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Dante had to reach Silvija before today's attack happened. And seeing the facility for himself would be better for planning the heist. So, he ditched the lazy cat and took a cab straight to the research site. The driver stopped half a mile away.
At the end of the bridge, a wall of intimidating metal signs declared: OSCORP ISLAND - PRIVATE PROPERTY. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED.
Dante paid the fare and stepped out. His first paycheck was going to be spent on a decent, low profile car. Being carried around wasn't fun.
The door slammed behind him with a loud thud, and the cab executed a quick U-turn so sharp Dante was surprised it didn't leave skid marks behind.
'That driver has watched too many horror flicks.'
Beyond the checkpoint barrier, Oscorp Island sprawled across the water, about two acres of secured property. It felt isolated despite being visible from both shorelines. The landscape was surprisingly open and flat, typical of a former military zone: wide concrete land, patches of winter-dead grass, and clusters of industrial buildings.
Oscorp research facility's surface footprint was modest compared to what Anna's drone footage had suggested. A group of sleek but small buildings were arranged around a central compound, which was disappointingly small for a research facility. All the really illegal stuff happened underground.
He also noticed watchtowers in cardinal points, each manned with mercs constantly surveilling for threats using binoculars.
'They won't snipe me out of nowhere, right?'
The sparse landscape meant he had no cover. Anyone watching would see him coming from half a mile away.
As he slowly moved through the open area, a low rumble drew his attention. A SUV Sentry rolled out of one of the compounds and barreled down the access road towards him.
Dante stopped, hands in his pockets. "Excellent. Free ride."
The SUV skidded to a stop twenty feet away. Two young mercenaries jumped out, both in their early twenties, wearing brand new tactical gear.
Fresh recruits.
The short but muscular guy with a buzzcut took a look at Dante and burst out laughing.
"Yo, Marcus!" He elbowed his companion. "Do you think it's one of those dumb youtubers or a lost tourist?"
Marcus, the taller and serious-looking of the two, grinned. "Probably lost looking at his face. Simon, it's your turn to shoo him off."
Both of them found Dante's presence hilarious. Simon approached, his hand resting casually on the pistol holstered at his hip. It was to hit Dante with the reminder that he was armed and Dante wasn't.
"Hey buddy, can you read?" The mercenary's tone dripped with condescension. "There are a hundred signs there saying it's a private property."
Dante kept his expression neutral. "I'm here to meet your commander."
Both mercenaries absolutely lost it. Simon actually doubled over, slapping his knee like Dante had told the funniest joke he'd ever heard.
"Oh man, oh man," he wheezed between laughs before wiping tears from his eyes. "Marcus, this guy wants to meet the Commander!"
Marcus's thoughtful look almost convinced Dante that he would take his words seriously. Then Marcus joined his friend in laughing. "That's like—that's like saying you're here to meet the President or something."
Dante resisted the urge to palm his face. "You guys are idiots."
"Listen, buddy. Show us your Wild Pack ID. Only they are allowed to meet Commander Sablinova." Simon pulled out his pistol and waved it casually. "But I doubt you even know what that is. So here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna turn around, walk back to whatever hole you crawled out of, and forget you ever saw this place. Got it?"
"And next time," Marcus added cheerfully. "We won't be friendly. This is a private area, and we're authorized to use force against trespassers."
Dante let out a long, tired sigh. Without a word, he pulled out his phone and dialed Silvija's number. It rang once before her voice came through.
"Are you here?"
"Yeah, there's just a small problem." He glanced at the two mercenaries, whose smug faces were beginning to falter. "They are asking me for some Wild Pack ID."
"Put me on speaker."
He did, holding the phone out so both mercenaries could hear clearly. "Go ahead."
Silvija's voice exploded from the phone speaker; it made his cheap phone's loudspeaker crack. What followed was a masterclass. Her curses came in multiple languages, English, German, Russian, Symkarian, each one more brutal and creative than the last. He was pretty sure she questioned their intelligence, competence, ancestry, life choices, and their basic worth as human beings.
Their faces went from cocky grin to ghostly pale in a few seconds. Marcus actually took a step backward, as if physical distance could protect him from the verbal beatdown.
