Mark arrived at the west gate of the Kramer Industrial Complex. As he exited the sky-cab, he was met by a group of six gang members. Some of the men there spat on the floor and laughed mockingly as he walked towards the gate. However, while they were expecting to see despair, the young man showed only anger.
Before any of the men could react, he rushed the group guarding the gate and began beating them with his bare hands. Four of the six gang members fell in the blink of an eye. The fifth man drew a telescopic baton and tried to attack, but Mark easily disarmed him. Using the gang member's own weapon, the young man escalated the violence.
Instead of fighting, the last of the group grabbed his comm-pad and called for help. As he turned, the man saw that Mark waited for him to finish the call. Little did he know that this event played out just as the young man had planned. With the attention drawn to him, Nyx could help Rachel and Melly escape, and the Blazing Hand would not be able to see the Ravens approach.
Alarms sounded throughout the facility, and many people moved with haste towards the west gate. They were wielding telescopic batons, clubs, and other blunt weapons. Since The Boss wanted this kid alive, they were reluctant to use firearms. But the gang members were eager to give him a savage beating. To them, it was revenge for what happened back at the alleyway.
Mark smiled. Since the Blazing Hand wanted to use him, they would hold back. However, he was not planning to. It was time to let go of his caution. These people not only took their loved ones but were actively working against his plan to save the city. For his family to be safe and his plan to continue, the Blazing Hand needed to be destroyed.
Nevertheless, he had to be smart about the way he confronted the large group. The young man decided to adopt hit-and-run tactics. While he was on the turf of the Blazing Hand, he moved fast. One moment, he ambushed a group of gang members; the other, he had moved to another building near the west gate. Keeping the enemy forces concentrated was part of his plan.
On the other side of the compound, Rachel reached the location Nyx had pointed out. As she moved through the corridors, door after door opened without much hassle. The woman suspected that Nyx was opening the doors. Melly had shown a similar ability; even when her son closed his door, the golden-eyed girl always found a way to get into Mark's room.
Moving through the hallway, she noticed the lack of guards. For some reason, the base was deserted. Rachel did not complain, but it was odd. A place where they kept people hostage should have at least a guard or two. Yet so far she had found no one.
Nyx commented on the lack of guards. "I think they all went to fight your son. He said that he would be coming with a group of his friends." Athena was not aware that Mark was keeping things from his mother. Ignorant of the effect her words had, the shadowy figure related Mark's instructions. "That reminds me, we need to head to the north gate. Your son's friends will be securing that gate."
Rachel stopped in her tracks. Her mind filled with worry, as the thought of her beautiful boy getting hurt or killed came to mind. Both of her children were in danger. "My Mark is fighting these dangerous men? Since when can he fight kidnappers and gang members?"
Her reaction made Athena understand that Mark was keeping certain things from his mother. The woman had a visible change in her mood; a mixture of anger and worry was plastered on her face. Athena could not help but notice that Mark's behavior resembled that of this woman. As they turned the corner, they reached the area where the girl was being kept.
Two men guarded a lonely door at the end of a long hallway. While Athena was thinking of a way around, Rachel rushed forward, and two of the droids she fixed moved in front of her. The guards grabbed the laser pistols at their waists and, without a second thought, fired at the incoming attackers. Unfortunately for them, the laser shots could only singe the surface of the improvised alloy shields Rachel used to arm her droids.
The Droids moved forward, blocking the constant shooting with improvised shields. Reaching the men at the door with ease, they lifted the crude clubs in their possession, and with a few swings, the gang members were put out of commission. With the thugs out of the way, Rachel rushed to open the door. Behind her, Athena quietly used her ability once more. The two gained access and walked in searching for the girl.
Inside the room, she found Melly lying on a bed with an I.V. hooked to her arm. The members of the Blazing Hand were using medical equipment to keep the golden-eyed girl in a coma. Athena took notice of the setup; it appears that the gang had been preparing to kidnap the two women for a while. Rachel removed the needle from the girl and carried her outside.
However, before leaving, Rachel asks the shadow to help her son. Athena agreed with the condition that she needed to take Melly and go now. Once she and the girl were outside, the shadowy figure would go and help Mark. Rachel agreed, ordering one of the droids to carry the girl while the other three resumed their escort duties.
Outside, by the west gate, everything descended into chaos. Mark was unstoppable. The attack on his family made him lose the desire to hold back. This time, he would be using his full strength. Moving with superhuman speed, the young man ambushed a group of men, dispatching them quickly. The gang members were falling like trees facing a storm. With all the men of that group defeated, he moved to another area.
Witnessing his ferocity, some of the new members ran in the opposite direction. They had come to take advantage of the power granted by the Blazing Hand, not to be tossed to a feral monster. At the same time, the old members pressed on with their attacks, becoming the next to fall.
The Boss and Gin look at the situation with awe. They had failed to gather information about Mark's abilities, and they were now paying for their oversight. As Gin and the Boss stared at the raging man, it became clear that they would not be able to control him. They discarded the plan to force this teen to work for them; the cost in blood had been too high.
Instead, the Boss decided to put an end to the teen right then and there. Since he could not make use of him, neither would the conclave. He ordered the men to use their guns and put an end to Mark's rampage.
