Clang.
Something moved inside. Glowing violet marks, like veins, flickered in the darkness. A deep growl emerged.
The American soldiers instinctively backed away.
"Throw them in," ordered the man, void of any humanity.
One by one, they were thrown into the cage. The door closed behind them with a metallic click.
The scientist—because that's what he seemed to be—pulled out a notebook. He observed. Took notes.
And as he did…
Grrrrr…
Ahhh! Nooo! Aaaahhhh!
Zaaaasss.
Screams. Inhuman sounds. Blows. Flesh tearing. Something splashed.
A stream of blood slid across the floor, staining the hem of his white coat.
The man murmured, turning with absolute coldness:
"Mmm… interesting."
White House – Absolute Silence
No one said a word. In the Oval Office, the screen showed only static.
The officer silently turned off the monitor.
The president remained motionless. The weight of the decision had caught up with him.
"Sir… what do we do now?" the officer finally asked.
The president took a deep breath. His gaze remained fixed on the dark screen.
"Prepare for the worst…"
Every face in the room tensed.
"..."