"—complete fucking morons—"
"—Didn't I fucking radio everyone about a special guest—"
"—you worthless pieces—"
"—PROBABLY CAN'T EVEN SPELL 'ORDERS'—"
Silvija paused for a deserved breath. "Now, you are going to apologize to Dante. Sincerely. Then you will drive him directly to the command center. If you fail to do either of these things, I will not only fire you but also leave you on this island. Forget about ever coming back to Symkaria and meeting your family. Do I make myself crystal clear?"
"YES, COMMANDER!" They screamed an agreement in perfect unison.
Dante gave a 'see you soon' and ended the call, then faced the two mercenaries.
Simon dropped to his knees first. "Brother, please, we didn't know."
"Father, we didn't know." Marcus joined him on his knees, his voice seemed as if he was on the verge of tears. "Please forgive us…"
"We'll do anything."
"Brother, father, sir, please. We have families waiting for us to return."
Dante was fairly certain they'd reach "ancestor" if he let them continue. Still, he allowed them to grovel for long enough to be a lesson learnt.
"You can get up now. Don't waste more of my time."
"YES, SIR!"
"THANK YOU, SIR!"
"WE'LL NEVER FORGET THIS MERCY, SIR!"
The two mercenaries drove him past a checkpoint where more professional-looking guards waved them through. Up close, the compound was more impressive than it had appeared from a distance.
They pulled up to the closest and sturdiest structure near the central compound.
"Sir, please, let me open—"
"I've got it." Dante stepped out. "Get back to your posts. And don't ignore orders next time."
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"
They saluted with tears in their eyes before driving away.
Dante watched them speed away before taking a peek inside the command center. The interior was surprisingly spacious, probably a meeting room from the facility's military days. Maps covered every wall. A large desk dominated the center, completely buried under laptops, radio equipment, and paperwork.
Silvija stood at the desk in full commander mode, her silver hair pulled back in a clean ponytail.
To her left was a young Asian woman with sleek black hair, who couldn't be older than thirty. A red-black tactical gear covered her athletic build. She carried both a rifle and a sheathed katana.
On Silvija's right loomed a bulky man who was just a bit smaller than Piotr, with a thick chin strap style beard and strong arms covered in thick hair.
The third man was leaner and shorter in comparison. Hispanic features, maybe early thirties, with a neat beard and observant eyes of a man who'd seen a lot in his life. His gear looked light in comparison to the other three. Probably a non-combat specialist.
Silvija pointed to a spot on one of the maps. "They will most likely approach from the North. So here's the plan. Amy and Crippler in the South with Lone Wolves Squad. Piotr and Grey Wolves Squad in the West. Raul and the Wolf Hounds Squad to lock down the East. As for me and Ava, we'll take care of the second facility with the Dire Pack Squad."
"A great plan, Commander," Crippler said cynically. "Except you forgot to tell us who'll defend North here, you know the most likely place to be attacked tonight."
Silvija laughed. "Hades will take care of North."
"M'lady, are you out of your mind?" Amy Chen asked with a frown. "I know he shut down Emma and all, but are we really trusting the new guy? What if he got killed?"
"Then I'll take full responsibility."
Silvija's clear cut response showed her trust in him. Just when he thought he couldn't like her more, she gave him another reason to love her.
Crippler slapped Amy Chen's back. "Come on, little girl. The orders are in."
Amy Chen didn't look convinced. "Working with this pervert will be the death of me."
Her words made Crippler grunt, while Raul chuckled.
Dante saw this as the best moment to step inside and introduce himself. "Silvija."
Silvija's head turned toward the door. The moment she saw him, her expression softened into something warm.
"M'lady?" Amy Chen's voice carried a note of teasing affection as she followed Silvija's gaze.
Then her eyes landed on Dante. The warmth vanished instantly, replaced by hostility that gave him more shivers than New York's winter. Just as quickly, she masked it with a sweet smile that was somehow more terrifying.
She approached, circling him like checking out a dress placed on a mannequin. "Pretty faces are the bane of princesses everywhere."
