Hiding behind cover, Mallory witnessed a strange scene: Black Noir stood over Bane, who writhed on the ground in agony, clutching his stomach. Around them stood the rest of Payback.
"What the hell is going on?" raced through her mind.
Another explosion thundered nearby, flinging her backward. She blacked out.
The betrayal sent Soldier Boy into a rage.
"You gotta be fucking kidding me! I'll kill every last one of you sons of bitches!" he roared.
Black Noir stepped in front of him, unmasked.
"Your time is up. I'm the new star now," he said coldly before lunging with his knives.
"You're fucking dead, asshole," Soldier Boy growled, seizing Noir by the throat and slamming his head into the wrecked car's hood.
Noir staggered but had no time to react before another devastating blow hit him. Soldier Boy gripped his shield with both hands and brought it down on Noir's head. Once. Twice. Three times.
A sickening crunch echoed.
Blood gushed across the metal plate, pooling in the dirt. Noir lay still.
"Twin Power!" two voices shouted in unison.
An instant later, a blinding energy beam struck Soldier Boy, sending him flying several meters. From the other side, a crimson blast slammed into him Crimson Countess had joined the attack.
"Now!" someone shouted.
A psychic assault froze Soldier Boy in place, locking his gaze and rendering him immobile. Behind him, Crimson Countess rushed in, fitting a mask over his face, filling his lungs with knockout gas. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Finally," Crimson Countess smirked in satisfaction.
"Quick! Secure the bodies of Soldier Boy and Bane!" Edgar ordered, signaling the cleanup team.
Bane had been easy to neutralize; the serum coursing through his veins had already paralyzed his muscles, suppressing any resistance. He was completely in their control.
Soldier Boy had put up more of a fight, but in the end, he, too, was subdued.
Now, all that was left was crafting the right story and producing a tragic memorial film.
"Russian terrorists ambushed Payback, deploying an advanced superweapon against them. Tragically, Soldier Boy and Bane perished in the line of duty they fought valiantly but could not overcome the enemy. The surviving heroes repelled the attack, but the losses were devastating..."
The right spin was crucial. And, of course, monetizing the tragedy was a given.
"What the fuck happened here?!" Mallory gasped as she regained consciousness, clutching her head and scanning the chaos around her.
Ah, yes. There was still the matter of the CIA and their official version of events.
*********************
Two superhumans were placed in medically induced comas and transported to a classified facility.
The equipment for upcoming experiments was already being prepared.
"Absolutely unique specimens," a man in a white lab coat murmured in admiration, adjusting his round glasses.
"I want soldiers like these in our ranks. Extract everything possible from their bodies. This operation cost us dearly. I trust you understand that?" The military officer's cold tone left no room for argument.
"Of course, Major. I will approach this with the utmost seriousness. I'll take them apart molecule by molecule if necessary," the doctor replied with a grim smile.
"Where do we start, Dr. Silkov?" his assistant asked.
"We'll leave Soldier Boy for later. The other one intrigues me more his blood is... unique. I skimmed his file, and there's something particularly interesting. If we can extract a compound capable of creating super-soldiers, it would significantly shift the balance of power... and increase funding for our department," Dr. Silkov mused.
Having reviewed the data, the scientist made his decision.
"First, we'll synthesize the drug. We need to see its effects and confirm its functionality before conducting thorough tests," Dr. Silkov ordered.
Several syringes punctured Bane's body, draining him of blood. His massive frame, built for destruction, suddenly began to shrink, as if life itself was being siphoned from him. Scientists separated the extracted samples into components, analyzing his blood in an attempt to synthesize a replica of the compound before reintroducing it into their test subject.
Months of ruthless experiments yielded results though imperfect. The new formula had a similar effect: his blood began to boil, his body rapidly expanded, regaining its former power.
"Reduce the dose. We may have overdone it. If this continues, he'll break free," Silkov remarked, admiring the fruits of his work.
Gas started seeping into the room.
"You sick bastards… The moment I get out of here, I'm ripping all your fucking heads off!" Bane snarled through clenched teeth.
"Ignite it," Silkov instructed, eyes fixed on the reinforced glass.
Flames engulfed the chamber as gas continued to feed the fire, maintaining the temperature.
A bloodcurdling scream filled the room, merging with the roar of the inferno.
The fire raged for nearly ten minutes before Bane's voice finally fell silent. When the gas valves shut off, the sight before them was horrifying a charred husk, barely recognizable as human.
"Administer the serum," Silkov ordered calmly.
A technician entered the chamber, set down a cylinder of thick liquid, and injected it into Bane's bloodstream before hastily retreating.
The results were immediate his body began to heal at an astonishing rate.
"Remarkable," Silkov noted with satisfaction. "We'll stop at fire for today. Tomorrow, we'll try something else. We need to test his limits completely."
Thus, the monstrous experiments began.
They drowned him, burned him, submerged him in acid, crushed him under hydraulic presses, deprived him of oxygen, kept him awake for days, and subjected him to every conceivable torment. Day by day, the experiments became more twisted and brutal.
His mind clung to the last remnants of cognitive function, eroded by years of steroid abuse and Compound V. Eventually, his consciousness collapsed, leaving behind nothing but a drooling, vacant shell.
Having exhausted every conceivable form of torture, the scientists' interest in Bane waned. They shifted their focus to Soldier Boy, seeking to mold him into the ultimate, mindless weapon. They programmed his brain, embedding commands to ensure absolute obedience.
Bane's unmoving body lay in an isolated chamber, his eyes void of recognition. But slowly, something changed. His vacant stare began to focus. His pupils dilated, then contracted, as if adjusting to the light. His muscles twitched. His throat convulsed, struggling to produce a sound.
POV: Bane (Alex)
As darkness swallowed me, I thought this was the end. What a pathetic way to go… No time to react just a crash, and then… nothing. I stared ahead for a few seconds longer as life drained from me.
I never thought I'd see the light again.
Then, I woke up.
Agony ripped through my body. It felt like molten lava coursed through my veins, like thousands of invisible creatures gnawed at my skin. At first, I thought it was the aftermath of the crash maybe I had broken bones and was just regaining consciousness.
But something was wrong.
I finally opened my eyes. Blinding white lights glared down at me. I tried to move nothing. I couldn't even turn my head. My vision sharpened, and I realized I was restrained.
This wasn't a hospital.
I knew that for sure.
Bare concrete walls. A tiny window in the door.
Pain pulsed through me in waves, itching, burning I wanted to move, to do something but my muscles refused to obey.
"Looks like someone's awake," a pleased voice crackled through a speaker.
What the fuck is happening?