"Nano-edged blade with a biochemical coating," the mercenary replied. "Cuts through enhanced tissue like butter."The battle was fierce. Harry fought with everything he had, but these soldiers had been specifically equipped and trained to fight enhanced opponents. They worked in coordinated teams, using weapons designed to counter his abilities.Harry took more damage than he'd sustained since his rebirth—deep cuts, penetrating wounds, injuries that his healing struggled to close quickly enough.But he was still stronger. Still faster. And he had something they didn't—absolute determination to protect the people he loved.One by one, he disabled the mercenaries. Breaking weapons. Striking nerve clusters. Using precisely applied force to incapacitate without killing.Finally, the last mercenary fell. Harry stood among the unconscious bodies, bleeding from a dozen wounds, breathing hard.His danger sense screamed a warning. More soldiers were coming. A lot more.Harry ran, smashing thro

On Tuesday afternoon, Harry took Alice to lunch at a small café downtown. He'd insisted she stay hidden, but Alice had refused."I'm not hiding while you fight alone," she'd said firmly. "We're in this together."They were walking down a busy street, surrounded by lunchtime crowds, when Harry's danger sense exploded."GET DOWN!" Harry shouted, grabbing Alice and pulling her behind him.A white van screeched to a halt beside them, tires smoking. The side door flew open before the vehicle fully stopped.Eight men in tactical gear and face masks jumped out, weapons drawn. Civilians screamed and scattered in every direction.Harry immediately put himself between the attackers and Alice. "Run!"But Alice, having trained with Harry for the past week, didn't run. She pulled out the taser Alfred had given her and discharged it into the nearest attacker. Fifty thousand volts dropped the man instantly, his body convulsing."Good girl," Harry muttered, then charged at the remaining seven attacke

Harry watched the press conference from a safe house Gage had arranged—a nondescript apartment in a quiet neighborhood."They've got you trapped," Gage said grimly. "If you surrender to police, The Consortium has people inside the system. You'll disappear before you ever see a courtroom. If you run, you look guilty and they can hunt you with legal sanction.""Either way, they win," Alfred concluded."So what do we do?" Alice asked, her voice tight with stress.They were gathered around a small table—Harry, Alfred, Gage, Alice, and Lily, who'd insisted on being part of the discussion despite her fear."You need to disappear," Gage advised. "Go underground. We can fight this legally, but it'll take time. Months, maybe years. You need to stay hidden until we can build a case that can't be ignored.""I'm tired of running," Harry said quietly. "I spent one entire lifetime running and hiding. Avoiding conflict. Letting powerful people push me around because I was afraid. I died alone and br

Victoria smiled more genuinely this time. "If you actually succeed in taking down The Consortium, the power vacuum will be significant. Billions in assets suddenly in play. Political positions opening up. Business opportunities everywhere. I want to make sure ethical people fill that vacuum, not more vultures. Help me rebuild this city the right way after we burn The Consortium down, and we're square."Harry extended his hand. Victoria stood and shook it firmly—a businesswoman's handshake, firm and brief."What do you need immediately?" Victoria asked, already moving to a computer."Legal support to fight their lawsuits," Harry said. "Safe houses for my allies. Protection for my sister—she's the key witness. Media support to counter their narrative.""Done, done, done, and done," Victoria replied, typing rapidly. "My lawyers will file countersuits tomorrow morning—fifty different actions that will tie up The Consortium's legal teams for months. I have three safe houses in the city, al

When police sirens finally wailed in the distance, the mercenaries' leader made a decision. "Extract! Fall back!"But Harry wasn't letting them escape so easily. He grabbed two mercenaries and held them until police arrived.The remaining mercenaries tried to fight their way out, firing on police officers—which only made things worse for The Consortium's narrative. Armored vehicles arrived. A standoff ensued.Harry, meanwhile, raised his hands and peacefully surrendered to police. "I'm Harry Solomon. I'm unarmed. These men attacked me."The contrast was stark and captured on live television: Harry surrendering peacefully while The Consortium's mercenaries fought violently against law enforcement.By dawn, six mercenaries were in custody. DNA tests, ordered by a federal judge who was one of Victoria's allies, revealed what Harry had claimed all along—genetic modifications. Enhanced muscle density. Accelerated healing factors. Chemical alterations to their neurological systems.The Cons