Silvija shoved Amy's face aside and scanned his body as if looking for any injuries. Her nose suddenly twitched, so subtly that he almost missed it.
'Shit.'
"Not even a day went by and you're already meeting women behind my back." Her teasing voice was a stark contrast to her judging glare. "Gods really are different from us mortals."
Dante sniffed his own hoodie, immediately picking up the scent Silvija had detected. Felicia's perfume was on his hoodie and jeans from when he'd enjoyed some rest on Felicia's bed. This subtle scent was too obvious for a woman in love, her near human peak's senses also helped a lot.
'This is fine. I can clear it up later.'
Click-clack. The unmistakable sound of a rifle being chambered. Amy Chen had her rifle up and aimed at his chest faster than most people could blink. Her expression was purely murderous.
"Why do all the pretty ones have rotten cores?" Amy's voice dripped with venom. "He's also a mutant. Double the red flags. Double the execution."
Behind her, Crippler's hand rested on his high-caliber pistol. "Breaking Leader's heart is a crime worthy of execution, son."
Both guns were aimed casually. These were people who'd killed before and wouldn't lose sleep over doing it a dozen times again.
Dante sent Silvija a meaningful glance to let him handle the situation. His authority would always be in question if he continued hiding behind Silvija.
Raul gave an exasperated look. "What the actual fuck, guys? Since when do we shoot people for relationship drama? Let the couple handle their own mess!"
The only voice of reason in the room.
Crippler laughed and lowered his pistol slightly. "You're right, you're right. It'll be more satisfying to let Leader shoot him. The fucking balls to cheat on her."
Just then, the door burst open and Piotr squeezed through. He saw Amy's rifle and Crippler's lowered but ready pistol. He immediately moved to block Dante from their line of fire.
"Put that gun down or shoot me." His voice carried absolute conviction, the kind of loyalty that came from genuine friendship rather than duty. "I won't let you harm Comrade Dante."
Amy glanced at Silvija, growing even more confident from her silence. "Step aside, Piotr."
"No."
Dante stared at Piotr's massive back. He'd barely known the man for a day, exchanged maybe twenty minutes of conversation, and Piotr was ready to take a bullet for him. The big man touched his heart with his actions.
But the irritation was still there, and it was growing.
He'd come here to help Silvija, to support Wild Pack's defense, and within minutes of arrival he had two guns pointed at him over a misunderstanding. He hadn't cheated on Silvija.
Everything was to save New York from a lunatic billionaire.
'No wonder supervillains pop up every day in this universe.'
Dante placed a hand on Piotr's shoulder, intending to gently move him aside. What actually happened was Piotr, all 280 pounds of solid Russian muscle, got physically shifted sideways like he weighed nothing.
"Null, activate Death Resonance."
He had to make a grand statement so they stopped underestimating him, so they put real respect on his second-in-command title. Silvija had put him in the position, but he had to show that he fully deserved it. Otherwise, they'd always think of him as an incompetent man.
The atmosphere in the room changed immediately. Crippler and Amy clenched their firearms, fingers hovering near triggers. Even Silvija stepped back and instinctively put a hand on her pistol. These were the people who lived on the edge of life and death. They recognized the real thing when it stared them in the face.
"What happened to bullying the new guy? I'm standing right here. Why aren't you bullying me now?" Dante tilted his head with a calm smile. "You know what, I fucking dare you to pull that trigger."
BANG.
Amy Chen fired.
"You asked for—" She froze mid-sentence.
Clink. Dante opened his fingers, letting the bullet drop to the floor. Death Denial was one of his abilities under Death Resonance Link. It had kicked in the moment his life was threatened, giving him bullet time-perception and the speed to pluck a bullet out of the air.
Did Amy Chen plan to kill him out of sheer hostility? Far from it, actually. She had meant it to be a warning shot that harmlessly grazed his hair. He psychotically raised his head to take it head-on, showing a level of indifference towards death that Death herself would commend him for.
Smiling, he turned to Crippler. "You want to give it a shot?"
Crippler went pale, cold sweat running down his cheek. He holstered his pistol immediately.
