The Nucron Interrogation and Processing Centre was a compact monolith of dark grey concrete, constructed on the plains of Abuja. Reinforced fences topped with razor wire, and the oppressive silence of a place designed to contain and suppress. They arrived in a battered and old danfo bus just after midnight, the air thick with the scent of dust and distant diesel fumes.
"This place na fortress," Umar muttered, peering through the window. His enhanced vision picked out the subtle shimmer of heat sensors along the perimeter, the almost invisible drone cameras perched high on floodlights. "How we go even start?"
Reed, strapped into the driver's seat, adjusted a pair of night-vision goggles. "Remember the plan. Stealth first. We target the external sensors. Sadiq, Nasir, you're up. There's a blind spot at the north-west corner, near the main transformer… proceed with caution." He pointed to a spot on the crude map he'd sketched. "My source says there's a vent there, big enough to fit through, but heavily monitored."
Sadiq nodded, his face grim but focused. He grabbed a small, specialized toolkit Reed had provided. Nasir took a deep breath, already feeling the subtle currents of the night air.
The two slipped out, sneaking through the tall weeds and blending into the shadows. Ahmad and Umar watched, a knot of anxiety tightening in Ahmad's chest. This wasn't a brawl like the training field, or an escape from a chaos-ridden prison. This was calculated, a stark contrast to his battle with control. Every movement, every breath, had to be perfect.
Minutes stretched. On Reed's makeshift monitor in the bus, a grid of red dots blinked, representing the sensor network. Suddenly, two dots, then three, flickered green.
"They're working fast," Reed murmured. "Good. Now for the hard part."
Outside, Sadiq moved with a newfound precision. He felt the minute vibrations of the laser grid, the pulse of the infrared beams. He closed his eyes, extending his water manipulation not just to the moisture in the air, but to the disruption of wavelengths. He imagined the water molecules in the air thickening, coalescing, not into visible forms but into a subtle, distorting field. A low hum vibrated around the sensors, then a series of quiet clicks as they momentarily malfunctioned.
Nasir followed, a ghost in the shadows. He exhaled, a carefully controlled eddy of wind that whipped fine dust into the air, creating a momentary fog directly in front of a surveillance camera. The camera whirred, its infrared lens momentarily blinded. He repeated the action for another, then another, a silent ballet of air manipulation.
Back in the bus, Reed watched the monitor. More dots turned green. "They're in. Now for the vent."
Inside the perimeter, Sadiq and Nasir located the large, grimy vent. It was covered by a heavy metal grate, secured with reinforced bolts. And the air around it shimmered with the sign of an active Nucron dampener.
"Shit. This dampener strong pass the one for Island," Sadiq whispered, his face tight with effort. He felt his powers wanting to come through, but his new physical strength, allowed him to push through the sensation. He concentrated, willing a micro-burst of water, so fine it was almost steam, to force its way into the dampener's intricate circuits. The device crackled weakly, then sputtered.
Nasir, quick as thought, then unleashed a focused burst of wind, precisely aimed at the weakened dampener. The device blew a tiny, almost inaudible pop, and its field vanished.
"Now the bolts," Nasir grunted as he reached for his toolkit.
From the bus, Ahmad and Umar heard a faint crackling on Reed's headset. "They're past the perimeter. Now, for the internal cameras. They'll be on a separate circuit." Reed typed furiously on his laptop, a complex series of commands scrolling down the screen. "I'm routing a power surge through a forgotten maintenance line. It should blind the internal feed for… thirty seconds. That'll be your window when things go south, hopefully we won't need it."
Ahmad and Umar, sat prepared.
Inside, Nasir worked on the bolts, his fingers flying with practiced ease. His strength in focus and precision evident in his movements. The last bolt came free with a soft clink. Sadiq gripped the grate, and pulled it open with a low groan of tortured metal. A wave of stale, conditioned air washed over them.
"Inside. Move fast," Sadiq urged.
They dropped into a narrow, dark service tunnel, the air cold and metallic. The internal cameras were indeed blind for the fleeting thirty seconds. They moved quickly, their footsteps almost silent on the concrete floor. The tunnel eventually opened into a larger, brighter corridor, lined with identical steel doors.
"Reed's voice crackled through their earpieces. "high-value Nucrons are kept on the lowest level, Sector Gamma. Look for a service elevator marked 'Restricted Access.' It's the only way down without triggering immediate lockdown."
