The lights inside the testing chamber were brighter than usual.
Painfully bright.
Luce sat restrained in the center chair.
The power dampening cuffs around his wrists pulsed softly with blue light, thin cables running from them into the metal floor beneath him.
Across the glass observation wall, scientists moved quietly between monitors.
Watching.
Recording.
Waiting.
One of them spoke into the microphone.
"Subject L-17."
Luce rolled his eyes.
"That's not my name."
The scientist didn't react.
"Begin neural activation test."
A metal ring slowly descended from the ceiling.
It stopped inches above Luce's head.
Tiny sensors unfolded around its edges.
He glanced up at it.
"Yeah this definitely looks safe."
Behind the glass, someone typed something on a tablet.
Then—
The doors at the far end of the room slid open.
Every scientist in the room straightened immediately.
Arcturus Vale entered calmly.
He walked slowly along the observation platform behind the glass.
Hands behind his back.
Watching.
Studying.
Luce noticed him immediately.
"Ah."
He leaned back slightly.
"The mayor."
Vale stopped behind the glass.
"Good morning, Luce."
Luce frowned.
"How do you know my name?"
Vale's voice came through the speaker.
"You underestimate how much information the Council collects."
He glanced at one of the monitors.
"Westwood High School."
"Average academic record."
"Repeated disciplinary notes for defending metahuman classmates."
Eddy's voice echoed faintly from another nearby chamber.
"HEY I WAS THERE TOO!"
Vale smiled slightly.
"Yes."
"The teleportation user."
He turned his attention back to Luce.
"But today…"
His voice softened slightly.
"…we focus on you."
The scientist spoke again.
"Mayor Vale, the neural dampeners should prevent activation."
Vale nodded.
"That's the point."
He looked at Luce.
"Power is not merely an ability."
"It is instinct."
He gestured toward the machines surrounding the chair.
"We're going to measure how strongly your mind still tries to reach the world around it."
Luce frowned.
"You mean machines."
Vale tilted his head slightly.
"Yes."
"But for you…"
He smiled faintly.
"…that is the same thing."
The scientist activated the console.
Electric current surged through the sensor ring.
WHMMMMMMMM.
Luce's head snapped back slightly.
The world around him suddenly filled with noise.
Signals.
Data.
Systems.
The facility's machines whispered again at the edge of his mind.
But every time he tried to reach them—
The cuffs pulsed.
ZZZT.
The connection shattered.
Vale watched the readings carefully.
"Fascinating."
Luce gritted his teeth.
"You're not getting my powers."
Vale's expression didn't change.
"You misunderstand."
He leaned closer to the glass.
"I don't need to take them."
His reflection stared down at Luce.
"I only need to understand them."
The machine intensified.
The sensors glowed brighter.
Luce's breathing became uneven.
He could feel the systems again.
Security grids.
Elevators.
Cameras.
Thousands of machines surrounding him.
So close.
But the cuffs kept crushing the connection.
Vale spoke softly.
"Try harder."
Luce glared at him.
"Go to hell."
Vale's smile didn't fade.
"History is full of people who said the same thing."
He tapped the glass lightly.
"But eventually…"
"…they all tried harder."
The power surged again.
And for one brief moment—
A nearby monitor flickered.
One small system responded.
Vale noticed instantly.
His eyes lit up.
"There it is."
The scientist looked shocked.
"Impossible. The dampeners should completely suppress neural output."
Vale shook his head slowly.
"No."
His gaze remained locked on Luce.
"They suppress it."
"But they do not erase it."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"Excellent."
The machine powered down.
The room went quiet again.
Vale turned away.
"Prepare the next phase."
Meanwhile — Sanctuary Command RoomKayden expanded the holographic projection of Joltic City across the table.
The towering skyline rotated slowly above them.
Security networks.
Transit lines.
Council patrol routes.
Every system layered in glowing blue lines.
Jay crossed his arms.
"That city looks like a fortress."
Kayden nodded.
"It is."
He zoomed into the center district.
"The Cleansing Facility is here."
A red marker blinked beneath the central spire.
"Six levels underground."
"Council patrols every two minutes."
"Drone surveillance across all entry routes."
