Amrita Nadari watched the updated stability charts with uncharacteristic stillness. Red zones across the slums of Mumbai were turning blue. Protest clusters? Dispersed. Rally points? Gone cold. Online chatter? Replaced with curated feeds of Vishkar "restoration efforts" and recycled footage of Shawn Rose commanding light with his bare hands.
Her revised version of the vault incident had stuck. The people had stopped protesting. Even those who didn't believe her narrative no longer dared act. Fear and awe did what brute force could not.
In the streets, graffiti once calling for revolution now showed stenciled halos behind Shawn's head, mockingly or reverently, no one could tell anymore. The insurgents had lost their voice.
And Amrita?
She smiled.
"We end it now."
Vishkar Operations Briefing Room
Shawn stood with arms crossed, Thorns at his back. Everyone in the room could feel it, Amrita's presence was heavier now. Untouchable. Elevated. She had survived the storm thanks to them and come out gleaming.
She pointed at the map, six confirmed strongholds, three in the eastern sprawl, two in the upper rail tunnels, one in the ruins of Sector Eight.
"The remaining pockets of resistance are cut off," she said, her voice smooth as steel. "With public support gone, they've begun acting like cornered animals. Sabotaging food lines. Damaging public relays. Targeting Vishkar personnel."
She turned to Shawn.
"We're authorizing a final strike. You and your team will deploy immediately. No more half-measures."
S3bastian raised a brow. "You want us to execute a cleanup operation."
"I want you to restore order."
Shawn's jaw tightened. "They're desperate, not evil."
Amrita's eyes narrowed slightly. "Desperation doesn't excuse treason."
A long silence passed. Then Shawn spoke.
"We'll handle it."
Eastern Sprawl – Slum Block Theta
The wind tasted like ash and ozone. Shawn's boots crunched on shattered concrete as he moved through the skeleton of a former medical distribution center. Virginia and Spencer cleared the left corridor. Marco and Leslie flanked right.
S3bastian took point.
"They're in the reactor wing," Virginia said. "Hiding behind what's left of the power node."
Shawn gave a silent hand signal. The Thorns moved like ghosts. Inside, the insurgents were ragged, low on supplies, and barely armed, makeshift rifles, battery-blade axes, some modified Vishkar drone parts. Their leader, Naveen Vala, a former Vishkar engineer turned revolutionary, more scientist than fighter, stood defiant.
"You're not here to arrest us," he said when Shawn entered. "You're here to end it."
"I gave you a chance," Shawn replied. "But the world stopped listening."
"You helped them stop. Helped keep her in power, leaving the rest of us to lick the scraps from her boots. Now you're here to silence us for speaking out against it."
"That wasn't my choice." Shawn said grimly.
"You became the symbol, whether you wanted to or not."
S3bastian's plasma cannon spun up.
"Stand down," Shawn said, raising his hand. To both sides.
"Let's not do this. You're outnumbered. You've lost the people. Walk away and vanish. No one needs to die today."
Naveen's hands slowly fell to his sides.
"I'm tired," he said. "But I won't give her peace."
And he reached for the trigger hidden behind the collapsed server block. But Shawn was faster. A shot to the leg. Then silence.
Sector Eight – One Hour Later
Three more raids. Two minor scuffles. One bomb defused.
Each time, the Thorns moved with precision. Minimal casualties. Non-lethal where possible. They fought like soldiers but worked like surgeons.
But with every sweep, something in Shawn hollowed.
Vishkar Tower – Executive Balcony
Amrita sipped wine, overlooking the city.
A tablet rested in her palm. The reports were complete.
"All known insurgent resistance has been neutralized."
"Remaining targets have surrendered or fled."
"Civilian support minimal to nonexistent."
"Shawn Rose compliant."
She let herself smile.
No more threats. No more protests. No more Kastur. For the first time in months, she was uncontested. The city was hers again.
Temporary Field Barracks – Edge of the Slums- That Night
Shawn sat alone, peeling off his gloves. Blood, dried and brown, clung beneath the nails. He looked at his reflection in the cracked mirror across the room. Behind his eyes, something had shifted.
Virginia entered behind him. "It's done."
"Yeah," he said softly.
"You saved lives."
"Did we?" He asked.
"They would've killed us in another life," she said. "At least with her in power, the people will be safe from the omnic attacks. You remember what Malek said, eliminate those that defy his commands. If Malek or Kastur was in charge, this place would be a dictatorship. Fear would reign here and those who voice anything not in their opinion would get executed on the spot. I'd like to think that we did the right thing."
Shawn stood.
But as he passed her, he whispered:
"Then why does it feel so wrong."