The Cement Factory
In front of the massive gate, several armored black vehicles rolled to a stop. Guards stepped out fast, securing the area as a luxurious black car arrived. One guard opened the rear door.
Victor Morelli stepped out.
He wore a long coat over a white formal suit. A luxurious fox tail, orange-red, rested around his neck like a crown.
He walked inside, smoking a thick cigar.
The factory roared with noise.
Machines thundered. Loading cranes moved nonstop.
Purple and blue uniforms everywhere. Yellow helmets. Cement dust choking the air.
Victor moved with his guards toward a secured room. They entered an elevator and descended underground.
He was going to inspect his hostages.
The prison level was loud, prisoners shouting—until the elevator doors opened.
The guards slammed metal batons against iron bars.
"QUIET! Everyone back to your cells!"
Victor stepped forward, speaking calmly to one of his attendants.
"How are things here?"
"Everything is good, sir."
"Really? That's unexpected from killers. No fights? No trouble between them?" Victor asked.
"No, sir. Everything is completely under control."
"They've become well-behaved. That's good," Victor said with a cold smile. "Shame they'll be leaving soon."
"Yes. Even their behavior with the guards improved after the rumor spread—that whoever wins all their matches against mutants will be set free."
Victor burst into laughter. Loud. Cruel.
"And where did they get that idea?"
He leaned closer. "They're all sentenced to death anyway. Letting them fight until they die is a favor. I give them meaning. I let them die like men—after long entertainment. What more could they want from such a blessing?"
He turned toward the mutant wing.
He walked slowly past the cells, inspecting them one by one with his attendant.
Then he stopped.
The cell of the child, Dalele.
Victor stared through the glass—soundproof, vision-sealed.
"How is my little warrior?" he asked softly. "Is she injured?"
"No. Severe psychological pressure and Deep depression."
"I see," Victor said. "Treat her. Any way you can. We can't let her fight like this. She's strong. She can overcome it."
He moved on to Samir's cell.
"The big brother," Victor said. "Why isn't he with his sister? Being together would help the girl."
"But sir—two mutants in one cell is dangerous. Control will be difficult during extraction."
"Don't exaggerate," Victor replied. "She needs comfort. Put him with her later."
He continued.
He passed Samado's cell. Samado was eating breakfast. Victor said nothing. Just watched. Then walked on.
He stopped at Soyu Zaki's cell.
"Well, well. Our boy looks good," Victor said, pleased.
"Yes. His condition improved very quickly."
Soyu Zaki sat on the floor in meditation. Calm. Wearing gray clothes. Massive iron chains wrapped from his neck down to his hands and feet.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open—neon blue. Through them, he saw the room bathed in dark blue, and Victor and his attendant appeared behind the reinforced glass as two moving, nerve-like skeletal forms.
Victor whispered, tension low, "Can he see us with those eyes?"
"I don't think so, sir. The glass blocks sound and vision."
Suddenly, a guard ran in, panicked.
"Sir! Sir! There's something you need to see!"
Victor turned sharply, eyebrow raised.
"What is it?"
"Someone breached our security systems easily. Entered the underground level… and left."
"You're joking," Victor snapped. "How the hell did that happen?!"
He stormed toward the control room, rage boiling in every step.
Inside, workers stood frozen. The fat supervisor was shaking.
"What happened here?!" Victor demanded.
"Look!" a technician said.
Security footage rolled.
A man—Diego—walking freely through the underground corridors. Passing prisoner cells. Passing the mutant wing. Like he owned the place.
Victor's face turned red with fury.
"Who was responsible at this time?!"
Silence.
Workers slowly pointed at the trembling supervisor.
Victor lowered his voice.
"Where were you?"
"I… I was exhausted… my eyes betrayed me," the man stammered.
"You were sleeping on duty," Victor said coldly. "Take him."
The supervisor collapsed to his knees, crying.
"Please, sir! I have children! A family waiting for me!"
Three guards dragged him away.
