Using their phones to communicate, Jai and Nera ran down the concrete stairwell. The air grew stale with each step until they entered the warehouse, dominated by towering metal shelves filled with cargo crates. The same OPP from earlier was docked at the loading bay, its hydraulic platform hissing as workers unloaded its contents.

Quickly crouching behind a stack of crates, Jai peered through its gaps, watching goons crack open the containers with crowbars. The sleek, glowing cylinders of Spirit Energy Cells were loaded into a plastic tube with a soft thunk, each suctioned into the assembly floor below. The workers moved with urgency, the day's work nearing completion.

"Nera, can you hear me alright?" Kalla's voice crackled through the phone speaker, distorted by the warehouse's thick walls.

"It's a little choppy from the shitty signal, but it'll do. What's the next move?"

On the other end of the line, Kalla responded. "It looks like you have two options, the elevator or an emergency stairwell. The cost should be clear after those men finish up."

"Perfect, we'll take it from here." Nera hung up, slipping the phone into her pocket. She turned to Jai, her expression hardening. "You stay here, I'll handle this part."

The goons completed their work, stacking the empty crates against the wall. Their boots scraped against the floor as they entered the elevator, unaware of the shadow that detached itself from the darkness behind them. As the doors began to slide closed, Nera's slender fingers punctured the narrowing gap. The doors reversed their motion with a mechanical whine, her sudden appearance catching the men off guard.

A visible transformation overtook Nera's features—her narrowed and sharpened, resembling those of a predatory fox. The light above cast dramatic shadows across her face, emphasizing an inhuman quality. Her pupils bisected, the Circuit activated.

"Kneel." She commanded, pointing downward.

The two men's bodies responded instantly as though invisible strings had been severed. Their knees struck the metal floor, faces contorting with confusion and strain as they fought against an invisible force controlling their movements. Drawing her hand back with slow, deliberate precision, Nera's fingers curled inward as if pulling on invisible threads. The men's skin visibly tightened, moisture collecting in the air around them as she extracted just enough water from their cells to render them unconscious. Their bodies slumped forward, breathing shallow but steady.

In the surveillance room, the scene played out in 4K. Kalla watched, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips as she witnessed Nera's ruthlessness.

Pulling that off as only a 4th year student? It's unheard of! Just how much are you keeping secret, Nera?

At Nera’s signal, Jai darted from his hiding spot. They stripped the guards, disguising themselves in uniforms scented with cigarette smoke. Jai adjusted his belt while Nera concealed her distinctive hair in the oversized cap. The elevator chimed softly as Nera pressed the bottom-floor button. The doors shut with a thud, and they descended with a slight lurch. Passing the middle floor, glass panels revealed the vast factory below—an industrial maze bathed in harsh light.

Determination filled Jai's voice as he responded, fist clenched at his side. "Right! You can count on me!"

The elevator doors parted, revealing a dramatically different environment. The room was compact and dimly lit by only the eerie blue glow emanating from the center. The energy core hovered in midair, suspended between pillars that extended from both ceiling and floor. A translucent energy shield surrounded it, the barrier shimmering with occasional ripples of power. The core itself pulsed with an inner light, casting shadows that danced across the walls. The vacuum chamber housing it kept it same from contamination, the sheer energy output from the small device defying comprehension.

Nera positioned herself beside the emergency exit, alert as she listened for footsteps. Jai stood at the ready, muscles tense with anticipation, waiting for his moment to strike. He executed a quick series of stretches, his joints popping softly in the quiet room as he prepared himself.

"3...2...1...Now!" Kalla's counted through the phone as she deactivated the security system, the shield surrounding the core flickering momentarily before disappearing entirely.

Jai shifted his weight to his right leg, the sole of his shoe squeaking against the polished floor as he spun on the ball of his foot. The energy cores glass surface appeared delicate. Focusing his concentration, he began his familiar technique—nine precise rotations, each one gathering more Spirit Energy than the last. Filled with invisible power as he completed the final rotation, his muscles coiled like springs as he prepared to release the accumulated force.

With a primal shout, he launched forward, fist extended. The impact reverberated through his arm as he struck the core with maximum force, his knuckles connecting with the glass.

Nothing.

The core remained intact; not even the faintest hairline fracture remained. Panic flushed over Jai, adrenaline surging through his veins. He stepped back, attempting the technique again—this time spinning even more times, gathering more Spirit Energy. His second strike landed with even greater force than the first, the impact sending vibrations through the floor beneath them.

Nothing.

The core gleamed mockingly in the dim light, completely unaffected. Confusion etched itself across Nera's features as she abandoned her post, approaching Jai with urgent steps. "What's the hold-up? We don't have much time!"

Sweat beaded on Jai's forehead, his breathing labored as he stared at his trembling hands. "I dunno... something is... not right..."

Desperation overtook him, dissolving his technique into a frenzied assault. His fists flew in a barrage of increasingly weaker blows, each one less coordinated than the last, until he exhausted himself. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor, his gaze unfocused as the reality of failure washed over him.

Why isn't it working?! Damnit... damnit... damnit! What's happening to me?

