Tom's instincts were razor-sharp as he crouched low, watching the military personnel move like ants below. He had already scouted their position, tracking their movements with precision. The man who was orchestrating the entire operation against him was close. He wasn't the mastermind, but he was definitely a key player. If Tom could get to him, he'd have the name of the true puppet master—the one pulling all the strings.
He needed information.
With that thought in mind, Tom morphed into a small, nondescript alley cat, blending effortlessly into the surroundings. Slipping between shadows, he darted into a nearby condo, its windows covered in grime and the air filled with the musty scent of abandonment. The place had been deserted for days—perfect for his needs. The owner had long since left town, and Tom could use the space without worry.
He padded across the apartment and, with a flick of his tail, morphed once more. His fur turned a bright pink, his ears pointed at sharp angles, and spots appeared near his hind leg (The alien cat from 'Kid vs Kat').
The alien cat's superior intelligence and knowledge flooded Tom's mind. Without hesitation, he hopped onto the desk and booted up the PC, his sharp claws tapping at the keyboard. He hacked into the local CCTV network, eyes scanning the feeds for anything of interest. The cool glow of the monitor illuminated his face as he sifted through the surveillance footage, looking for signs of the people who were after him.
It didn't take long.
A few minutes of scrolling through live feeds, and he saw them: a group of soldiers in military gear, making their way into a warehouse. Tom's heart raced. This was it—the breakthrough he needed. He quickly rewound the footage to see if there were any more clues. He found them hauling in crates of monitors, wires, and various equipment. The warehouse was clearly a hub for their operations. The location was confirmed.
"Gotcha," Tom whispered under his breath.
He erased all traces of his activity from the computer with a few swift keystrokes, then shifted once more, his body transforming into the sleek, shadowy form of Shadowcat. His presence melted into the darkness of the room, leaving no trace behind. With a flick of his tail, he moved toward the window and slinked down the side of the building, scaling the walls until he reached the rooftop.
From there, he leapt to a nearby structure, a silent shadow, and surveyed the warehouse below. The night was his domain. His senses were heightened to the point where he could hear every creak in the building's structure, every breath the guards took. He was in his element.
He slipped into the shadows again, entering the warehouse through a ventilation shaft, invisible, intangible. His mind worked in overdrive as he navigated the darkness, weaving through the beams and rafters above the soldiers' heads. His gaze locked onto the leader of the group. The man was dressed in military fatigues, barking orders to the others. His features were hard to read in the low light, but there was a familiar aura around him—like he had seen him somewhere...
Tom's mind whirred. The man didn't need to speak. Tom already knew who he was. He was the leader of the team that stormed his house and tried to capture him after his powers awakened. The man responsible for so much pain in his life.
This ends tonight, Tom thought.
With a flick of his wrist, Tom's form rippled once more, shifting into Panthor, the mighty purple panther from He-Man. His body grew larger, more powerful, his muscles coiling like springs beneath his fur. He dropped silently from the rafters, landing with the grace of a predator, his glowing yellow eyes cutting through the darkness.
The power surged through him as he crouched low, his tail swishing. In an instant, he was a blur of motion, striking with deadly precision.
The first soldier didn't even have time to react before Tom's claws slashed through the air, tearing into his chest. The man crumpled, a shocked look on his face as the life drained from his eyes. The others spun around, weapons raised, but Tom was faster, too fast.
He darted forward, his claws raking across another soldier's face. Blood sprayed into the air, but Tom didn't slow. The darkness wrapped around him, feeding his every move. He was the night made flesh, a shadow of death that no one could escape.
The fight was swift, brutal, and over before it had even begun. One by one, the soldiers fell—each victim snuffed out in a flurry of claws, strength, and lethal agility. No one could track him, no one could stop him.He was hit with a few shots but those just tickled him. The power of Panthor was unrivaled, and he moved with an unnatural grace, a storm of darkness and destruction.
The leader stood frozen, his face pale as he realized he was the only one left. He reached for his gun, but before he could even raise it, Tom was upon him, his large paws pinning the man to the cold concrete floor. He snarled, his glowing eyes piercing the man's soul.
"Who do you work for?" Tom growled, his voice a low, menacing rumble.
The man's lips trembled. He knew what would happen if he didn't answer.
"William… Stryker…" he whispered, his voice shaking.
Tom's claws tightened, a warning. "What is he planning?"
"I… I don't know," the man gasped, his breath catching in his throat. "He's… He's been planning something big. Something that involves you."
Tom didn't wait for more. He shifted back into his human form, the power of Panthor dissipating as the rage simmered beneath the surface. He didn't need any more information. He had what he came for.
With a swift motion, he ended the soldier's life, silencing him forever. The man's body slumped to the ground as Tom stood over him, a grim look on his face.
William Stryker had been behind it all. The man who had hunted him before, the one who had orchestrated his suffering—he finally had a name. He knew where to find him, to end it once and for all not just for himself but many others who suffered at Stryker's hand.
Tom's eyes burned with cold fury.
He didn't just want to kill Stryker. No, that would be too easy. He was going to make Stryker suffer. He was going to toy with him. Make him regret every decision that had led to this moment. Tom smiled darkly.
The game was just beginning.
As he walked out of the warehouse, his next destination was clear: Lake Alkali, Canada. He had a new mission now. One that would see Stryker undone, piece by piece.
And Tom was going to enjoy every second of it.