As Mark was fighting two of the men at the same time, he barely dodged a laser beam intended for his head. Mark had reacted in time; one of the men he was fighting, however, had no chance to move out of the beam's trajectory. The one who fired only managed to kill a Blazing Hand member. Looking around, the young man saw several people aiming at him. It was clear that a change of strategy was needed.
Moving at full speed, Mark evaded the enemy fire. Although he was not faster than a bullet or a laser beam, he was faster than his enemy's aim. With his enhanced body, he dodged and weaved, making himself a hard target. In moments where he could not dodge, the young man moved behind the gang members near him, using them as meat shields. That way, Mark escaped all damage.
After a few moments, the young man was bathed in blood, yet none of it was his. The colors of his institute uniform were no longer visible through the thick crimson liquid. Behind the shooting goons, the Boss of the Blazing Hand watched with attention. He was studying Mark's movements and habits. The man had to admit, this boy had great potential, too much in fact. Killing him before he developed further was the best course of action. Allowing his enemies to have this kind of power was unthinkable. The Boss's glowing eyes glared as he bided his time until his prey got tired.
Meanwhile, at the north entrance of the Kramer Industrial Complex, three trucks stood in front of an unguarded gate. Those who had once guarded the place had left to deal with the crisis. Taking advantage of the distraction created by Mark, the Ravens rammed the gate and entered unchallenged. Inside, Bart and the elite group he had chosen disembarked from the trucks and began their attack.
Fearing that Mark would not be able to distract the enemy for much longer, Bart ordered the men to hurry. With haste, the thirty-six men and the six Raven Claws moved through the enemy compound. Not long after that, they arrived at the west gate, while Mark was still evading shots left and right. Exploiting the distracted enemies, the Ravens launched an attack.
By the time the Blazing Hand became aware of the sneak attack, it was too late. The Ravens were on top of them. While a number of the Blazing Hand changed targets, some of them had already fallen to the enemy fire. A surprise came when they spotted the larger shadows accompanying the small contingent of Ravens. As they came into view, the enemy morale crumbled. None of them had seen machines like these before.
The Claws made an impression on the members of the Blazing Hand. While they were not big by mech standards, they still towered amongst humans. Watching them move with ease through narrow spaces, these machines looked perfect for urban warfare. Little did they know that the Claws were born of frugality. The creator of these mechs never intended to use the design for combat. However, Bart was the one who identified the Claws' potential for urban warfare.
Shaken by the Ravens' demi-mechs, the gang's recent members broke their lines and tried to flee in a panic. The machines had succeeded in breaking their spirits. The old cadre tried to keep them in the fight, but when words failed, the frustrated gang members resorted to force. Turning their firearms against each other, the chaos amongst their ranks intensified. As the forces of the Blazing Hand fell into disarray, the Ravens took advantage of the chaos.
At the back of the battle, the Boss watched with a stern face as his gang was being dismantled member by member. With every member that fell, his dream of controlling the city felt less certain. Gin was by his side, witnessing with awe as a single man tore down decades of his hard work and dedication.
The Boss turns to him and issues a new order. "Gin, I want you to take some of the members and leave. Use them to restart the gang in another city."
Gin glances at the man with an incredulous look. "Sir, without you, there is no Blazing Hand. Let me stay and cover your escape."
The Boss's face turned, and his emotions came to the surface. It was as if the man had finally come to terms with the struggles in his mind. "No, Gin, I am dying. My abilities have turned unstable." The Boss falls silent, letting the news sink in.
Gin was taken by surprise; the news shook him. He now understood why the man had the sudden mood swings and was constantly in a dark mood. Unable to accept the Boss's words, the man struggled to accept the news. "Can something be done to restore them?"
Recalling what happened, The Boss's face darkens. "No, Gin, the ones that caused this were thorough. While in Jail, people from the Conclave experimented on me as if I were a lab rat. I think they wanted to replicate my gifts, and that caused the abilities to become unstable."
Gin finally understood the hatred the Boss felt towards the Conclave. "Sir, there must be a way to undo the things that were done to you. We have the resources to look for a cure. If you escape while the rest of us hold these men, you might be able to find a solution."
The Boss shows a rare smile. "There is no time, Gin. The doctors gave me a few weeks to live, and that was months ago. My borrowed time has come to an end, but before I go, I will strike a blow against the people who did this to me." His face turns to look at the battle. "Killing this kid might not be the revenge I was looking for, but beggars can't be choosers."
With a reluctant face, Gin turns and follows the man's final request. Giving his first order as the new boss, the six men guarding the old Boss left with him. These men now had a new purpose; they would use the remaining resources from the old Blazing Hand to create a new organization. In his mind, Gin resolved to avenge his old gang. Unknowingly, the Conclave had gained a new enemy.
For his part, The Boss turned. Looking at the young man, he grinned. The dying man resolved to take Specter out with him. This way, he would be spitting in the faces of the ones who wronged him. Since this fight would be his last, he would go out in a blaze of glory. With his mind made up, The Boss walked towards the Battle. His eyes were firmly set on his prey, Mark.