They found the elevator quickly, its reinforced steel doors blending seamlessly with the wall. A biometric scanner pulsed faintly next to it. Sadiq stepped forward, studying it. "This one go need power."
Just then, a patrol of two heavily armored guards rounded the corner. Their faces were hidden behind visors, but the intent in their posture was clear. They spotted the open vent, then the boys.
"Halt!" one guard bellowed, raising an energy rifle.
Before they could make a move, Nasir made fist with his hand and tightened it. The gaurds began to choke, Nasir had cut off their air, blockinng them from breathing. The two gaurds fell to their knees as they gasped for air, Nasir then rushed forwards and with his powers, punched each of them with his strength enhance with force of his air. Knocking them out and neutralizing the threat.
Sadiq focused on the biometric scanner, physically manipulating the delicate micro-circuitry within. He felt the cold metal, the intricate wiring, the flow of energy. He imagined water flowing through the circuits, not to short them, but to force the correct sequence. The panel shimmered, then glowed green.
"Got it" Sadiq said. The elevator doors hissed open.
Nasir and Sadiq walked into elevator, Nasir then hit the panel and the doors slid closed as they began their decent.
The elevator plunged downwards, the descent sickeningly fast. The air grew heavier, colder. When it finally shuddered to a halt, the doors opened to a circular chamber. This was no ordinary holding cell. Glass-like pods, illuminated by an eerie blue light, lined the walls. Each contained a figure, suspended, wires snaking from their bodies. These were not just prisoners; these were experiments.
And in the very center, isolated in a larger, darker pod, was G. His head was bowed, a heavy collar chained around his neck. He looked weak, but alive.
"G!" Nasir breathed, rushing forward.
A calm, resonant voice echoed through the chamber, not from the boys, but from a speaker in the ceiling.
"Well done, gentlemen. I knew you had it in you."
A large, reinforced door on the far side of the chamber slid open, revealing Professor Charles, a triumphant smirk on his face. Behind him stood a contingent of elite guards, their weapons already raised.
"Welcome to Sector Gamma," Professor Charles said, adjusting his glasses. "We've been expecting you." framed by the cold steel of his guards and the glowing blue pods lining the walls, solidified the boys' fury.
"Expecting us, ehn?" Nasir growled, stepping forward.
"Indeed." Professor Charles adjusted his glasses, a glint of cruel satisfaction in his eyes. "Dr. Reed's little 'diversion' was… anticipated. He's an idealist, but predictable. Unlike you boys. Your… unique attributes have proven quite useful in refining our research. Especially after Mr Bolaji's experiment. Where are the others?" he asked. Nasir and Sadiq remained silent, rage building up inside them.
"no words?… very we'll find out soon enough." Prof Charles said.
Back at the bus, Ahmad and Umar felt a cold wave of rage, they could hear what was happening. they got up and opened the door to the bus.
"wait! We can't breach…" Reed intercepted but was cut off.
"shut up! we're not leaving them to fight on their own. Give us that window and watch let know of anything coming our way." Ahmad commanded. Reed sat back in his chair, subdued and obeyed the command.
Ahmad and Umar followed Nasir and Sadiq's trail, not with as much precision but also not drawing attention. They got through the fence undetected but the second they were by the transformer, a loud alarm started blaring. They looked at each other, annoyed.
"Then why the hell did we sneak here in the first place?" Umar asked as he balled up his fists.
"oho… na them Sado sabi am pass. Now make we do wetin we sabi pass." Ahmad answered as he took a fighting stance with a smirk. Umar then followed suit.
Three figures emerged from the shadows of the facility's exterior, their movements fluid and predatory. They wore the familiar grey jumpsuits, but their forms rippled with controlled power.
The first, a tall, agile woman with skin shimmering like polished obsidian, held her hands out, and thin, sharp blades of pure darkness materialized between her fingers. The second, a stocky man, his body humming with a faint, visible green energy, slammed his fist into the ground, causing the earth to tremble. The third, a blur of motion, vanished and reappeared in the blink of an eye, a faint, disorienting pop marking his jumps.
"Hello boys" the woman hissed. "Professor Charles would like a word."
Ahmad's flames ignited, a crimson aura around him. "no time to talk. lets be quick, them Nas de wait." as they leap into action.
The stocky man roared, and a jagged spike of rock, thick as a tree trunk, erupted from the ground between them, forcing Ahmad and Umar to split. The woman with the shadow blades threw them like daggers. Ahmad ducked, the blades carving deep gashes into the concrete wall behind him. Umar raised a quick, crude earth barrier, deflecting the rest.