Jackie leaned over the table.
"So we don't go through the front door."
Kayden smirked slightly.
"No."
He tapped another section of the map.
"We go through the old service tunnels."
Joren frowned.
"Those still exist?"
Kayden nodded.
"I helped design the original infrastructure."
Everyone looked at him.
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"That's convenient."
Kayden's expression darkened slightly.
"It's also why I know exactly how dangerous this will be."
Jackie cracked her knuckles.
"Good."
"I was hoping for dangerous."
Joren stared at the red marker on the map.
"Hailey's down there."
Kayden nodded.
"Yes."
Joren's voice dropped.
"Then we don't wait."
Kayden looked around the room.
"We move tonight."
The room fell silent.
Jay exhaled slowly.
"Alright."
He grabbed his coat.
"Then let's bring the kids home."
Jackie grinned slightly.
"Finally."
Joren turned toward the door.
The air around him felt heavier.
Like gravity itself was reacting to his anger.
"Vale has no idea what he just started."
Back in the FacilityVale stood alone in the observation chamber.
The recordings from Luce's test replayed on the screen.
That tiny flicker.
That brief response from the machine.
Vale studied it carefully.
Then he whispered to himself:
"Incredible."
A scientist approached cautiously.
"Mayor… should we begin extraction trials?"
Vale shook his head slowly.
"Not yet."
He looked back at the screen.
"Power like this must be studied properly."
The scientist nodded.
"Yes sir."
Vale turned back toward the window overlooking the facility floor.
Hundreds of children.
Rows of cells.
Years of research.
All leading to this moment.
His voice dropped to a quiet murmur.
"Replicate proved something extraordinary."
He touched the glass.
"That one person could hold every power."
His reflection stared back at him.
"But he was merely the beginning."
Vale smiled faintly.
"And I…"
"…intend to finish the evolution."
Far above the facility—
The lights of Joltic City shone brilliantly across the night sky.
And racing toward it through the dark hills…
A rescue team was already on the move.
The road to Joltic City cut through the mountains like a scar.
Kayden's transport vehicle sped silently through the darkness, its headlights slicing through the fog that clung to the hills.
Inside the vehicle, no one spoke.
The tension was too thick.
Joren sat in the passenger seat staring ahead, his fists resting on his knees. The metal dashboard beneath them creaked slightly every few seconds.
Jay noticed.
"Easy."
Joren didn't respond.
Kayden kept his eyes on the road.
"If you crack my vehicle before we even reach the city, we're walking the rest of the way."
Joren exhaled slowly.
Jackie sat in the back seat, sharpening the edge of one of her climbing blades against the floor of the transport.
SHHHT.
SHHHT.
The sound repeated quietly.
Jay glanced back.
"You planning to climb the entire city?"
Jackie shrugged.
"If the plan goes wrong."
Kayden replied calmly:
"When the plan goes wrong."
Jackie smirked faintly.
"Fair."
The vehicle rounded the final mountain bend.
And then—
The city appeared.
Joltic City rose from the valley like a monument of glass and steel.
Skyscrapers pierced the clouds.
White lights flowed through the streets in perfect lines.
From this distance it looked peaceful.
Perfect.
Jay leaned forward slightly.
"…Looks like paradise."
Kayden shook his head.
"It's not."
Jackie narrowed her eyes.
"Too clean."
Joren stared at the tallest tower in the center of the city.
"That's where they are."
Kayden nodded.
"The Cleansing Facility is beneath the central spire."
Joren's fists tightened again.
Then—
A bright beam of light swept across the road.
Kayden slammed the brakes.
The vehicle skidded to a stop.
Ahead of them—
A massive security checkpoint blocked the highway.
Concrete barricades.
Armored vehicles.
Rows of automated turrets.
And above it all—
Floating drones.
Jay blinked.
"Well."
"That's new."
Kayden leaned forward.
"No."
His voice was grim.
"That's the Meta Containment Grid."
Jackie leaned closer to the windshield.
"What does that mean?"
Kayden tapped the dashboard.
"The city scans incoming vehicles for abnormal biological signatures."
Jay frowned.
"Meaning?"
Kayden looked back at them.
