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276 Victor Cromwell
The conference hall at Sapphire University buzzed with energy in the evening. Every seat was taken. Students sprawled across the rows, buzzing in anticipation while media crews jostled for the best angles.Even parents found an excuse to fit in. They craned their necks to see the stage.Banners with the university’s crest fluttered overhead, along with Springfield’s new logo—a metal hawk. The Mayor had made it official earlier that month.This wasn’t just any event; it was a big deal since Victor barely ever made any private appearances.The Dean stepped up to the podium stiffly. His voice boomed through the speakers. “Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for attending. Your wait is over. Please welcome our distinguished guest and fearless leader, Lieutenant Mayor Victor Cromwell!”The crowd erupted as Victor strode onto the stage. He was impossible to miss—tall, muscular, with a tailored suit that looked old-school mafia. His sharp features and piercing eyes made him look like he’d stepped o
275 Missing in Action
Kate knelt on the kitchen floor, scrubbing at a stubborn grease stain with a worn-out sponge. The overpowering smell of disinfectant almost choked her since she didn’t even have a mask. But she kept going, her hands moving in steady, practiced strokes. The girl’s workout regime was so punishing that any physical labor didn’t even make her break a sweat.It was a month after the chaos at the abandoned factory. Kate had already returned to her daily boring life at her foster home. She sometimes wished she had never left the orphanage. At least, nobody treated her like a servant there.“Seriously, Kate, can’t you do anything right?” Clara’s voice cut through her thoughts. She stood in the doorway with her arms crossed. “That floor’s still a disgrace,” she sneered. “What do we keep you around for?”Kate ground her teeth and didn’t look up. ‘It’s clean,’ she thought bitterly. ‘You just want something to complain about.’ She swallowed the words, knowing they’d only fuel Clara’s temper. They
274 The Tribunal
Kate went on. “I get it—losing someone… It tears you apart inside. I’ve been there, in my own way. But I’m here, okay? We’ll figure this out together.”Victor didn’t respond, his growls growing louder, more feral. His body shook harder, the black veins creeping up his neck. The building groaned ominously, as if it might collapse under the weight of his pain.A sharp, piercing ring cut through. Victor’s phone was ringing. He had dropped it on the floor nearby.He snarled, swatting at it with a clumsy motion, sending it skittering across the concrete. Kate lunged forward, catching it just before it smashed against the wall. The screen glowed faintly in the dark. The contact calling him was THE TRIBUNAL.With a shaky breath, she pressed the answer button. “Hello?”A calm and elderly voice came through. “Who is this? Where’s the owner of this phone?”“I’m The Raven,” Kate said, her eyes fixated on Victor’s trembling form. “A neighborhood hero. Are you a friend of Roadkill?”“Tell me how h
273 The Breaking Point
Kate froze where she stood, her breath uneven as she stared at the figure before her. Roadkill, the hero she’d fought beside, wasn’t himself anymore.Black veins snaked across his skin, twisting his body into something unnatural. His mask hid his face, but she didn’t need to see it to know he was suffering.Not to mention, he just asked her to get out or she would die.Kate was a science genius and believed there was logic and method to everything. But the scene unfolding right now shattered her reality.She’d heard stories—urban legends. As a kid, she’d devoured books about werewolves, demons, and cursed souls, dismissing them as fairy tales. But this? This was real, and it was terrifying. She took a step back in apprehension.‘Is he cursed?’ Kate wondered, her mind spinning. ‘Or possessed?’Roadkill was indeed strong and fast. Her first encounter with him demonstrated his exceptional skill in martial arts. Yet here he was, his body contorting as if he were undergoing mutation.Kate’
272 The Gift
Kate yanked her arm free, glaring at him. “No way. I’m not some kid you can boss around. We’re doing this together, Roadkill. You can’t scare me off that easy. Whoever this Puppetmaster guy is, I’m not scared of him.”“This isn’t about scaring you,” he growled, his patience running thin. “It’s about keeping you alive. The Puppetmaster does not play games—he wins them. He almost killed me last time.”“Then we beat him this time,” Kate shot back, crossing her arms. “Last time, you didn’t have me. Anyway, what’s he even want with you?”Before Victor could answer, a sharp click echoed through the room. The puppet’s chest whirred, a tiny key turning somewhere inside. Then, a voice crackled to life—distorted and mechanical. The Puppetmaster!“Thought you could fool me with that death act, Caesar?” it taunted. “I knew you were alive. Knew you’d crawl back here, sniffing around my work. You think you’re untouchable?”“What’s your plan here? Why kill these innocents? Are you building a changel
271 The Hospital
Victor gripped the rusted handle, shoving it open with a grunt. The hinges shrieked a high-pitched wail that would scare the strongest of hearts. A gust of pungent, icy air rushed up from below.A steep staircase descended into pitch-black nothing. Kate stepped forward and flicked on her flashlight, another feature of her advanced costume.The beam trembled slightly but remained alive. She glanced at Victor, now having second thoughts. Her teenage frame was rigid, her breath puffing in the cold. Was going into the basement a good idea?“Ready?” Victor asked, his voice a low whisper.Kate nodded, her jaw tight with tension. “Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”They started down, each metallic step groaning under their weight. The air grew thicker as they went—cold, damp, and sour with a stench that hit like a slap.Everything smelled like rotting flesh mixed with the tang of old metal. Kate coughed, pressing her sleeve to her nose.“What is that smell?” she whispered in a muffled voice. “
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