[The self-destruction program has been activated. Please evacuate immediately. This is not a drill!] As soon as Morgan finished speaking, a voice came through the transmission.
"What happened? Who activated the self-destruction system?" Chris asked with a blank expression.
"Jill, are you listening? Jessica activated the self-destruction program. She's a spy sent by Morgan," Parker's anxious voice came through the communicator.
"Parker, are you okay?" Jill asked, worried.
"I was shot, but I'm fine. We have to get off this ship as soon as possible, or we'll be fish food along with it."
Just then, an explosion shook the ship violently.
"Let's get out of here! We need to find Parker and leave—now!" Javier shouted, leading everyone in a run for the exit.
They rushed back to the casino, where Parker was already waiting.
"Parker, how are you?" Jill asked as she rushed to support him.
"You can still move—good. Let's go, quickly."
"This is Falcon 001! I've arrived at the Queen Zenobia. Get to the deck immediately. I'm taking you out of here."
The rescue helicopter sent by Clive had arrived just in time.
Upon receiving the message, the group immediately made their way to the deck. Explosions erupted all around them, and the ship tilted violently from side to side. After a tense sprint, they reached the top.
"Hurry up!!" the pilot shouted from the helicopter.
Jill helped Parker onto the aircraft while Rachel followed behind. Just as Chris and Javier were about to board, the bottom of the Queen Zenobia split open—and from it emerged a monstrous creature.
"What the hell did they create?" Chris said, stunned at the sight of the enormous beast.
The helicopter couldn't stay any longer or it would be destroyed, so it was forced to lift off.
Chris and Javier were left behind on the deck.
"I'll hover nearby. You need to hurry and kill that thing," the pilot said.
Javier and Chris could only think of one option—destroy the creature.
The monster had already taken over the entire bow of the ship, and compared to it, they were as small as ants.
Javier observed that the creature had a massive mouth and was surrounded by countless tentacles—it looked like a colossal octopus.
The monster lashed out with its tentacles and began to attack.
The two dodged and returned fire—Javier pulled out his Desert Eagle and opened fire on the tentacles.
Working together, they managed to destroy several of them. With the tentacles no longer extending, the pilot moved in to retrieve them.
Jill lowered the helicopter's rope ladder and called out, "Chris, Javier—climb up, quickly!"
She waved from the aircraft as Chris and Javier nodded and ran for the ladder.
Both men leapt from the edge of the ship and grabbed hold, beginning their ascent.
But the monster, seeing them escape, hurled its tentacles directly at the ladder, latching on with tremendous force. The helicopter trembled violently.
"Damn it! We need to get rid of this thing fast, or we'll be pulled down!" the pilot shouted, glancing behind him.
Chris and Javier managed to climb aboard the helicopter. Javier quickly released the ladder, and the monster's tentacles dragged it away.
With the creature no longer pulling, the helicopter finally stabilized.
"We can't leave this thing alive. We have to destroy it," Chris said firmly.
Jill and Chris grabbed the Vulcan machine guns mounted on the helicopter and began firing relentlessly at the creature below.
In response, the monster sprouted more tentacles, aiming for the aircraft.
But the twin Vulcan guns shredded every one of them.
Roaring in fury, the creature released a thick red smoke from its head—and even more massive tentacles emerged from within.
Seeing this, Javier grabbed a rocket launcher and took aim at the creature's head.
Chris and Jill followed suit, using the two remaining rocket launchers onboard.
The missiles hit their target and exploded inside the creature's mouth, blowing a gaping hole through its head. The monster let out a deafening scream before collapsing.
At the same time, the Queen Zenobia suffered a massive explosion, engulfing both the ship and the monster in flames before they sank into the ocean's depths.
"Is this the final glory of the Queen Zenobia?" Jill asked, watching the wreckage vanish beneath the waves.
"How's the situation?" Clive's voice came through the communicator.
"The Queen Zenobia sank. Jessica destroyed the entire ship. It looks like Morgan got ahead of us," Chris replied.
"Well, it was all expected. When I was in Landglow a year ago, I already suspected Morgan's involvement. That's when I came up with this plan—to infiltrate BSAA and expose the truth behind the Queen Zenobia," Clive explained.
As it turns out, everything had been orchestrated by Clive to bring Morgan down. But there was more.
They discovered another ship—the Queen Dido—the one the Veltro organization had used. After the Terra Grigia incident, Morgan had blown it up. It sank not far from shore.
Clive's new mission for them was to dive to the sunken Queen Dido and search for evidence of Morgan's crimes.
After receiving their orders, Javier and his team boarded the helicopter and were flown to the site of the sunken vessel.
Meanwhile, back at BSAA headquarters, Morgan took action. He stormed the building with his FBC troops and seized control.
He barged into Clive's office, intent on framing him.
But Clive wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"This act is coming to an end. From now on, BSAA is under the jurisdiction of the FBC, and you, Clive, are under arrest for collaborating with the terrorist organization Veltro."
With that, he ordered his men to arrest Clive.
Clive didn't resist. He placed all his hopes in Javier and the others.
Morgan, watching Clive in handcuffs, wore a triumphant smile. He believed he had won.
Meanwhile, Javier and his team arrived at the designated site—where the evidence to bring Morgan down awaited, buried beneath the sea.
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."