Zane continued forward, his footsteps echoing softly in the silent hallway. He checked each room, searching for the code, his frustration mounting with each empty space. Elias trailed behind, a constant reminder of the scientist's taunts.
He reached a large double door, locked. Another dead end. He turned to Elias. "Anything? Did you see anything back there? Any numbers, any symbols, anything that might help us?"
Elias shook her head. "No," she whispered.
Zane examined the doors, then noticed a ventilation grate. "Can you reach that?" he asked.
Elias hesitated, then climbed onto a metal cart he provided. "There's... there's some kind of panel in there," she said. "With wires and... lights. I think... I think I see some numbers... 4... 7... 2... maybe a 9... I can't see the last one."
He lowered her down. "Not bad," he said, his voice gruff. "Maybe you're not entirely useless."
He paced, considering the code. "Alright," he said. "One more time. I need you to look again. Try to see the last number, or any other numbers you might have missed."
Elias climbed back up. "Okay... okay, I see it," she whispered. "The last number is... 5. And... wait, there's another number hidden behind some wires. It's a... 1. So, it's 4, 7, 2, 9, 5, and 1."
Zane entered the code, and the doors slid open, revealing an elevator. "Good work," he said, gesturing towards the elevator. "Let's go."
He stepped into the elevator, Elias following hesitantly. He pressed the ground floor button, and the doors closed.
The elevator doors opened, revealing a brighter corridor. Zane instinctively pulled Elias back, narrowly avoiding something whistling past. Two hulking figures stood at the end of the corridor, clad in heavy armor.
"Get back!" he hissed to Elias.
The juggernauts roared, swinging their weapons. Zane faced them, the adrenaline surging.
The mace-wielding juggernaut charged, swinging his weapon. Zane ducked, the spikes grazing his shoulder. The sledgehammer-wielding juggernaut attacked from the side. Zane rolled, avoiding the blow.
He brought his bare fists down on the sledgehammer-wielding juggernaut's arm, connecting with a sickening crunch. Bone snapped, and the juggernaut roared in pain, dropping the sledgehammer with a resounding clang. The mace-wielding juggernaut turned his attention back to Zane, his eyes filled with rage. He swung his mace again, this time aiming for his chest.
Zane blocked the blow with his arms, the impact sending shockwaves through his body. He used the momentum of the block to push forward, grabbing the mace's chain with his bare hands. He pulled hard, yanking the mace out of the juggernaut's grasp. The juggernaut stumbled forward, off balance. Zane seized the opportunity, delivering a brutal uppercut to his jaw. His head snapped back, and he heard the sickening crack of his jawbone breaking. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he stumbled backward, clutching his face.
The other juggernaut, his arm broken and dangling uselessly at his side, charged at Zane, using his massive bulk as a weapon. Zane sidestepped his charge, and as he stumbled past, he grabbed the discarded sledgehammer. With a roar of his own, he swung the heavy hammer, bringing it down on the back of his head with all his might. The impact was devastating. His skull caved in with a wet, crunching sound, and he collapsed to the ground, his body twitching violently. Blood and brain matter splattered across the floor.
The mace-wielding juggernaut, still reeling from the broken jaw, tried to attack again, but Zane was too fast. He rushed towards him, delivering a series of rapid punches, each blow landing with bone-shattering force. He targeted his face, his chest, his stomach, each strike leaving a bloody, indented mark in his armor. Finally, with a final, brutal blow to his temple, he sent him crashing to the ground, his body lifeless.
The corridor was silent once more, save for Zane's heavy breathing and the sickening sounds of blood dripping onto the floor. The fight was over. The two juggernauts lay dead, their bodies a testament to his brutal strength and unwavering determination. He stood amidst the carnage, his hands dripping with blood, his body aching, but his spirit unbroken. The path forward was clear. He felt a wave of relief wash over him, a momentary respite from the adrenaline-fueled frenzy of the fight.
