Cyber-Sterling moved like liquid death. One arm was pure metal with energy weapons. The other was human flesh enhanced beyond recognition. Its face was half machine, half the man Alex remembered killing.
"You cannot paradox me," it said, firing energy blasts that melted concrete. "I have transcended the limitations of artificial systems."
Alex dodged desperately. His enhanced speed barely kept him ahead of Sterling's attacks.
"Maya! Any weaknesses?"
"Scanning... He's using a fusion core to power multiple enhancement systems. But Alex, the energy output is off the charts!"
Sterling's mechanical laughter filled the destroyed laboratory. "I am powered by the life force of every student in this facility. Their deaths make me stronger!"
*MORAL OUTRAGE ACTIVATED*
*ALL SYSTEMS BOOSTED*
*RIGHTEOUS FURY: MAXIMUM*
Alex felt something change inside him. The cold calculation of his villain system was overwhelmed by genuine anger at innocent lives lost.
"Elena! David! How many students are still alive?"
"Seventeen on floor four!" Elena reported. "But they're dying fast!"
"Then we end this now."
Alex stopped running and turned to face Sterling directly. Energy blasts scorched the air around him as he walked forward.
"You want to know what's stronger than any system?" Alex asked, continuing his advance despite the damage he was taking.
"Enlighten me before you die."
"Choice." Alex was close enough to see the madness in Sterling's human eye. "Systems can be hacked, reprogrammed, destroyed. But choosing to protect innocent people? That's unbreakable."
*SYSTEM TRANSCENDENCE ACHIEVED*
*ALEX CHEN: TRUE HERO STATUS*
*UNLIMITED POWER UNLOCKED*
Alex moved faster than Sterling could track. His fist connected with the fusion core in Sterling's chest.
The explosion leveled the building.
When the smoke cleared, Alex stood over Sterling's broken form. The cyborg was still alive, but barely.
"Impossible," Sterling wheezed. "You were designed to be a villain."
"I was designed to choose." Alex knelt beside his dying enemy. "And I chose to be better than my programming."
Sterling's human eye focused on Alex one last time. "The other sites... there are twelve more facilities..."
"Where?"
But Sterling was already gone, his fusion core finally dying.
*PROJECT OLYMPUS: PHASE 2 DISCOVERED*
*TWELVE FACILITIES WORLDWIDE*
*THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS*
Alex stood up, looking at the destruction around him. His friends were climbing through the rubble, injured but alive. Federal agents were evacuating the surviving students.
"Maya," he said quietly. "Find those facilities."
"Already on it, boss. I'll have locations in an hour."
"Elena, we need a bigger team."
"I'll contact every enhanced individual we trust. This ends now."
"David?"
"The UN is convening an emergency session. We'll have international support."
Alex nodded, then activated his system's communication function to send a message to every enhanced human on Earth.
*GLOBAL BROADCAST: ALEX CHEN TO ALL SYSTEM USERS*
*PROJECT OLYMPUS IS NOT DEAD*
*THEY ARE STILL EXPERIMENTING ON INNOCENTS*
*TWELVE FACILITIES REMAIN ACTIVE*
*WHO STANDS WITH ME?*
The response was immediate. Hundreds of system users from around the world signaling their willingness to help.
Heroes and villains. Thieves and paladins. All united by one common goal: protecting the innocent.
*ARMY ASSEMBLED*
*GLOBAL MISSION: RESCUE OPERATION*
*TARGET: COMPLETE OLYMPUS DESTRUCTION*
Alex looked at his core team - Maya, Elena, David, and Director Chen. They'd been through hell together. Now they were about to do it eleven more times.
"Ready for a world tour?" he asked.
Elena smiled. "Wouldn't miss it."
Maya cracked her knuckles. "Time to delete some monsters."
David's golden energy flickered around his hands. "For justice."
Director Chen checked her weapon. "For the victims."
Alex activated his travel system. "Then let's go save the world."
*PHASE 2 BEGINS*
*TWELVE CITIES*
*TWELVE BATTLES*
*ONE MISSION*