Location: Sector Nine – Perimeter of Dr. Rhane's Lab Facility
The city burned behind them as they emerged from the subway.
Von, Ace, Bren, Sera, and the remaining Resistance fighters darted through the war-torn backstreets as sirens screamed in the distance. Explosions echoed from the far end of the city—Marco and Bullet's battle was still shaking the earth.
"We're almost there!" shouted Bren, gripping a detonator tight in his gloved hand.
The huge lab gates loomed in front of them—cold steel, nearly five meters high, shrouded in reinforced black tourmaline mesh—a death trap for any who awakened seeking to breach.
Von was surprised by the massive gate and new defenses. It seemed that Dr. Rhane had reinforced the lab since Justin and he had broken in; he wasn't taking any chances now.
They reached the security checkpoint in an instant. Two guards appeared—only to be immediately knocked unconscious by simultaneous punches from Ace and Von.
"Clear the path. Bren, plant it!" Ace ordered. As more guards arrived, Ace, Von, and Sera fought them off to buy Bren some time.
Bren rushed over and dropped onto his knees beside the gate, his fingers flying over the explosive charge strapped to his back.
Von cast a glance around nervously—the jolt of the Marco-Bullet battle still vibrating at his feet.
It's all happening too fast. But I must go on.
Justin's in there. Focus, Von. As Marco taught you.
Last wire in position, Bren nodded.
"The gate's rigged."
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the hinges, flinging twisted metal in all directions. The gates burst inward with a deafening clang, revealing the dark entrance of the lab, where Ace, Von, and Sera had defended the last of the guards.
For a moment, the Resistance team experienced a flicker of triumph.
Then—
CRACK!
A soggy, ear-piercing sound.
Bren's head was flung back—his skull shattered, brain and blood spattered the ground.
Sera turned and screamed—
CRACK!
A second bullet pierced her neck, straight through. She collapsed to the ground instantly, jerking once and then lying motionless.
"BREN! SERA!" Von screamed, horrified.
Another bullet whizzed through the air—dead on Von's chest—
But Ace knocked him to the ground, rolling them both behind a nearby wall.
"STAY DOWN!" Ace growled as he scanned every rooftop.
A slow, taunting laughter drifted down from above.
A salacious voice as spine-tingling as it was echoed out over the steel canyon of skyscrapers.
"It's been a long time, Ace, sweetheart…"
The voice was familiar to Ace. Far too familiar.
He gazed upwards.
And standing before him, grinning from ear to ear, was Scarlett, the Sniper Witch.
Straddling a rooftop railing, folded legs in hard tactical leather, her bright red ponytail swinging like a snake in the wind. Her sniper rifle was slung negligently across her back, still smoking from the previous shot.
She was gorgeous. Deadly. And utterly crazy.
Scarlett slowly wetted her lips, smiling with half-closed eyes.
"Still pretty, still stupid."
"You shouldn't have come back, baby."
Ace's jaw tightened.
Von, still trembly from the unforced killings at his side, looked up at Ace.
"Y-You know her?"
Ace's tone was deep. Dark. Rooted in regret.
"Y-Yeah. I know her."
He stood from behind cover slowly, keeping Von pinned.
"Back away, Scarlett. Don't make me do this."
She laughed once more, shifting slightly and angling her rifle.
"Oh, don't be so chilly. I thought we had chemistry."
"You left me," Ace growled, flames beginning to rise off his shoulders.
"You left me first," she snarled, her eyes growing dark as her arms started to shimmer—flesh being transformed into hard clay.
She raised her sniper and gave a wink.
"Now let's spark this small flame, shall we?"