The room suddenly flashed a crimson light as the failsafe security system detected a threat. High-pitched alarms pierced the air, its wailing siren echoing throughout the entire facility. The energy shield rematerialized around the core with a crackling surge of power, the protection protocol reinstating itself automatically.

In the surveillance room, screens flashed red, bathing Kalla's face in its light. "What the hell is going on down there?" she demanded.

Nera's voice came through urgently, tinged with desperation as she looked down at Jai's defeated form. "He couldn't pull it off, we need to abort. Right now!"

The line went silent, the absence of response more ominous than any words.

"Kalla, do you copy? Kalla! Shit! No response, we've been found out!"

The surveillance room had been invaded, armed goons flooding through the doorway with weapons drawn. Kalla was nowhere to be seen, her station abandoned. A security technician quickly reclaimed the terminal, fingers dancing across the keyboard as they activated protective measures. A second energy shield solidified with renewed strength, bathing the room in intensified blue light.

Grabbing Jai, Nera repeatedly jabbed the elevator call button, the metal panel unresponsive. The display remained dark, and access to upper levels were completely cut off. The doors opened unexpectedly, catching Nera off guard before quickly rendering her unconscious with a tranquilizer.

The emergency stairwell door exploded open, slamming against the wall with a deafening crash. Armed guards poured through the opening, their weapons aimed at the intruders. Tactical lights mounted on gun barrels cut through the dim lighting, harsh white beams illuminating Jai's limp body from multiple angles. With nowhere to turn and all escape routes blocked, they found themselves surrounded, the cold reality of capture settling over them.

By some stroke of fortune, Kalla had detected their approach moments before the security breach, slipping away just in time. Taking refuge inside an empty crate, its interior smelling of sawdust and ozone. Through a narrow crack between boards, she watched as the once-empty warehouse transformed into a hive of activity, guards swarming the facility. Their plan laid in ruins, and Kalla was their only remaining hope.

She pulled out her phone and sent a text message. Her thumbs moved rapidly, condensing their dire situation into brief, urgent phrases.

                                                                                        Big Bro

~ Need help! Jade Drinkery, Kappa Sector. Underground illegal facility, all armed, stuck in a crate.

-WTH Kal!?

  

~ No time to explain, Hurry!

- Alr! But you owe me one!

Upstairs in the tavern, a queue had formed outside the bathroom, unaware that no one was inside. At the front, a large bald man pounded on the door, his face strained, but no response came from within.

In a secluded booth, the boss lounged among elegantly dressed women, his cigar’s smoke collecting at the roof. His phone vibrated, and as he listened to an underling report attempted sabotage, his expression darkened. Rage twisted his features, his teeth snapping the cigar, scattering embers onto the table. He ended the call sharply, tucking the device away with restrained fury.

Rising, he adjusted his suit. "Excuse me, ladies. Duty calls."

He moved through the tavern, his towering frame forcing people aside. His tailored suit barely contained his muscular build. Slicked-back greying hair framed a face weathered by experience, hidden behind dark sunglasses. Reaching the bathroom, he shoved aside waiting customers and kicked the door in. The floor was gaping open where the tiles had been removed, exposing the ventilation shaft.

Emerging back into the main area, he drew a chrome-plated pistol from beneath his jacket. The weapon gleamed dangerously as he aimed it at the ceiling and fired a single shot. Silencing all conversation instantly, plaster dust rained down as the bullet embedded itself in the woodwork.

"Everyone get the hell outta here! Right now!"

The tavern cleared with remarkable speed, patrons abandoning their drinks and belongings in their haste to escape. Within seconds, only his undercover operatives remained, men and women who moved with the precision of trained professionals. At a snap of his fingers, they assembled around him, weapons appearing from concealed holsters as they prepared to follow his lead. Behind the ornate wall of displayed liquor bottles, a hidden door opened with the press of a concealed button. The entire shelving unit slid aside, revealing an elevator that contrasted the tavern's aesthetic. The boss ordered his entourage to keep watch as the elevator doors sealed him in to descend toward the captured intruders.

The elevator opened directly into the boss's office on the middle floor. Through floor-to-ceiling windows, the factory floor was visible below, the production line continuing its relentless assembly of weapons. Jai and Nera had been secured to metal chairs bolted to the floor, thick rope binding their wrists and ankles. Jais face showed signs of rough handling from previous interrogation. The floor trembled perceptibly with each thunderous step as the boss approached, his massive form towering over the captured students. Standing before them, he removed his sunglasses, revealing cold eyes that assessed them with calculating precision.

His voice rumbled from deep within his chest."Well well well. What do we have here?"

Fifteen long minutes went by while Kalla remained within her wooden sanctuary. Through the narrow gap between planks, she kept watch on the goons' search of the warehouse, their flashlights sweeping across the boxes. Without warning, the men abandoned their search positions, boots pounding against the floor as they ran toward something beyond her field of vision. Curiosity overcame caution, and Kalla carefully lifted the crate's lid, straining to get a good look.

"Gotcha!" A face suddenly appeared above her, features illuminated by a beam directed downward into her hiding place. "Took you long enough to get in trouble."

Kalla's heart dropped painfully before recognition dawned—it was Xavier. Realizing she'd fallen victim to his ill-timed prank, her terror receded, replaced by relief.

"It's about damn time, big brother."

The cavalry has arrived!