The gates swung open, and Olissa, Buveur, and Breaton stepped forward cautiously. Before they could fully enter, a squadron of League of Enders personnel emerged from the shadows, surrounding them with guns drawn.
"Do not move," a stern voice boomed. "If you do, then you will be shot."
Olissa, Buveur, and Breaton froze, their hands instinctively rising in surrender as the muzzles of the guns pressed against their faces. The air was tense with anticipation, and the only sound was the heavy breathing of the League members.
Gus's voice came through the comms system, calm and authoritative. "Secure them and bring them in for questioning."
"Why are we being treated like criminals?" Buveur demanded, his voice laced with defiance.
"Shut up and stay still!" one of the guards barked, pressing the muzzle of his gun harder against Buveur's temple. "You'll be told what to do when you're inside."
Buveur's eyes flashed with anger, but he wisely chose to remain silent, the defiance still evident in his gaze. Olissa and Breaton exchanged worried glances, their faces pale with fear.
The guards roughly patted them down, searching for any hidden weapons or devices. Satisfied that they were unarmed, the guards bound their wrists with heavy restraints.
"Let's move," one of the guards growled, pushing them toward the entrance. "You're coming with us."
As the guards pushed them forward, Buveur, Olissa, and Breaton were forced to march toward the entrance. The League of Enders' personnel surrounded them, their guns still trained on the trio.
Inside, the corridors were dimly lit, with an eerie silence that seemed to swallow all sound. The guards led them deeper into the complex, finally stopping at a heavily reinforced door.
The guard in charge swiped his ID card, and the door slid open with a hiss. "In here," he growled, shoving them inside.
The room was small, with cold, metallic walls and a single, flickering light overhead. A solitary table stood in the center, with two chairs on one side and one on the other.
"Wait here," the guard said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Someone will be with you shortly."
The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Buveur, Olissa, and Breaton alone in the cold, unforgiving space. Buveur's eyes met Olissa's, and he could see the fear and uncertainty reflected back at him.
"What do you think they are going to do with us?" Breaton whispered, his voice barely audible.
Buveur's gaze locked onto the door. "We'll find out soon enough."
Just then, an automatic voice sounded, "Scanning detainees." A red light flashed through three times before the automatic voice spoke again, "Scanning complete." Gus read the information from the scan that was updated to his tablet. The automatic voice from the tablet read out loud:
"Detainee (1): Gender Male, Age mid-twenties, Race: Hybrid of a Vampire and Werewolf, Power Range: 1500 out of 1500, Name: Unknown. Vital Signs: Blood Pressure 120/80 mmHg, Heart Rate 90 bpm, Body Temperature 37.2°C (98.96°F). No further information.
Detainee (2): Gender Male, Age mid-twenties, Race: Hybrid of a Half-human and Half-demon, Power Range: 2500 out of 4000, Name: Unknown. Vital Signs: Blood Pressure 130/90 mmHg, Heart Rate 100 bpm, Body Temperature 37.5°C (99.5°F). No further information.
Detainee (3): Gender Female, Race: Hybrid Witche Half-human/Half-demon, Power Range: 7000 out of 9000, Name: Unknown. Vital Signs: Blood Pressure 110/70 mmHg, Heart Rate 80 bpm, Body Temperature 36.9°C (98.42°F). Additional information: Pregnancy detected, Estimated status of pregnancy approximately 1 month. Fetal heart rate: 150 bpm. No further information."
Gus's eyes narrowed as he studied the scan results on his tablet. The detainees' power ranges were impressive, especially the female's 7000 out of 9000. But it was the pregnancy that caught his attention.
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. A pregnant hybrid with that level of power could be a game-changer. But what were her intentions? And who was the father?
Gus's thoughts were interrupted by a chime from his comms system. "Director Gus, we have a situation in the holding cell," his assistant's voice reported.
Gus's gaze snapped back to the screens displaying the holding cell's feed. The detainees were agitated, with the male hybrids pacing back and forth. The female detainee sat calmly, her eyes fixed on the door.
"What kind of situation?" Gus asked, his voice firm.
"They're demanding to know why they're being held, sir. The male hybrids are getting aggressive," his assistant replied.
Gus's expression turned calculating. Time to pay them a visit.
Gus's expression softened slightly as he gazed at the detainees on the screen. "On second thought, have someone send them some food," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
His assistant looked uncertain, furrowing his brow. "But, Director, I don't know what to feed them," he said, his voice laced with concern.
Gus's smile grew wider as he leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Get a pen and paper, and write this down. For the lady: a fruit salad, 4 cucumber sandwiches, a cup of peppermint tea, and a bottle of water. For the demon hybrid man: get him a slice of cheesecake, 2 cheeseburgers, and a side dish with two beers. And for the vampire hybrid: get him a gallon of blood and a large steak," he said, his voice dripping with calculated indulgence.
The assistant nodded hastily, jotting down the orders with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. "Yes, Director. I'll make sure to get this sent over immediately."
As the assistant hurried out of the room, Gus leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. He couldn't help but wonder how the detainees would react to his little gesture of goodwill. Would they be grateful, or would they see it for what it was – a calculated move to gain their cooperation?
The door chimed again, and Gus's gaze flicked to the screen as the food was delivered to the detainees. The lady's eyes lit up as she took in the spread before her, and she began eating with a delicate touch. The demon hybrid dug into his cheeseburgers with gusto, while the vampire hybrid's eyes seemed to gleam in the dim light as he lifted the gallon of blood to his lips.
Gus's smile grew wider as he watched, his mind racing with possibilities. This could be the start of something interesting.
To be continued....