Monica hurried across the balcony and wrapped Adrian in a tight hug the moment she reached him. For a brief second, she thought everything was finally going to be alright. After days of fear and uncertainty, he was standing right in front of her. Her eyes filled with relief as she held onto him. Adrian on the other hand, didn't return the hug. His arms remained at his sides and his expression stayed completely blank, he simply stared at her without emotion. After a long moment, he spoke in a low, distant voice. "You're supposed to be on bed rest." "Oh..." Monica slowly let go and looked away, "I had to pay my last respects to Max. His funeral was three days ago..." Her voice became softer as she looked back at Adrian with hope in her eyes. "They've been looking for you for six days. How about Michael? Is he okay too?" Adrian remained silent. His eyes stayed fixed on her as the silence stretched until it became uncomfortable. Finally, he blinked once and quietly said, "I have to g

Five months had passed since the battle at the DC Factory grounds. Life had continued moving forward, even for those who wished it would slow down long enough for them to catch their breath. The destruction left behind that night had changed many lives, and the effects were still being felt across the country. After months of investigations, witness testimonies, and legal battles, Daniel Forester was finally brought before the courts. Evidence from the ruined factory, statements from former employees, and the horrifying discoveries made by investigators painted a clear picture of what had been happening behind the walls of Daniel Chemical Incorporated. The final blow came when the families of the infused soldiers united. Many of them had spent months searching for answers about their missing loved ones. Learning that they had been unwilling subjects in dangerous experiments devastated them. Together, they filed additional charges against Daniel, making it impossible for him to e

The twins attacked at the same time with Lawrence. The three of them moved almost as one, giving the two remaining ferals no chance to regroup. The creatures growled and backed away, but they quickly realized there was nowhere left to run. The thick forest surrounded them on every side, and the people standing before them had already learned how they fought. One feral charged Michael first. It swung both arms wildly, hoping to overpower him through brute force. Michael stepped into the attack instead of retreating. He caught both fists and swung with a great amount of strength, sending it to stumble sideways, but it recovered almost instantly. The second feral rushed Mira. She vanished just before its claws reached her, it looked around in confusion until she reappeared behind it with a spinning kick that struck the back of its knees. The creature dropped to one leg. Before it could stand again, she fired a crimson blast into its shoulder and knocked it several meters through the

Barry skipped over in excitement. He greeted Monica warmly before leaning closer to the two-month-old baby in her arms. "Hi, Xavi... Haven't seen you in a while." Monica smiled softly and adjusted the blanket wrapped around her son. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to stay in Snow City longer than intended. Part of me was still wishing that... Adrian would pop up." Barry's expression softened immediately as the memories of DC Factory came rushing back. Adrian insisting that he escape with the totems, and staying behind while he got away. His shoulders slowly dropped as the familiar guilt settled over him once again. "I see..." He said quietly and looked back at Monica and forced a small smile. "How long will you be in Sunset?" She looked down at Xavier before answering. "However long I feel like. And besides..." Her smile turned bittersweet, "Richard is buried here. I want Xavi to be a little closer to him at least." Barry nodded. "You're more than welcome to stay here." Monica

Lawrence stayed quiet for a moment. The celebration continued around them, but he barely seemed to hear it. He stared into his cup before finally speaking. "I wasn't forced into the experiment." Michael listened without interrupting. "I signed up because I thought everything else was boring." Lawrence gave a humorless laugh, "Life didn't excite me anymore and I didn't have a family waiting for me at home. No parents, no brothers, no sisters… Nobody who'd cry if something happened to me." He leaned back in his chair. "So when they announced the super soldier program, I volunteered almost immediately. I thought it'd give my life some purpose. I thought it'd make me stronger… Mentally." His smile disappeared, "But then I met the others." Lawrence looked toward the fire burning in the middle of the gathering. "Some of them had wives, some had children, others had parents begging them not to do it. I watched them struggle with the decision every single day." He sighed deeply. "They