Location: Brooklyn, New York – Abandoned Metro Station
Time: 4:30 AM
The Genesis Override file felt heavier in Henri's pocket than any weapon he'd ever carried. The USB drive was simple—silver, Stark logo faint on its surface—but what it could do made Henri's stomach twist.
"Delete a system permanently."
That phrase kept echoing in his head.
And Deadpool's system fragment? That was another problem entirely.
Now, sitting in an old metro station turned underground base, Henri reviewed the last data logs.
> File: Mercenary-Class System Users
Status: RED MASK FACTION — Independent from SHIELD or Admin
Numbers: Unknown
Leaders: Unconfirmed
Henri exhaled slowly.
"So... there's an entire group of system users operating like mercenaries."
Sorin, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, spoke calmly:
"Deadpool wasn't acting alone."
Eyla sat nearby, sharpening her blade. "We need to find where they're based."
---
The Red Mask Theory
Henri flicked through holographic screens.
"The system doesn't list them as corrupted. Which means Admin lets them operate."
"Why?" Eyla asked.
Sorin answered first:
"Because they do the dirty work. People like us—who don't want to sync to Admin control? Red Masks hunt them."
Henri closed his eyes, remembering Node-X.
"That explains Axel Cain, too. He probably crossed them."
---
A New System Ping
Suddenly, Henri's system glowed with an alert:
> Incoming Signal: Red Mask Base Detected
Location: Old Helicarrier Wreckage – Atlantic Ocean
Authorization: Rogue Ping from System Fragment**
Henri's eyebrows raised.
"That's Deadpool. He left us a breadcrumb."
Eyla frowned. "You trust him?"
"No," Henri admitted, "but I trust his sense of chaos."
---
Mission: Helicarrier Ghost
Twelve hours later...
The Atlantic waves churned under grey skies. The remains of a once-mighty SHIELD Helicarrier drifted half-submerged, metal rusted, structure broken in half.
Inside its hollowed belly, flickering red lights moved like ghosts.
Henri, Eyla, and Sorin arrived via stealth drop pod, landing directly on Deck 7.
"Looks quiet," Eyla whispered.
Henri's gauntlet glowed faintly, scanning.
"Too quiet."
Suddenly—
> Enemy Detected: Red Mask Operative – Level 45
Sync Signature: Stable System Fragment User
From the shadows, masked figures stepped out. Red helmets. Black armor. Twin energy blades in hand.
One of them spoke through a modulated voice:
"System target identified. Henri Voss. Termination authorized."
---
Fight: Tri-Link Formation
Henri didn't hesitate.
"Tri-Link Formation—activate!"
Their team's synced combo technique pulsed:
Henri: Genesis Gauntlet, primary striker.
Eyla: Speed boost, twin daggers.
Sorin: Defense and suppression.
The three moved as one.
Henri punched first, slamming a Red Mask into the wall. Sparks flew.
Eyla blurred, slashing a second's armor at neck and wrist. Sparks and crimson code bled from the wound.
Sorin's sword swept wide, blocking three incoming strikes at once.
Even so, the Red Masks didn't fall easily. Their sync signatures regenerated quickly.
---
Henri's System Upgrade
Mid-fight, Henri's system triggered:
> Upgrade Available: Genesis Overdrive Tier II
Activate? Yes / No
Henri grit his teeth.
"Do it!"
> Genesis Overdrive Tier II Activated.
This time, golden lines traced along his skin under his jacket. His speed doubled. His gauntlet pulsed brighter.
He drove his fist into a Red Mask's helmet, shattering it completely.
Beneath the mask was...
...an empty face. No human. Just a blank sync shell.
"Holy..." Henri whispered. "They're not alive."
Eyla looked stunned.
"They're remote-controlled?"
Sorin's face darkened. "Admin puppets."
---
Into the Core
With the guards down, they reached the central core room. Red cables ran like veins along every surface. A huge terminal flickered with Admin language code.
Suddenly, a familiar voice crackled through speakers:
"Hey, Henri. Miss me?"
Henri scowled.
"Deadpool."
On a flickering monitor, Deadpool waved at them.
"Welcome to Red Mask central. Unfortunately, I'm not there right now. But I left you a present."
The system pinged:
> Core Access Opened. Genesis Override Upload Option Available.
Henri hesitated. Eyla asked, "You going to wipe them?"
That was the question.
If he uploaded Genesis Override here, every Red Mask in the world—controlled or not—would be erased from the system.
---
Decision Point
Henri closed his eyes, thinking about Axel Cain. About the balance between choice and control.
"No," he said finally. "We can't be the same as the Admins. If we delete without knowing who's real... we're no better."
Sorin nodded silently.
Eyla smiled faintly.
"Good call."
Instead, Henri uploaded a virus:
> Sync Virus Deployed: Red Mask Control Disrupted.
Across the world, Red Mask operatives would freeze. Systems jammed.
A temporary win.
---
Aftermath
Back aboard their jet, Henri stared out the window as the Helicarrier burned quietly behind them.
"Deadpool... why help us?" Eyla asked aloud.
Sorin shrugged.
"Maybe some part of him still remembers being human."
Henri glanced at the Genesis Override USB in his hand.
There were bigger fights ahead. Admin factions. Rogue system users. Even Earth's own heroes getting involved.
But for now, they'd bought time.
And sometimes, that was enough.
---
✅ End of Chapter 13