The day arrived to confront the council and hold them accountable for their actions. The plan, though still in its infancy after just a week of preparation, instilled a sense of determination in them. They couldn't afford to fail, not after coming this far.
Sophia and Elaine convened in the morning at a nearby coffee shop, situated close to what they now called the Rogue headquarters. Over cups of coffee, they engaged in small talk, but Sophia sensed Elaine's nervousness beneath the surface.
"Elaine, don't worry, this will work. Just trust me," Sophia reassured her. Elaine nodded silently, clinging to the hope that the enforcer's confidence was well-placed.
"Right, let's get started," Elaine declared, sliding off her stool at the coffee shop and leading the way to the door, with Sophia following closely behind.
They drove to the hospital where David, her father, was being treated. As they arrived, Elaine took a moment to steel herself. She knew that making a public appearance in a hospital controlled by the council would inevitably lead to her capture, sooner or later.
She stormed through the door and headed straight to where she was told her father was being kept.
"Ma'am, you can't just barge in like that," a nurse called after her, but Elaine pressed on, disregarding the woman's protests. She could hear the nurse calling for security as she made her way through the hospital corridors.
Finally, Elaine reached her father's room and entered, seeing him in person for the first time since their swap at BioOrg. He had been awaiting her arrival, having been briefed by Philip on the details of their plan and his role in it all. As soon as their eyes met, she recognized him from the pictures she had seen, and deep down, she knew it was him. Tears welled up in his eyes, and she watched as they paused at the wrinkles by his eyes before gently cascading down his cheek. Despite his frail appearance, his smile stretched from ear to ear. Elaine approached his bedside and clasped his hand, feeling her own tears streaming down her cheeks. He was so thin, yet she could still sense the tenacity radiating from him. She let her energy flow through her hands, providing warmth and comfort to her father.
"Your mother used to do that all the time," he said, his voice filled with emotion. Elaine smiled at his statement, wishing she could have known her mother too.
Their tender moment was abruptly interrupted as the door flew open and the room filled with security personnel and a handful of enforcers.
"Sir, are you okay?" they asked, concern evident in their voices.
"Well, I'd be better if you weren't interrupting my time with my daughter," he responded, his tone firm and slightly irritated.
They all exchanged confused glances, uncertain of their next move.
"She's aligned herself with the rogues and must be brought to justice," one of the enforcers declared. "I'm sorry, sir, but we have to bring her in."
The enforcer reached for Elaine's arm to forcibly remove her from the room. In response, her father hurled a tiny speck of energy at the man, who looked startled by the unexpected action.
"Let go of my girl, or the next one won't be so gentle," her father warned sternly.
Just then, Sophia stormed into the room, adding another layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere.
"Sorry, sir, we have our orders to apprehend her and take her in awaiting a trial. You may speak in her defense at that point, but if you do not allow us to do our jobs, we will fight," Sophia stated firmly, with the other enforcers nodding in agreement.
"I decline a trial. I choose penalty thirty-two for siding with the rogues, with all of you as my witnesses now," Elaine declared, adhering to their rehearsed plan.
Penalty thirty-two was the only option an accused person could choose for themselves under council laws. It meant forgoing an official trial and instead challenging a champion chosen by the council to a duel to the death. Nobody chose it because the council always selected someone ruthless, ensuring certain death. However, it also meant that the entire council and many notable figures would be present. If they truly wanted to bring down the scoundrels, it had to be in a public setting.
"That is certain death," Sophia exclaimed, her shock seemingly genuine.
Elaine nodded solemnly in response. Sophia turned to her fellow enforcers and issued orders.
"I will safeguard the prisoner myself until the council's appointed time. You," she pointed to another enforcer whom she clearly outranked, "relay the message to the council and inform them that I will await their response here. The rest of you, secure this hospital and increase security outside. Nobody goes in or out without my knowledge."
The enforcers dispersed, each taking up their assigned tasks.
"Imagine that I'm not even here," Sophia said with a smile as she settled onto a couch in the corner of the room.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Elaine's father said, concern etched on his features.
"I do," Elaine reassured him confidently.
They sat and conversed about years' worth of missed moments, relishing the chance to get to know each other at last. Despite the urgency of their situation, they found solace in their shared experiences and odd similarities. However, they were acutely aware that the council wouldn't afford them much time, especially with Roberts' eagerness to capture Elaine. They suspected that Roberts must have Rutherford hidden somewhere, ready to execute his plans.
