Valley High School Gymnasium
The gym was eerily quiet, save for the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional thud of a fist striking flesh. Mike was relentless now, driven by the need to end this—to end it all. He could feel the sharp sting in his ribs from Kade's earlier hit, but the pain was nothing compared to the surge of anger that coursed through him. It was the kind of fury that came from years of suppressed grief, of unanswered questions.
Kade was still reeling from Mike's last blow, his jaw bruised, his breathing unsteady. But there was no fear in his eyes—only the cold, calculating focus of a predator.
"Not bad for a broken man," Kade sneered, wiping blood from his lip. "But you're still not good enough."
Mike's fist clenched at his side. The anger—the rage—was consuming him, but this was the moment. This was where everything changed.
He didn't respond to Kade's words. He didn't need to.
Mike stepped forward, his every movement focused. His body may have been battered, but his will was stronger than ever. He knew Kade's weaknesses now—the way he moved, the way he hesitated. Every strike was a calculated risk. Every punch, every kick, every shift of his body was designed to wear Kade down, to find that crack in the armor.
Kade lunged, faster than before, aiming for Mike's ribs. But Mike had anticipated it. He sidestepped just in time, grabbing Kade's wrist and twisting it behind him, forcing him into an arm lock.
"You're out of your league," Mike growled, his voice a low, controlled whisper.
Kade grunted in pain, but he quickly regained his composure, his body shifting with unnatural fluidity. He spun out of the lock and kicked Mike's legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor.
But Mike didn't stay down.
Germany – FANG V2 Compound
Dr. Kessler stood in front of the screens, her eyes narrowing as she watched Kade and Mike's fight unfold in real-time. Her lips curled in a twisted smile as she observed Kade's every move. She had designed him to be unstoppable, a weapon with no remorse, no hesitation.
Yet, something was happening. Kade was slowing down. The fight wasn't as clean as she had anticipated. The program had worked—mostly—but there was still something inside of him. Some part of Kade that resisted, that didn't want to kill.
Her fingers tapped restlessly on the glass table in front of her, a quiet rage simmering beneath her calm exterior. What is this weakness? she thought, her mind racing.
"His progress is… unexpected," one of the technicians murmured, glancing at the data on his screen.
Kessler's gaze didn't falter. "He'll finish it. He has no choice."
But even she couldn't ignore the flicker of doubt in her voice. Kade was more than just a weapon. He was something she had created from the ashes of the man he once was—and somewhere in that dark, broken past, the remnants of humanity still lingered.
Encino – Mike's Apartment
Johnny's heart raced as he drove through the streets of Encino, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. He had received Mike's message earlier, and he knew this was no ordinary fight. It was something much bigger, something more dangerous.
The closer he got to the high school, the heavier the weight on his chest became. Don't let anything happen to him, he thought, his thoughts flickering to his old friend. They had their differences, sure, but Mike had become someone Johnny couldn't afford to lose.
As he pulled into the parking lot of Valley High School, he spotted the flickering lights from the gymnasium. He could hear the faint echoes of combat from within. Johnny didn't hesitate.
He sprinted to the doors, bursting into the gym just as Mike delivered another brutal punch to Kade's side.
Johnny's eyes immediately locked onto the scene in front of him. Mike was still standing, but barely. Kade was relentless, his movements sharper than ever, a dangerous precision in every strike.
"You're not done yet, Mike!" Johnny shouted, his voice cutting through the air. "You've got this!"
Mike's eyes flickered toward Johnny for just a moment—enough to give him the strength he needed to push forward. He took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his brow, and squared off with Kade once more.
Kade, his expression unreadable, looked from Mike to Johnny, recognizing the sudden change in the air. He could feel the tide shifting. But he wasn't done yet.
Without warning, Kade launched himself at Mike again, but this time, Mike was ready.
Mike sidestepped, using Kade's momentum against him. He twisted Kade's arm behind his back, forcing him down to the ground.
"You're mine now," Mike growled.
Valley High School – Gymnasium
The fight had reached its climax. Both men were battered, bloodied, and gasping for breath. Mike's vision swam, his body screaming for rest, but he couldn't stop. Not now. Not when he could finally see the end of this nightmare.
Kade struggled beneath him, but Mike's grip was like iron. With a final, desperate push, Mike flipped Kade onto his back and pinned him to the floor. His hand shot forward, landing a final, crushing blow to Kade's chest, the sound of impact echoing in the gym.
Kade gasped, the wind knocked out of him, his body completely immobilized. His cold, calculating gaze softened just for a moment.
Mike stared down at him, his chest heaving with exhaustion. "It's over."
Kade's lips parted, but the words didn't come. He was no longer the predator. He was no longer the weapon. For the first time, there was a flicker of humanity in his eyes, as if something deep within him had broken.
And then, just as quickly, Kade's expression hardened. The moment was fleeting. He was still a soldier, still a weapon, and the mission was still his.
Mike's breath caught as Kade spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "You… you're not the man you think you are."
Mike's hands tightened around Kade's collar. "I'm exactly who I need to be," he said, his voice hoarse but filled with undeniable resolve.