In the Cell  

13th March 2162

2:00 Am

In the dimly lit cell, the air was thick with the hum of machinery. A soldier stood, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, trying to maintain focus on the cage before him. His shoulders slumped slightly, and he blinked furiously, struggling to stay alert. Captain John approached silently, placing a firm hand on the soldier's shoulder. 

John  (his voice both stern and understanding) - Hey. No sleeping.

 The soldier straightened up immediately. 

Soldier - Yes, Captain. Sorry, Captain.

John's expression softened slightly.

John - Go have a coffee for yourself. You need to stay sharp.

Soldier - Thank you, Captain.

Soldier, relief was evident in his voice as he made his way out of the cell. As the soldier left, John turned to the others gathered near the cage. They were whispering amongst themselves, their curiosity barely contained.

Soldier 1 - How long has it been now?

Soldier 2 - Almost fourteen hours, The sedative gas must be potent. He hasn't stirred once.

the younger soldier inquired, his voice tinged with anxiety. 

Soldier 3 - Do you think he'll wake up soon?

John stepped closer, his gaze locked on the cage. 

John - We don’t know. The sedative's strength is unprecedented, but we need to be prepared for when he does.

Soldier 4 - What do you think he knows? What kind of information could he have?

John sighed, running a hand through his hair. 

John (irritated) - That’s the question, isn’t it? If the council wanted him so badly, it has to be something significant. Something worth all this trouble.

The soldiers fell silent, the hum of the machines filled the air once more, a reminder of the delicate balance they were maintaining.

John (continued) - Whatever it is, we need to stay vigilant. The moment he wakes up, we need to be ready to act. No mistakes.

The soldiers nodded, determination hardening their expressions. John’s words were a stark reminder of the gravity of their task. 

In the Monitoring Room

Oliver stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring intently at the cage. The dim blue lights cast eerie shadows on his face. June, standing beside him, broke the silence.

June - Who else knows about this?

Oliver glanced at her, then turned back to the cage. 

Oliver - Apart from you, there are only a few I trust. John and Mathew are among them. Dutch as well.

June - What are their thoughts on this?

Oliver - Mathew thinks I want to start a rebellion against the council. He made it clear that if I ever do, he'll stand against me.

June listened silently, absorbing his words. 

Oliver (continued) - As for John, he wants answers to his own questions.

June - Questions? About what? 

Oliver sighed, shaking his head slightly. 

Oliver - I don’t know exactly. John's been elusive about it. He knows something as well. I just can’t take it out directly. So I am waiting.

In the Cell

 Captain John stood close to the cage, peering through its small window. He squinted, trying to discern the features of the figure inside. He tries to recognize the face of Darius, barely visible through the sedative fog.

Location: Unknown

11:10 pm

Darius grabbed Marzell’s arm, halting him in his tracks. 

Darius - Wait.

Marzell turned, a hint of impatience in his eyes. 

Marzell - What do you want, Darius?

Darius took a deep breath. 

Darius - I need to hear your plan again. Maybe I can make it work.

Marzell (sighed) - I already told everyone, the success rate of my plan is zero.

Darius (insisted) - Tell me again, Maybe there's something we missed.

Marzell studied Darius for a moment before nodding. 

Marzell - Fine. The main objective is to eliminate the military’s top elite. My sources from the inside told me that there is a buzz of a mysterious headhunter responsible for killing many of their soldiers, my best guess, sooner and later, they’ll be hunting him down.

Darius (frowned) - And?

Marzell pulled out his phone and opened an image of the Ardonia City airport. 

Marzell - This airport is now a military base. Its power supply comes from a nearby power plant, which is running from backup. My boys have been watching it for a long time. It's guarded, but nothing the boys can’t take care of. I’ve been told that this headhunter is a next level pain in the ass kinda problem, but they don't have any confirmation, so they will not act. Therefore, If we can somehow use that mysterious headhunter to create an event that draws all the military’s elites here to kill him, we can cut them off from the Dome. No supplies, no safety barriers, no backup.

Darius's eyes narrowed as he examined the image. 

Darius - And then?

Marzell - If we can lure a horde of headhunters towards the base, they’ll infiltrate it. The soldiers will be too busy fighting them off, creating a distraction. That’ll give us the chance to get our hands on their shiny weapons and vehicles. Once we have those, we can wipe them all out, Soldiers and Headhunters…. However, the success of this plan hinges on capturing that mysterious headhunter, and that's technically impossible.

Darius - Unless we have an ace up our sleeve.

Marzell’s eyes lit up with curiosity.

Marzell - I have a feeling you have one

Darius hesitated, his mind racing. He remembered the power he had, the power he feared to use. Seeing his hesitation, Marzell put a hand on Darius’s shoulder. 

Marzell - Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid? Afraid to kill them all? Open your eyes, Darius. You’ve already done it before, and your people need you to do it again.

In the Cell

John stood outside the cage, peering through the small window. Inside, Darius stuck still, his eyes closed. Suddenly, Darius's eyelids slowly open. John looks on the emptiness in his gaze, a void where a soul should be. Then, without warning, Darius’s eyes locked onto John’s, intense and unyielding.

Darius tried to speak, but the mask over his mouth muffled his words. His muffled attempts grew more desperate, and John could see the frustration building. John commanded, turning to the soldiers and technical staff nearby.

John - Check his vitals, Now.

A flurry of activity followed. Technicians hurried to their stations, monitoring Darius’s heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs.

One technician reported - Heart rate is elevated.

Another technician added - Respiration as well.

John nodded, his eyes never leaving Darius. 

John - Keep monitoring him. We need to know if there’s any change.

One of the soldiers approached John, concern etched on his face. 

Soldier - Sir, do you think he's trying to tell us something?

John considered this, watching Darius struggle against the mask. 

John - Possibly. But we can't take any chances. The mask stays on.

Darius's eyes blazed with frustration, and he slammed his fist against the wall of the cage, making a thumping sound. The soldiers flinched, their hands instinctively moving towards their weapons. John, holding up a hand to calm them.

John - Easy, He's just frustrated, Like an animal. Keep an eye on him, but don't engage unless necessary.

A soldier entered from the back of the room, his eyes red from lack of sleep, yawned and tried to focus. John notices and yells. 

John (Yells) - Hey. No sleeping on the job.

Soldier (snapped to attention) - Yes, Captain. Sorry, Captain.

John turned back to the cage, meeting Darius's gaze once more. He murmured under his breath, knowing Darius couldn't hear him.

John - Hang in there, We'll figure this out.

Darius's eyes softened for a moment, and he nodded slightly as if he understood. John felt a pang of sympathy but quickly buried it. There was no room for emotions.

John - Hey. VITALS.

Technician - Everything seems normal now.

John stood rigid, his eyes locked with Darius's calm, almost serene gaze. The tension in the room was palpable. Suddenly, Oliver's hand landed on John's shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie.

Oliver - I think he is in control now, Am I right?

A technician glanced at the monitors and nodded. 

Technician - Yes, sir. Vitals are stable, and no signs of agitation.

Oliver's lips curved into a satisfied smile. 

Oliver - Release the security on the cage. Open his mouth. It's time to have a little talk with you, Darius Beckett.

The room buzzed with activity as soldiers and technicians hurried to comply. A technician approached the cage and deactivated the security locks. The door creaked open, and another soldier stepped in to carefully remove the mask from Darius's mouth. Darius blinked and flexed his jaw, taking a deep breath. Oliver stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he studied Darius. 

Oliver - You've caused us quite a bit of trouble, Darius. I hope you have some answers.