Meanwhile, Philip's mission was to draw out Rutherford. Rumors suggested that the human hybrids injected with nanobots containing Philip's energy were aligning themselves with Rutherford, seeking to enhance their newfound abilities. However, they seemed to have forgotten the grim reality of their imprisonment and the likelihood of being disposable to Rutherford. Philip had tasked himself with reaching out to Daniel and Sandy to confirm these rumors and ascertain which side they truly stood on.
It wasn't long before the council responded, sending their decree through an enforcer who barged into the room with a folded-up letter, which he handed to Sophia.
"Tomorrow at 5 pm, your opponent is yet to be determined," Sophia announced, her gaze shifting to Elaine. With a silent nod, Sophia dismissed the enforcer, leaving them in a heavy silence. They had expected the council to name Elaine's challenger, and the absence of that detail left them uneasy.
Later that night, Philip and Aaron joined them in the hospital room, and the five of them sat together, poring over the information and strategizing. The reality was sinking in—there was no predicting what would happen next. Philip's attempts to reach Daniel and Sandy had failed, leaving them with a gaping hole in their plan. It seemed as though their carefully crafted strategy was unraveling in more ways than one, but with the looming confrontation, there was no turning back now.
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They all arrived at the main courtroom building, including David, who stubbornly ignored their objections. Elaine couldn't help but notice the source of her own stubbornness.
Aaron led them through the imposing building to a set of large double doors at the rear. As the doors swung open, they were greeted by a scene resembling a small stadium, with approximately fifty rows of bleachers stretching out before them. At one end of the room, a raised platform held ten high-backed chairs lined up in a row. It was clear that the councilmen wanted a front-row seat for the upcoming gladiatorial proceedings.
As Philip and Elaine stood off to the side of the door, observing the influx of people into the arena and taking in their surroundings, Aaron proceeded to take his seat among the council chairs. Meanwhile, David and Sophia positioned themselves at opposite ends of the ground level, ready to intervene if needed. Philip remained by the door, prepared to assist Elaine and to let the rebels in if necessary. As the councilmen filled their seats, two remained conspicuously empty—one for councilman Adly and the other for Chief Roberts.
"What if he doesn't show?" Elaine whispered to Philip, her concern evident. How would their plan to bring him down work if he wasn't even present?
"Don't worry, just focus on beating whoever they pit up against you. You just need to knock them unconscious," Philip reassured her, his voice calm amidst the chaos.
The cacophony of voices, all speaking at once, was deafening, and Elaine could feel the nervous butterflies in her gut taking flight.
Suddenly, one of the councilmen stood authoritatively and yelled, "Order!" Gradually, the voices of the crowd diminished to a low hum.
The councilman continued his announcement, "Chief councilman Roberts will not be..."
"Thank you, councilman!" Roberts's voice thundered from behind her as he strode through the door and took his place in the center seat at the opposite end of the arena.
"I apologize for my tardiness! I was setting some facts straight before coming here today," he continued, his smile beaming at everyone present. "I know just how much most of you enjoy these proceedings as they are becoming a rarity these days."
The assembly erupted into applause and nods of agreement.
"Unfortunately, I will have to call the whole thing off on the basis of unlawfulness. Penalty thirty-two stipulates that after a person chooses the duel, the council is to provide a champion of their peers. That is, a champion with the same abilities as the defendant based on their type of internal Fire. In this case, the defendant is a hybrid!"
Immediately, the crowd began to whisper and murmur, punctuated by occasional shouts. One person called for a fight regardless, while another demanded to see the hybrid bleed.
"Order! Order!" Roberts bellowed with a smirk. "The defendant comes from strong lineage. Hence, the only suitable sentence is imprisonment. Enforcers, carry out the sentence!" Roberts concluded, his voice authoritative.
Immediately, Elaine found herself surrounded by Philip and Sophia. The blue glow around them simmered with anger, indicating their readiness to fight to the death if necessary. Elaine erected a green shield around all three of them and waited as the enforcers began to close in. David rose slowly from his seat and made his way over to where the councilmen were seated. Roberts appeared taken aback by his unexpected presence.
"Silence!" David's voice thundered, accompanied by a large flaming cloud of energy that erupted towards the ceiling. The room fell into immediate quietude, a testament to his commanding presence. Elaine realized why Roberts sought to imprison him; there was no denying who would have led these people had he been free.