"Meaning anyone with metahuman DNA gets flagged instantly."
The vehicle went quiet.
Joren looked at the checkpoint again.
"How far does the grid reach?"
Kayden checked the scanner.
"Five kilometers."
Jackie groaned.
"You're kidding."
"No."
Kayden zoomed the map.
"If we drive through that checkpoint…"
He looked at Jackie.
"…the entire city will know we're here."
Joren reached for the door.
"Then we go through it."
Jay grabbed his arm immediately.
"That's not a plan."
Joren pulled his arm free.
"They have Hailey."
Kayden's voice cut through the tension.
"And if we trigger that grid…"
He pointed toward the city skyline.
"…Vale will know we're coming before we even reach the first building."
Joren stopped.
Jay leaned back in his seat.
"So what's the alternative?"
Kayden turned the holographic map back on.
The city rotated above the console.
Then he zoomed far outside the main perimeter.
A small blinking path appeared beneath the city.
Old.
Almost forgotten.
Jackie leaned forward.
"…Sewers?"
Kayden nodded.
"Old maintenance tunnels."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"You built those too?"
Kayden sighed.
"Yes."
Jackie grinned.
"Perfect."
Joren looked at the tunnel route.
"Where does it come out?"
Kayden tapped the final marker.
"Right under the central district."
Jackie's grin widened.
"Now that's convenient."
Jay frowned.
"If the Council knows about those tunnels—"
Kayden shook his head.
"They sealed them during the war."
Jackie tilted her head.
"…Sealed?"
Kayden met her eyes.
"With automated defense systems."
Jackie groaned.
"So we're breaking into the most secure city on the continent…"
"…through a tunnel full of murder robots."
Jay sighed.
"I miss simple rescue missions."
Joren opened the door.
The cold night air rushed into the vehicle.
"Then let's get moving."
Jackie climbed out beside him.
Her spider limbs unfolded slowly with a metallic click.
Jay grabbed his gear bag.
Kayden shut down the engine.
Above them—
The lights of Joltic City shimmered like a false paradise.
Below the road—
An old metal hatch rested hidden beneath a layer of dust and vines.
Kayden stepped toward it.
"This tunnel leads straight under the city."
He pulled the hatch open.
Darkness stretched downward into the earth.
Jay peered into the opening.
"…Smells like death."
Jackie dropped into the tunnel without hesitation.
"Then we're in the right place."
Joren followed immediately.
Kayden looked back toward the city skyline one last time.
Then he climbed down.
Jay sealed the hatch behind them.
And far above—
The drones of Joltic City continued their silent patrols.
Unaware that the people coming to break the system…
Were already beneath their feet.
The testing chamber was colder than before.
Bright white lights burned overhead, reflecting off the polished metal floor until the entire room felt sterile and unreal. Machines hummed quietly along the walls, their monitors glowing with streams of data.
In the center of the room, Luce sat restrained once again.
The power-dampening cuffs around his wrists pulsed with soft blue light.
But this time, the equipment around him had changed.
More sensors.
More cables.
More machines.
Across the observation glass, an entire team of scientists stood ready.
And behind them—
Arcturus Vale watched.
Still.
Calm.
Interested.
Luce glared up at the ceiling ring of scanners.
"You guys ever heard of consent?"
One of the scientists adjusted a dial.
"Subject L-17 ready."
Vale raised a hand.
"Wait."
The room froze immediately.
He stepped closer to the glass.
"Luce."
His voice came through the speakers.
Luce looked up.
"What?"
Vale studied him quietly for a moment.
"You're afraid."
Luce scoffed.
"You kidnapped me and strapped me into a machine."
"Of course I'm afraid."
Vale nodded thoughtfully.
"That's good."
Luce blinked.
"…Good?"
Vale's expression remained calm.
"Fear sharpens instinct."
He turned slightly toward the scientists.
"Begin."
A technician pulled a lever.
The machine above Luce activated.
WHHHMMMM.
The sensor ring lowered until it hovered inches above his head.
Electricity crackled softly through the cables running from his cuffs.
Then—
The world exploded inside Luce's mind.
Signals.
Thousands of them.
