Encino – Safehouse
The tension in the air was palpable as Mike paced back and forth in the dimly lit room. The safehouse had become a temporary refuge, but even here, there was no peace. His mind was spinning with every piece of intel they'd gathered—or rather, the lack of it.
Tory sat on the couch, nursing the bruises on her body, but her eyes were sharp. Johnny was standing by the window, scanning the street outside.
"We need more answers," Mike muttered, stopping his pacing for a moment to look at Johnny. "Dr. Kessler isn't going to wait for us to catch up. She's ahead of the game, and we're still guessing."
Johnny grunted, his eyes narrowing. "I don't like this, Mike. We don't have the luxury of time. And it doesn't help that our heads are in the sand. We need to dig into this FANG V2 mess deeper."
Tory's gaze flickered between the two men. She wasn't used to being in the dark, but this was a different kind of battle—one that went beyond fists and bloodshed.
"If we're going to take her down," she said, her voice steady, "we need to go straight to the source. Dr. Kessler's not the only one pulling strings. She's just the face of it all."
Mike's eyes flickered toward her, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
Tory stood up, moving toward the table. "FANG V2, Kessler's experimentations—they're not just about control or weaponization. It's about legacy. She's not building something new. She's using what's been left behind."
Johnny frowned. "You mean like...?"
"Like us," Tory interrupted. "Like the soldiers, the mercenaries who've been forgotten. Or worse, discarded."
Mike's brow furrowed. Legacy. The word hung in the air, carrying the weight of something far more dangerous than he'd initially realized.
Germany – FANG V2 Compound
Dr. Kessler stood before a massive, secure door—an unmarked section of the compound that few had access to. The door slid open with a low hum, revealing a sterile, high-tech laboratory filled with pods. Each pod contained a human figure, suspended in a fluid-like substance, tubes and wires connected to their bodies.
She stepped forward, her heels clicking against the cold floor. As she approached one pod, the figure inside shifted slightly. Her cold, calculating eyes stared down at the individual suspended in the tank. The silhouette of a man. The figure's chest rose and fell with slow, steady breaths.
"Unit 17," she whispered, her voice almost reverent. "The final piece."
Her fingers traced the pod's surface as she examined the subject. A man, young, his face unmarred by age or stress. But inside, Kessler knew, the potential for destruction was already hardwired.
Kessler turned to one of her technicians standing nearby. "Prepare the final phase. He'll be activated soon. And this time... no one is safe."
Encino – Safehouse
The conversation shifted as the sun dipped below the horizon. Mike sat with his hands folded, taking in everything Tory had said. She was right, they needed to understand the bigger picture.
"There's a man in my past," Mike said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. "A man I fought alongside... someone who disappeared. I've been wondering if he's tied to this whole mess. Someone from my unit during the war. A name came up in the records I've seen, but it's been erased. Like they're trying to bury him."
Johnny raised an eyebrow. "A ghost?"
Mike nodded. "Something like that. He was never quite right in the head. He was brutal, but he got things done. He called himself 'The Shadow.' I thought he'd gone rogue after we parted ways. But now..."
"Now he's part of their plan," Tory finished, her eyes narrowing. "Kessler's not just targeting you. She's going after all of you—the ones she can control, the ones she can twist into her perfect soldiers."
Mike clenched his fists. "The Shadow... It's him. It's got to be."
Johnny's gaze hardened. "And if that's true, it's gonna be a hell of a fight. You ready for that?"
Mike stood, determination flooding his veins. "I've been ready for a long time."
FANG V2 – Unit 17 Activation
The activation chamber hummed as lights flickered on, casting harsh shadows across the sterile room. The techs were working at high speed, monitoring the final steps of Unit 17's activation. Kessler watched from behind a reinforced glass panel, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
On the screen, the pod containing Unit 17 began to drain, the fluid receding as the figure inside began to stir. His eyes shot open, glowing with an unnatural intensity. The transformation was complete.
Unit 17 stood, his limbs moving with eerie precision as he was unhooked from the machines. He was tall, his muscles defined and chiseled, but it wasn't his physical appearance that drew Kessler's attention. It was his eyes—cold, calculating, and devoid of emotion.
She pressed a button, and a voice crackled through the intercom. "Unit 17, report."
The figure's lips barely moved as he spoke. "I am ready for deployment."
Kessler smiled. "Your mission: Eliminate the targets. No exceptions."
Unit 17 nodded once, stepping toward the door. As he passed, he cast a glance at the monitors displaying the last known location of Mike Harris and his team. His expression remained unchanged, but there was a flicker of recognition.
Encino – Safehouse
Mike, Johnny, and Tory were already preparing for the next move. They had a plan, but they needed more information. They couldn't go in blind.
Tory was flipping through a set of files they had recovered from their last raid. "I think I've found something," she said, her voice urgent. "It's a secure location. High-level FANG V2 intel—likely where they're keeping The Shadow. If we go in, we can take him out, but we need to move fast. Before they activate him fully."
Mike's eyes darkened as he reached for his jacket. "Then we move. No more waiting."
Johnny slapped a hand to his chest. "I'm in."
Tory nodded. "Let's end this."
FANG V2 – Compound
The door to the training room opened with a hiss, revealing a shadowed figure in the doorway. Unit 17 stepped forward, his presence filling the space with an oppressive weight. Kessler stood on the opposite side, watching him closely.
"You have your orders," she said softly, her gaze unwavering. "Destroy Mike Harris."
Unit 17's eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as he tilted his head. "Understood."
Kessler watched him leave, her mind racing. It wouldn't be long now. Mike Harris had been a thorn in her side for too long. But not anymore.
The stage is set for a final confrontation between Mike and the terrifying force that has been lurking in the shadows. Unit 17 is activated and ready for battle, but will Mike and his team be ready in time?