The third Nucron, the teleporter, appeared behind Umar, a fist already cocked. Umar spun, reacting with enhanced speed, catching the punch mid-air. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, cracking the pavement.
"Omo! You fast sha!" Umar grunted, pushing the teleporter back.
Ahmad launched a volley of fireballs at the shadow woman. She danced through them, seemingly melting into the darkness, reappearing untouched. "Your fire is too slow, little boy."
The stocky Nucron, the earth manipulator, was relentless. He stomped again, and the ground beneath Ahmad erupted, trying to swallow him whole. Ahmad leaped, firing a concentrated blast downwards, turning the rising earth to molten slag. He landed light, his eyes scanning for the next threat.
Umar, meanwhile, was engaged in a brutal close-quarters fight with the teleporter. The Nucron was fast, hitting from all angles, appearing and disappearing in a dizzying display. Umar's enhanced strength meant his punches connected with bone-jarring force, but landing them was the challenge.
"Stay still, abeg!" Umar roared, frustrated, finally anticipating a jump and slamming his fist into the ground where the teleporter was about to land. The earth buckled, and the teleporter stumbled, thrown off balance by the unexpected tremor. Umar followed up, a massive uppercut that sent the Nucron flying.
Ahmad, seeing Umar gain a moment of advantage, turned his attention to the earth manipulator. He knew these guys were strong, but their coordination was their strength. He concentrated his flames, not for a wide blast, but for intense, focused heat. He lunged, palms out, pressing the heat into the earth manipulator's chest. The man screamed, the green energy around him sputtering as the heat began to sear his skin through his jumpsuit.
The shadow woman, seeing her allies struggling, shimmered into existence near Ahmad. Her hands glowed, forming a larger, deadlier shadow blade. She lunged, aiming for Ahmad's side.
"Ahmad, watch!" Reed's voice crackled through their comms.
Ahmad heard him, but barely. His focus was on the earth manipulator, whose raw strength was pushing back against his heat. Just as the shadow blade swooshed past his periphery, Umar, having recovered from his fight, erupted from the ground like a colossus. He slammed a massive fist into the shadow woman's back, sending her sprawling across the dusty compound.
"My guy!" Ahmad grinned, releasing his heat on the earth manipulator, who collapsed, panting.
"No time for plenty talk!" Umar retorted. "They no dey alone!"
Indeed, a fresh wave of guards, alerted by the commotion, streamed from the main entrance, their energy rifles humming. The three Nucrons they had just fought were already stirring, their resilience remarkable.
"We need to find Nas and Sado! Fast!" Ahmad yelled. The blaring alarm continued its relentless wail. Their brief, violent skirmish had just announced their presence to the entire facility. The element of surprise was gone.
"This way!" Reed's voice cut through. "There's an old supply tunnel beneath the main complex. It bypasses the lower levels directly to Sector Gamma!"
Ahmad and Umar exchanged a grim look. They were in for a much bigger fight than they had anticipated.
Back in Sector Gamma, Sadiq was now angry, he summoned water from a pod close to him, shattering the glass and releases the unconscious Nucron that was trapped in side. Nasir prepared his own attack, and stood ready for battle
"No need for theatrics. Your mentor is quite comfortable. And soon, you will be too. Back in your pods, ready for… further study."
With a sharp command, the elite guards moved. They weren't the regular prison personnel; these were hardened operatives, their weapons glowing with a familiar energy. They aimed at the boys, but more importantly, at the central pod holding G.
"They want to shoot G!" Nasir yelled, reacting instantly. A compressed burst of wind erupted from his hands, striking the lead guards and sending them stumbling, their shots going wide and embedding into the reinforced walls.
"cover me!" Sadiq yelled, already drawing water from a hidden condensation pipe on the ceiling, forming it into a swirling whip.
Nasir leaped over and stood infront of G's pod, his stance firm. He generated a ball of air and lauched it at the remaining guards. The sheer force of its emergence knocked more guards off their feet.
"Impressive. But futile." Prof Charles said. He pointed a remote at the ceiling. "Activate inhibitory field! Full power!"
A low, resonant hum filled the chamber, growing into a painful thrumming. The air around them began to press in, heavy and suppressive. The boys felt their Nucron cells straining, their powers threatening to ebb, just like the collars had done. It was designed to stifle them, to make them vulnerable.