"My bad, Vice-Commander." He coughed awkwardly. "Just, uh, testing your reaction time."
"Heh." Dante's gaze shifted to Amy. "What about you, Miss Chen? Want to test me more? I'm happy to catch as many bullets as you need to improve your work ethics."
Silvija's hand shot out and grabbed Amy Chen's rifle barrel and forced it down.
"You. Shot. At. Him." Silvija's voice trembled, not with fear, but with fury. "You shot at my boyfriend. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Amy Chen stared blankly, clearly not expecting such an intense reaction from Silvija. "M'lady, you heard him too. He dared me—"
"I don't care!" Silvija whirled on Crippler, who raised his hands with a goofy grin. "What kind of amateur bullshit is this?!"
"Commander Sablinova, we were just—"
"Out. Both of you. Now." Silvija's finger pointed at the door like it was a death sentence. "Get the fuck out of my operations center before I shoot you dead myself."
Amy Chen's mouth opened, closed, then opened again. But Silvija's death glare stopped the swordswoman from arguing any further. She fled.
Crippler moved slower, genuine regret on his face as he glanced at Dante. "I was just playing along with Amy Chen. Still wasn't cool. Sorry, Vice-Commander. I'll never question you or Commander ever again."
"Damn right you will," Silvija growled. "Who even are you to point your gun at your Vice-Commander? I'll bury you six feet under if you dare to touch Dante."
Raul, who'd been watching the entire spectacle like a bystander, also headed for the door.
"Come on, big guy." He grabbed Piotr's arm. "Let them cool off."
"But Comrade Dante—"
"Just caught a bullet with bare hands. I think he'll be fine."
Raul pulled Piotr toward the exit, the big Russian casting worried glances back at Dante.
Dante had a few words of warning for the two, but Silvija had already done the job. He just waved at Piotr with a smile. "See you later, friend."
"Yes, Comrade."
The door closed with a heavy thunk.
Silence.
Dante deactivated Death Resonance. Even this little duration felt taxing on his mind. The growth of his physical endurance couldn't keep up with the growth of Death's Resonance Link, which had already reached 4.2%.
"What a warm welcome they had for their Vice-Commander. Really felt the team spirit there."
Silvija rubbed the back of her neck, genuinely embarrassed by her Wild Pack's reaction. "I have no idea why they went nuclear. Amy's usually professional, and Crippler… he was probably being an idiot."
Dante couldn't help but chuckle, some of his anger dissipating as he considered the situation from their perspective. "They thought I was some con artist who seduced you for money and power. Can't entirely blame them for thinking I had ulterior motives."
Silvija flinched at that. "I decided to bring you in. You didn't even contact me first. At first, you probably thought of me as a stupid cash cow, didn't you?"
He looked away and whistled.
"Seriously," she said in an exasperated tone before laughing. "'I fucking dare you to pull the trigger.' Gosh, the arrogance and pride is on another level."
He did his best not to cringe. "Had to stand up for myself since my girlfriend let her subordinates bully poor, defenseless me."
She stepped closer and wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning her head against his chest. "They won't try it again."
He stroked the back of her head, which she clearly enjoyed. "It's actually kind of sweet."
"Sweet or not, I'm going to punish those two." She rubbed her head against his chest, as if trying to replace Felicia's perfume with her own. "Speaking of Wild Pack, you have yet to meet the most protective one."
"There are more members?"
She left his arms and pulled out a chair for him. "My best trump card before you joined. Code name: White Tiger. I took her in when her family was murdered. We've been together for five years now."
Her face showed clear fondness when she talked about this White Tiger.
Dante's eyebrows rose. "Is her name Ava?"
Silvija looked at the ceiling for a moment, lips pressed together, then back down at him. "Can my godly boyfriend please stop being mysteriously omniscient every ten minutes? It's too much for my heart."
Her weary acceptance made him chuckle. "You signed up for this."
"Yeah, yeah. You probably knew powers too."
"White Tiger Amulet. She can dodge bullets, punch through walls, and has claws that can slash through metal. Classic superpowered cat stuff."
Silvija just sighed.
***
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