Getting ready to move out wasn't really a problem. The gang had gotten more details and information about the laboratory, thanks to Sam. And the key to creating a mask for Ace was still an enigma, so they believed they would gain information from the lab that would aid in creating a mask for him.
The laboratory was located on an island called Nemea Null, deep in the southern Indian Ocean. Beneath the deserted island, a multi-layered laboratory lay buried—hidden and waiting.
"We have only one secured way of getting there without being followed or tracked," Wei said as they were all leaving the hatch-like base, his voice firm. "And that is through the sea. We don't want to get spotted, so we have to cargo-hop. Meaning—we aren't travelling in our private ship, which means this journey might take days... or even weeks."
They had already mapped their journey: from Montana to Seattle by train—rarely tracked, low profile. From Seattle to Tokyo by cargo ship—this would be the longest part of the journey, and they would have to hide in container units. From Tokyo, they'd move closer to India by heading to Chennai, switching ships at port through a black-market contact. After reaching Chennai, the next stop was Mauritius. Two options: steal a vessel or fake identities.
"Honestly," Ace had said back then, "we'll end up stealing one anyway. Why not start now?"
So, after getting to Mauritius, the plan was to approach Nemea Null by night—slipping through the Dead Zone.
They set out. So far, the journey had taken over three weeks, but everything had gone smoothly. Now, they were in Mauritius, trying to secure a patrol boat or submarine. Things were quickly turning tricky.
The group reached the coast of Mauritius under fake names, moving through the shadows of Port Louis. The salty air mixed with fuel and tension. Private security—ex-military types—patrolled the docks, guarding wealthy yachts and government vessels.
Sam scanned the harbor with binoculars, squinting.
"There," he pointed. "Government patrol vessel. Small crew. Unmarked."
Ace grinned, half-shadowed under his hoodie. "Looks like it wants to be stolen."
Wei tapped into the local port network. "The coast guard's using autonomous drones with thermal scanners. We've got a ten-minute blackout window. After that... we vanish or get burned."
Phiona set up an EMP burst using scavenged tech. The drones blinked out of the sky, the harbor lights flickering just slightly.
They moved fast.
A gang of smugglers had already been using the patrol boat to run weapons. The gang spotted them. A tense standoff erupted in a narrow alley beside the dock—grimy walls, flickering neon, and sharp silence.
Xavier moved first, fists like hammers—taking down two smugglers with brutal precision.
Ace and Sam stepped forward. They didn't need threats. Just a flash drive—full of blackmail, cartel secrets, betrayal. It did the trick.
The gang surrendered. The patrol boat was theirs.
Midway out to sea, the stolen vessel sputtered and died—sabotaged. Sabotage or spite? Didn't matter.
Ace dove into the freezing engine bay, hands moving fast, guided by Wei and Sam's instructions. Sparks flew. Cold bit deep. The engine roared to life. Just in time.
Alarms blared behind them. Coast guard ships responding. Ace barked, "Full speed—head into that storm!"
They hit the Dead Zone. No signal. No drones. Just waves, wind, and silence. The chase ended.
Five days later, they arrived.
"Finally out of the water. This journey felt like a month," Ace said, stretching.
"Yeah, only because it actually took a month and nine days," Phiona replied, giving him that look.
"So... where do we head from here?" Sam asked, glancing around the thick vegetation and rock.
"Well, from all we know and can remember, the base was underground when we escaped. Not remembering the exact location is expected. It's been six years—and we escaped in fear," Wei said.
"Seems like the best thing to do now is wander around," Ace muttered, already taking steps forward.
"Hey—wait! How are you sure we're the only ones on this island?" Xavier asked sharply.
"We are... right, Wei?" Ace replied, half-turning.
"I think, We aren't sure," Wei said.
"Well, for now, it's not like we have anything better than that," Phiona added.
"What if we did?" Sam said, voice low, a flicker of something hidden in his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Phiona asked, eyebrow raised.
"I mean there's a way," Sam said, pointing toward a jagged cave opening. "I think."
"I still don't understand," Ace said before Phiona could echo it.
"Oh—I get it," she said slowly. "Your deduction might be clever. That cave stands out. It looks fake. Could be a hidden passage to the lab."
"So our first lead is to wander into an odd-looking cave. Nice," Ace said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"It's not like your plan was any better. Let's go," Sam said, already walking.
Deep beneath the ruins of Geneva, inside the fortified chamber known as the World Core, leaders from every major nation sat around a massive steel table. Holograms hovered in the air, flickering with surveillance feeds and blurred photos. The air felt thick—like the world was holding its breath.
President Mandel of Africa broke the silence first. "So… it's true. Six of the escaped experiments are alive—and moving freely?"
Prime Minister Aiko of Japan gave a slow nod, fingers swiping across her holographic tablet. "Confirmed. And something stranger… there's a masked group. Eidolons. Possibly experiments. No records. No origin. Their allegiance is unknown."
A ripple of unease spread across the room. Some leaders whispered in disbelief. Others clenched jaws or exchanged nervous glances.
President Monroe of the United States folded his arms. "They've clashed with both Originals and human units. That puts them in a grey zone. Volatile… but possibly useful."
Chancellor Weiss of Germany leaned forward, expression hard. "Useful? They're monsters. You don't make peace with fire. You contain it—or burn with it."
General Vural of Türkiye, calm but sharp, finally spoke. "Containment's off the table. If they oppose the Originals, they might be the chaos we need. Let them burn each other—we control the fire."
President Liu of China leaned forward. "No. We contact them. Carefully. Offer information in exchange for neutrality... or alliance. If they respond, we gain ground. If not, we adjust."
Mandel's fingers drummed once on the table. "Then who speaks to them?"
Silence.
No one answered. The most powerful people on Earth sat still—suddenly unsure.
The room dimmed slightly as the world outside Geneva trembled beneath silent questions.