Sadiq's water whip wavered, struggling to maintain its form. Nasir staggered, his control over the air becoming erratic.
"He's trying to shut us down!" Sadiq yelled, his voice tight with effort. "Can't… hold… this… long!"
Just then, from a service tunnel hidden in the shadows of the chamber, Ahmad and Umar emerged along with Reed, he was clutching a plasma disruptor. His face was pale, but his eyes burned with fierce resolve. He saw Sadiq and Nasir struggling, felt the oppressive weight of the inhibitory field
"Charles! You fool!" Reed's voice cut through the hum. "That field is unstable! It could cause a critical overload!"
Charles merely glanced at him. "A necessary risk, Reed. They cannot be allowed to escape."
Reed ignored him, taking aim. He fired a series of precise plasma blasts at the power conduits running along the ceiling, feeding the inhibitory field. Each blast struck with a sharp CRACK, sending sparks raining down. The hum of the field sputtered, wavered, then died with a final, ear-splitting shriek. The oppressive pressure vanished.
"Now!" Reed screamed. "Destroy those pods! Get Commander Dabo out!"
Sadiq and Nasir, feeling their powers surge back, reacted instantly as Ahmad and Umar jumped in and followed suit. Ahmad roared, unleashing twin streams of fire that incinerated two pods, melting the reinforced glass and internal mechanisms. Umar charged, smashing through another pod with a single, earth-shattering punch. Sadiq, his movements fluid, sent a high-pressure jet of water that shattered the glass of another, leaving nothing but steam and broken wires.
"Impossible! My system… my data!" He fired a small energy blast from his own wrist-mounted device, but it was weak.
Ahmad intercepted it with a quick flick of his wrist, absorbing the energy into his own flames. "Your data means nothing!" he snarled.
Their focus, however, remained on G. His pod, still intact and then reinforced by Umar's rock wall to protect him as they fought.
"The main power line!" Sadiq shouted, pointing to a thick cable running from the ceiling directly into G's pod. "That's what's keeping him a sleep"
Nasir took a deep breath. He focused, gathering the air, compressing it with an almost visible force. He unleashed a focused, piercing gust, a literal wind bullet aimed directly at the thick cable. It screamed through the air, hitting the cable with a high-pitched whine. The cable sparked violently, then began to fray, the suppressive hum around G's pod finally dying down.
Umar, seeing the opportunity, launched himself at the pod. With a primal roar, he punched, then again, and again, the Nuragen-enhanced strength shattering the advanced composite material. The glass groaned, cracked, then exploded inwards.
G, still slumped, a large, dark collar around his neck, fell forward. Ahmad rushed in, catching him before he hit the ground. G was pale, his breathing shallow, but his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Ahmad, a faint, disoriented flicker of recognition in his gaze.
"boys?…" G whispered, his voice raspy.
But there was no time for reunion. Professor Charles, enraged, had regained his composure. He pointed to a console. "Initiate lockdown! Send in all available units! And activate the secondary containment protocols!"
The chamber echoed with the clanging of heavy steel doors, sealing off exits. More guards streamed in from newly opened hatches, their numbers growing larger. A low, guttural growl echoed from behind them.
They spun around. From one of the shattered pods, a figure, disfigured and skeletal, emerged. Its eyes glowed with raw Nucranium energy, and it shambled forward, arms outstretched. Then another. And another. These were the "other prisoners" they had seen—now unstable, uncontrollable Nucrons, unleashed and possibly corrupted by the facility's experiments.
The boys stood their ground, G supported between Ahmad and Umar. They had rescued their mentor, but they were now trapped, facing an army of guards and a horde of unleashed, monstrous Nucrons. The gauntlet had only just begun.
The Nucron-experiments shambled forward, their eyes glowing with raw power. They were distorted, broken versions of Nucrons, a testament to Charles's twisted work. Behind them, elite guards took aim. The chamber, filled with shattered pods and the stench of ozone, was a death trap.
"They're not prisoners, they're living bombs!" Reed screamed, his face pale with horror. He clutched his plasma disruptor, clearly shaken.
Ahmad, with Umar's help, kept G who was barely conscious, upright. "We can't fight all of them!" Ahmad yelled, scanning the chaos. "let's go!"
Nasir's eyes darted around the circular chamber. "The Service tunnels!" He pointed to small, heavily fortified hatches set low in the walls where Ahmad, Umar and Reed emerged from. "But they look sealed."