Every machine in the facility suddenly became audible again.
Cameras.
Elevators.
Security locks.
Energy grids.
Data flowing like rivers beneath the building.
His eyes widened.
He could hear them.
So many systems.
So many voices.
But every time he tried to reach them—
ZZZT.
The cuffs pulsed.
The connection snapped.
Vale leaned forward slightly.
"Remarkable."
The scientists stared at their monitors.
"Neural signal output increasing."
"Dampeners holding."
"Technopathy activity rising."
Luce gritted his teeth.
His hands tightened against the restraints.
The machines were calling to him.
And instinctively—
His mind reached back.
A nearby screen flickered.
Vale's eyes lit up.
"There."
The scientists turned quickly.
"That system isn't even connected to the test equipment."
Vale smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
The scientist looked confused.
"The dampeners should be blocking all output."
Vale shook his head slowly.
"No."
His gaze remained locked on Luce.
"They block the power."
"But they cannot block the instinct."
Luce gasped slightly as the signals surged again.
He could feel the entire facility now.
Like standing in the center of a storm made of electricity.
But the cuffs kept crushing the connection before it could fully form.
Vale spoke quietly.
"Try harder."
Luce glared at the glass.
"Why don't you try shutting up?"
Vale didn't react.
Instead he looked at the readings.
"Signal strength increasing."
He leaned closer to the glass.
"Extraordinary."
The scientist beside him whispered:
"Mayor… if this ability could be replicated…"
Vale didn't answer immediately.
Because something had changed in his expression.
His calm curiosity had shifted.
His eyes were fixed on the data stream like someone staring at a treasure map.
"Imagine it," Vale said quietly.
The scientist blinked.
"Sir?"
Vale's voice lowered.
"A mind capable of speaking to every machine."
His reflection stared back at him from the glass.
"Every satellite."
"Every defense grid."
"Every communication system on the planet."
He slowly raised his hand toward the glass.
"As if the entire world were an extension of your nervous system."
The scientist swallowed.
"That would make someone…"
Vale finished the sentence.
"Unstoppable."
For a moment he didn't move.
Then something even more unsettling happened.
He smiled.
Not cruelly.
Not proudly.
But with quiet wonder.
"And that power…"
His voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"…could belong to me."
Behind him, the scientists exchanged nervous looks.
Vale rarely spoke like that.
But he didn't notice.
Because his attention had completely locked onto Luce.
The machine surged again.
Luce's eyes flashed with light as the signals spiked.
Several monitors flickered simultaneously.
Vale's breathing slowed.
The fantasy forming in his mind became clearer.
A world where every system obeyed him.
Cities bending to his command.
Weapons silenced with a thought.
Armies frozen.
Machines everywhere listening to him.
The perfect hero.
The perfect ruler.
The final evolution.
Vale straightened slowly.
"Yes."
He said it softly.
Almost to himself.
"This will work."
The scientist looked at him nervously.
"Mayor… should we proceed to extraction phase?"
Vale shook his head.
"No."
His eyes never left Luce.
"Not yet."
The scientist frowned.
"But sir, if we extract the genetic signature—"
Vale interrupted calmly.
"You're thinking too small."
He folded his hands behind his back again.
"This ability is not simply genetic."
"It's cognitive."
"Neurological."
"Instinctive."
He looked back at the monitors.
"We must study it properly."
The machine powered down.
The room fell quiet again.
Luce slumped slightly in the chair, breathing hard.
Vale turned away from the glass.
"Prepare another session."
The scientist nodded.
"Yes sir."
Vale paused at the door.
Then he spoke one last time.
"Luce."
Luce looked up weakly.
Vale's voice came through the speaker again.
"You should be proud."
Luce frowned.
"Why?"
Vale's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Because when history remembers the birth of the perfect metahuman…"
He smiled.
"…your power will be the heart that made it possible."
The door slid open.
Vale walked out.
Leaving Luce alone in the silent testing chamber.
But as Vale walked down the hallway…
His calm expression slowly faded.
Because in his mind—
He could already see it.
A future where every power in the world belonged to him.
And for the first time in years…
He realised the line between belief and obsession
had started to blur for him but he didn't care.