With composed authority, David addressed the councilmen, "It has come to my knowledge that Chief Councilman Roberts was involved in my imprisonment years ago. He has colluded with Rutherford in the kidnapping and experimentation on our people. I have witnessed countless deaths at their hands, including that of my wife. Elaine is indeed a hybrid, my daughter. Roberts seeks her imprisonment solely for further experimentation, just as he has done to numerous others."
Whispers erupted once more, and some seemed inclined to believe David's words.
"David, my old friend," Roberts retorted smoothly. "It appears that the traumas you've endured have clouded your judgment. Rutherford acts independently, serving the highest bidder. Initially, the rogues had him under their sway, as Philip can attest to his imprisonment over the years. However, I managed to negotiate with him, turning him against the rogues. It all began with that hybrid!" He jabbed a finger accusingly at Elaine. "Bring in the exhibits!" he commanded.
The doors swung open, and a procession of twenty to thirty people filed into the room. Among them were Daniel and Sandy.
"I present to you the human subjects we liberated from Rutherford's grasp," Roberts declared, pointing towards Daniel. "Show them!"
Daniel grinned confidently, conjuring a green shield around himself with his left hand before summoning a bolt of blue fire with his right. The spectators watched in awe.
Roberts pressed on, "Observe what we've achieved with just a week of extracting the Anima Mea hormone from the hybrid. Consider the possibilities if all our people possessed this ability! I only approached those who were willing; never did I act against anyone's consent. There is nothing unethical about my endeavors."
Elaine scrutinized the auras surrounding the new hybrids, noting the lack of harmony between the green and blue energies. It seemed as though each person's aura was divided, with two opposing forces in conflict.
"Philip, do you see their auras?" she whispered.
Philip and Sophia turned their attention to her, awaiting her assessment.
"No," Philip whispered back.
"What do you see?" Sophia inquired softly.
"Their blue and green fires are at war with each other," Elaine explained, struggling to articulate the complexity of what she saw.
Sandy closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. "I just informed Aaron."
"I will not stand for this!" Aaron declared, rising to his feet. "This goes against the very laws of nature; these men and women look like they are dying. How many of your willing subjects succumbed to an untimely death?"
"I do not have to answer to you or anyone else," Roberts persisted, unwavering in his stance. It was clear that the decisive moment was upon them. "If you seek more power, then you are with me. If you choose to oppose scientific advancements, then you are against me."
People began to rise and move, dividing themselves until two factions emerged, standing on opposite sides of the arena. It appeared that most of the enforcers sided with Roberts.
Immediately, the hybrids erected a green forcefield to protect themselves. Elaine was left to summon a shield for all those on her side.
Suddenly, the doors behind them burst open, and Tom, Agent 5, and the other rogues spilled in, lending her shield much-needed support. David and Agent 5 exchanged an odd look, but they both turned their gazes to the battle about to ensue.
Flashes of blue were flying from both factions, but thanks to their rogue friends, their shields were much stronger. Orbs were hurled, lightning bolts, bullet-like sparks—whatever the mind could conjure was used. Elaine focused on maintaining shields and hurling occasional energy orbs when she saw an opening. The hybrids were proving tough to beat, especially when they pulled out their weapons. Their rounds pierced through energy barriers.
Elaine noticed that some of her comrades were getting hit.
"Philip, we have to do this together!" Elaine yelled over the chaos.
Philip understood her plan. They drew closer together, allowing their arms to touch and their energies to intermingle. The amplification was palpable. Elaine placed one hand on Philip's shoulder while the other remained outstretched to maintain the shield with the rest. Philip bent down, and with a roar, unleashed all his energy, sending a tidal wave of concrete towards their assailants. The walls came crumbling down, enveloping their opponents in a cloud of dust and debris.
As the dust settled, silence hung heavy in the air. The chaotic scene had abruptly halted, and now everyone stood amidst the debris, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. Phillip and Elaine remained vigilant, guarding each other's backs, while David, Agent 5, Aaron, and Sophia stood nearby.
As the haze dissipated, it became clear that Roberts and his followers had vanished into the surrounding treelines, escaping the aftermath of their failed coup.
Elaine glanced around, taking stock of who remained on their side. Among them were five councilmen, several audience members, and the rogues.
"What now?" she voiced, her question hanging in the air.
"Now, you and Phillip will sit down for a long-overdue chat with Catherine and me," David declared, casting a meaningful glance at Agent 5.
Elaine's jaw dropped in disbelief. Agent 5 was actually Catherine. Her mother.
The End! Or perhaps, the beginning...