Sadiq, already moving, tried to assess the nearest hatch. It was thicker than the vents they had used, designed to withstand heavy blasts. "Too strong! No time!"
Professor Charles, recovering from Reed's earlier disruption, barked orders. "Contain them! Prioritize the mentor! Do not let them escape!"
The guards opened fire. Energy bolts sizzled through the air. The unleashed Nucrons, moving with surprising speed, lunged.
"Umar, shield!" Ahmad roared, pushing G further behind the rock wall Umar had already raised.
Umar slammed his foot down. The concrete floor buckled, and more earth rose, forming a thicker, wider barrier. Bullets and energy blasts ricocheted off it, but the force of the impacts made Umar grunt with strain.
"This one no go last oo!"
Reed fired his disruptor, taking down two advancing guards. "These experiments… they're unstable! Avoid direct contact! Their energy signatures are volatile!"
One of the shambling Nucrons, a gaunt figure whose body crackled with unstable energy, lunged at Umar's shield. Its fist glowed, and it slammed into the rock wall. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the barrier, a chilling sound of impending collapse.
"Sadiq, the water pipes! Flood the tunnels!" Ahmad yelled, a desperate idea forming.
Sadiq understood instantly. He located the primary water pipes running through the ceiling. He then focused as his body tensed, and with a surge of power, he ruptured them. Water burst out, spraying across the ceiling, then pooling rapidly on the floor.
"Nas, you fit dry the tunnels?" Ahmad asked, pushing G slightly towards him.
Nasir nodded. He took a deep breath, sucking in the humid air, then exhaled a powerful, focused current. The water in the tunnels began to recede, forced back by his wind, creating a temporary dry path.
"Reed! Any more disruptors?" Ahmad asked.
"Only one left," Reed gasped, pulling a device from his coat. "It's charged, but it's our last shot. Use it wisely!"
The rock wall Umar was holding began to crumble under the sustained assault from the experimental Nucron.
"I can't hold it anymore!" he yelled
Ahmad made a quick decision. "Sadiq, Nasir, Umar! Fall back! Reed, with me! We create opening!"
Umar pulled back his fractured shield just as the wall crumbled. He grabbed G, pulling him clear of the debris. Sadiq and Nasir moved fast, covering their retreat.
Ahmad took the last disruptor from Reed. He knew the risk. He had to hit the strongest point, create enough chaos to buy them time. He saw a cluster of guards and two of the experimental Nucrons converging near one of the service hatches.
"Cover me!" Ahmad roared. He charged, a human fireball, his own energy radiating heat that pushed back the air around him. The guards flinched, even the unstable Nucrons seemed to recoil slightly.
He leaped, spinning, and fired the disruptor. The plasma bolt hit the service hatch with blinding force. The reinforced steel groaned, sparks exploded, and a loud, metallic shriek tore through the chamber as the hatch blew inward, creating a small, gaping hole.
"Go! Now!" Reed screamed.
Umar, still supporting G, shoved Nasir and Sadiq towards the opening. They scrambled through, followed by Reed. Ahmad unleashed a furious torrent of flames, creating a wall of fire that briefly separated them from the pursuing guards and experiments.
He dived through the opening just as the fire wall began to wane, landing roughly in the narrow, dark tunnel. He could hear the screams of the guards and the guttural roars of the unleashed Nucrons behind them, their anger a palpable wave.
"This way! It leads to an old ventilation shaft!" Reed panted, already half-crawling through the cramped space. His movements were weak, his earlier exertion catching up to him.
They moved as fast as they could, dragging G along the dusty, echoing shaft. The sounds of pursuit grew fainter, then vanished, replaced only by the thumping of their own hearts and G's labored breathing.
They finally emerged into a maintenance room, dark and unused. A single, grimy window looked out onto a desolate, rocky landscape. Freedom. Almost.
G stirred, his eyes fluttering. He looked up at Ahmad, then around at the others. A smile grew, his face filled with a profound gratitude.
Ahmad nodded, exhaustion finally setting in. "We no go leave you, G. Never."
Reed pulled out a device. "They'll be sending search parties. We need to move. There's a coastal road… a rendezvous point."
He looked at them, at their battered, determined faces. Their distrust remained, a thin veil, but a grudging respect had been earned in the fires of battle. They had rescued their mentor, faced down Kane's monsters, and survived. But the fight was far from over. G was weak, Kane was still out there, and the terrifying scale of his ambition was only just beginning to unfold.