Under Alexander's feet, the distant, continuous buzz of the submarine's engines could be heard. However, Tatiana was at the helm, her outline framed by the command bridge's expansive glass. As she gazed out into the ocean's depths, the flicker of faint lights captured the gentle curve of her cheek. In the confusion of the last several hours, she had crowned herself, and now she was in charge of this pilfered throne.Alexander stood just inside the entrance, folding his arms and leaning against the steel wall, watching her. The scars from his mended wounds pulsed with an odd energy. The feeling of something new growing, something not quite human, blazed in his back. The serum had worked, but not in the way he had expected. His strength had changed. A blessing and a curse. His body was a weapon, and these new wings and scars showed how much he had changed.Tatiana's voice broke the quiet. She said, softly but with a coldness that might cut through steel, "You are not saying anything." A

The murmur of tension filled the room. Everyone was on edge due to the submarine's engines' constant, quiet beat, even though the air was heavy with the stench of saltwater and charred ozone from the unsuccessful communications hack. As the crew proceeded in silence, their movements synced but nervous, the shadows created by the low lights flickered.Like a predator assessing its prey, Tatiana stood at the front of the room, her eyes piercing. As if to control herself, she had her hands clutched tightly behind her back. She remained silent. Nobody ventured to break the silence.Mira was working frantically at the control console across from her, her fingers moving over the keys in a well-practiced blur. As she scanned incoming signals, hacked firewalls, and went through encrypted files, the crackling sound of digital noise filled the air. The submarine was suddenly a command center for something considerably bigger than just a ship.Mira whispered to herself, "I got it," her voice bar

With a steady buzz from its motors that reverberated through the sub's hull, the drone dropped. Before the drone's last delivery took over, the console's screen wavered and a jumbled message flashed across the top. On the screen was a metallic envelope with the word CLONE written on it.The words burned into Tatiana's head, causing her eyes to narrow. She was not sure she was prepared to play the game, but she would finish it since the envelope was the last piece, the last move.She looked at Mira, who was standing next to her, her petite frame still exuding a strength well beyond her years. Despite her youthful appearance, the girl was already the leader of a new period by her deeds. "Is this from Benjamin?" With a suspicious tone in her voice, Tatiana inquired.With her tiny fingers lingering over the controls, Mira nodded slowly. It is his final performance. He believes the message he is giving will shatter us.As the message was encrypted, the monitor hummed. The envelope spilled

The air appeared to stop as soon as Clone-Alexander collapsed, his body crumpling into a heap at the base of the Lincoln Memorial. The weight of what had just happened overpowered the sound of the audience. People were yelling as they tried to comprehend what had just transpired. Still sizzling and burning the marble steps, Clone-Alexander's blood added to the confusion, a hideous reminder that things were not as they seemed.Tatiana took a step forward, her lips squeezed into a thin line and her eyes focused. Her eyes never left the falling clone. She hadn't drawn the gun, but her fingers were still firmly gripping it at her side. Not quite yet. Although the clone's blood was hazardous, the true danger was only a few feet away.Alexander.Tatiana yelled at the security detail, "Keep them back," in a tone as icy as ice. "Make sure no one gets near him."She turned, her gaze now solidly on the real Alexander, half-buried in the Reflecting Pool, standing like a shadow. His clothing were

The air was heavy with an electric buzz that only intensified as the seconds went by, and the ground under them shook. Breathing heavily and drenched, Alexander gazed down at his clone's body. The Lincoln Memorial's formerly immaculate marble steps were tarnished by blood and rust, remnants of an unwinnable conflict inscribed into the site's history.Standing beside him, Tatiana's gaze scanned the throng that had started to disperse in a desperate panic. Her piercing eyes darted from face to face, calculating, assessing each person's degree of threat as though they were chess pieces, each one with the potential to tip the balance of power. Her gun was lowered but ready, and her fingers were clenched around the handle.The clone's body trembled as if called upon by a malevolent power, and his blood, which was still blazing through the stone, pumped with strange vitality. For a brief moment, Alexander believed that the marble surrounding him may never stop crumbling. However, the clone'