"Please forgive me! I swear it won't happen again!"
The room fell silent.
Victor stood still.
"Some mistakes are unforgivable."
He turned to the screen, staring at Diego's image.
"Who are you?" he thought. "And who do you work for?"
Then he spoke.
"Send his image to all units. If you see him again, I want him alive. Tighten security for tonight's match. He might be in the crowd."
Inside the Mutant Village
Almy walked out with Hena.
Khaled asked, "Any new information?"
"Nothing yet," Almy replied.
They looked toward the bus. Inside, four the team were joking around—Connor, Ethan, Simon, and Boris.
Hena nudged Almy.
"Go. Talk to him."
"I can't… I'll wait until he's alone," Almy said shyly.
"If you stay like this, you'll never get close to him."
"What should I do?!"
"He already noticed you. Remember Halloween? When you played his favorite music?"
"Yes."
"Go tell him you want to talk. Ask how he's doing. End it quickly. Make him feel you care."
"O-okay!" Almy said, embarrassed and scared.
" Be normal " Hena smiled. "He's not crazy. He won't tell you to go away."
"Hehe… you're right."
They approached. Almy's steps were hesitant.
Inside the bus, Connor spotted them first.
"Oh great. Radar's coming this way," he said sarcastically.
Boris laughed. "Why do you hate her?"
"She hates me, actually," Connor said.
"Not the other way around."
"Why?"
"She doesn't like my jokes."
Connor turned to Ethan.
"She wants a water prince," he mocked.
Connor, Simon, and Boris burst out laughing.
Ethan laughed lightly too, slightly tense.
"Why me?" Ethan said.
"Don't tell me you don't know," Connor said.
"Know what?"
"Everyone knows she likes you,"
Simon said. "How do you not notice?"
Connor smirked. "He lives in a parallel world."
Hena and Almy arrived.
Simon asked, "Are we moving out on a mission now?"
"Not yet," Hena replied.
"We've waited long enough," Boris complained.
Ethan stood up and stepped away alone.
Hena whispered, "He's alone. This is your chance."
Almy gathered courage and followed him. Her steps were heavy. Ethan sensed her, turned around.
She smiled shyly.
"H-hi."
"Hi," Ethan replied.
"Where are you going?" she asked softly.
"Home. I'm hungry. We've been waiting too long."
"Hehe… yeah, that's true."
"Did you find any new information?" Ethan asked.
"Sadly no. The mission looks difficult. Take care of yourself," she said nervously.
"Thank you."
She ended it quickly.
"I'll go check for updates. Take this tracker. If something happens, I'll find you faster than anyone."
She handed it to him and walked away.
"Okay… thank you again," Ethan said, feeling a strange warmth.
A Massive Cargo Ship in the Open Sea
Drone cameras flew everywhere, filming the match on the ocean.
The audience watched from a giant cinema hall.
Victor Morelli sat in the front row, eating popcorn, surrounded by the elite.
"Showtime," Victor announced through the speakers.
The crowd erupted.
A drone camera focused on a shipping container.
It opened.
Five prisoners stepped out slowly. Sunlight burned their eyes. Orange jumpsuits. Various weapons.
Another container opened.
Two massive mutants emerged—crimson frog-like giants.
"And today we have the Frog Brothers—Mike and Mikel!" Victor shouted.
Bets started flying.
Suddenly, Diego entered late through the door. The guard checked his card and let him in—but hesitated.
"That face…" the guard muttered.
He whispered to the others.
"That man looks familiar."
Another guard recognized him.
"That's the man White Father wants."
"Really?"
"Yes. That's him."
They checked the image in the
security room.
It was him.
Guards moved in quietly.
Diego sat calmly—until guards surrounded him.
"What's going on?" Diego asked, tense.
"Come with us, sir. Just a routine check."
They escorted him away.
One guard leaned close to Victor.
"Sir. We caught the man you wanted."
Victor stopped eating.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"I knew he'd come tonight."