His clenched fist, now slick with blood, felt heavier, a tangible reminder of the brutal force Zane had unleashed. He walked over to Elias, who remained huddled against the wall, her eyes wide with terror and awe. She trembled uncontrollably, the carnage etched into her memory.
He stopped before her, his blood-soaked figure casting a long shadow. He tried to soften his expression, but exhaustion and adrenaline made it difficult. "It's over," he said, his voice rough but not unkind. "We can go now." He extended a hand, offering a gentle gesture of assistance.
Elias hesitated, her eyes darting between his hand and the gruesome scene. Then, slowly, she reached out and took his hand, her hand cold and trembling. He pulled her to her feet, noting her fragility compared to the juggernauts he had just defeated.
He glanced back at the blood-splattered walls and mangled bodies. A twinge of detachment, not remorse, washed over him. The experiments had changed him, made him capable of unimaginable violence. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. Escape was the priority.
"Come on," he said, his voice firm. "Let's get out of here." He walked towards the end of the corridor, Elias following closely.
He spotted a security camera, its lens pointed directly at them. A grim smile spread across his face. He selected a kunai from his belt, attaching a thin chain. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the kunai, shattering the camera lens. He retrieved the kunai, then repeated the process with another camera further down the hallway.
He glanced at Elias, who watched him with awe and fear. He gave her a curt nod and continued, his senses heightened.
They reached a set of locked double doors. He sighed, frustration building. He scanned the area, his eyes landing on a control panel next to the doors. Two bracelets, encased in glowing glass, caught his eye. He broke the glass, and put them on. A surge of energy coursed through him.
"And just what exactly do you think you're doing?!" Dr. Alden's voice crackled over the intercom, filled with fury. "Put those back, you insolent brat! Those items are one of a kind! They don't belong to you! Return them this instant!"
Zane smirked. "Nah, I think I'll hang onto these," he replied, his voice calm. "They seem quite... useful." He noticed a faint hum emanating from the bracelets, a low, resonant thrum that vibrated against his skin. He felt a strange warmth spreading through his veins, a sense of heightened awareness, of amplified strength. He flexed his hands, feeling the power coursing through him. He glanced at Elias, who was staring at the bracelets with wide, fearful eyes. He could see the faint glow reflecting in her pupils.
"What are those?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Insurance," Zane replied, his voice low and dangerous. " let's go. We need to find the code for the keypad."
Alden's voice returned, a chilling calm replacing his earlier fury. "You think you're strong? You think you've won? You're wrong. This facility is on lockdown. Every exit is sealed. You're trapped."
Zane raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk gracing his lips. "Is that so?" He glanced around the room, taking in the shattered doors, the juggernaut corpses, and the trail of destruction. "I seem to have a different perspective. Seems like I'm the one doing the trapping now."
A frustrated growl erupted from the intercom. "Don't be foolish. You cannot defeat this facility. You are a mere insect, a failed experiment. You are nothing!"
Zane laughed, a genuine, full-throated laugh. "Failed experiment, huh?" He looked down at himself, at the blood-stained clothes, the weapons, the carnage. "I think I've proven otherwise, wouldn't you say?"
A long silence followed. Zane could almost hear Alden's mind racing. Finally, he spoke again, his voice colder than ever. "Very well. If you think you're so strong, then come and get me. I'm waiting."
A chilling smile spread across Zane's face. "Oh, I will," he promised. "I will." He looked at Elias, who watched him with a mix of fear and awe. "Let's go," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
He turned and began walking down the hallway, his footsteps echoing through the silent facility. The hunt was on. He felt the eyes of the entire facility upon him, watching his every move. But he no longer felt like prey. He felt like a predator, a force of nature unleashed. And he wouldn't stop until he found Alden and settled the score. The bracelets on his wrists hummed faintly, a subtle vibration that resonated with the raw energy coursing through his veins. He felt a sense of anticipation, a primal thrill that sharpened his senses. He knew Alden was trying to lure him into a trap, but he didn't care. He was ready for anything.