The warehouse.
"W-what type of experiment?" Simon asked.
His eyes moved between the suitcase and Kiba. He has a faint idea on what Kiba wished to carry out but he didn’t dare believe it.
The revolutionaries knew it better than anyone on how scary the nanites were. They were the cruelest way of dying.
The nanites targetted the very source of a living being before taking away life.
Even though the people who died in the bombings died rather quickly, they suffered unbearable pain. The nanites ripped apart their genes before exploding them and engulfing in the blue mushroom cloud.
The only truly lucky person in the entire event was Felicity. Before the might of nanites was distributed to kill other mutants, so she was able to protect herself by her own powers and the bracelet.
When the nanites launched a full-scale onslaught, Kiba arrived at the crucial moment. The nanites then targetted him with all their might while using negligible power to harm Felicity.
This prevented Felicity from certain death even though it resulted in her being crippled.
The revolutionaries have injected the dose of nanites in the suicide bombers so they knew it clearly the suffering one must undergo.
The suicide bombers were given a heavy dosage of painkillers and other chemical serums specifically designed to hold the power of nanites for some time.
No living being would like to be used as an experiment specimen much less as a specimen for something like nanites.
"You would learn shortly," Kiba answered to Simon.
WHOP WHOP~
The thrum of helicopters sounded reverberated outside the warehouse.
"Oh?" Kiba raised his head towards the ceiling.
His vision passed through and saw six helicopters above the warehouse. Around twenty mutants were in the helicopters preparing for an assault.
Some distance away, police vans were dashing towards the warehouse.
"They are here," Kiba muttered.
Claudia has found the location of the revolutionaries by intercepting through the police communication. The police have to prepare before launching a strike which gave Kiba a time of 10-15 minutes to complete his task.
"You mean police?" Rufus asked.
He knew it obviously since Cleo has warned them before Kiba begun his assault.
"Yes," Kiba answered.
"Leave us," Yuzi tried to suggest, "Otherwise you would be caught by the police along with us."
"Really?" Kiba asked.
"Yes! You cannot face government alone no matter how strong you are!"
"So free us! We would forget this encounter!"
"Each of us could go our separate ways!"
"We would never cross paths again!"
"Makes sense," Kiba nodded his head after some contemplation, "Given the situation, I have no choice but to accept your offer."
"Ah!" The eyes of the revolutionaries lit up with excitement. They weren’t sure that he would accept their suggestion but seeing him accepting, their hearts rejoiced.
"Let’s hurry!" Rufus commanded. The police forces would be breaking in any second so they couldn’t afford to delay in their current conditions.
"Yes!"
The seven revolutionaries stood up from the floor while suppressing the pain from their broken bodies. Each one of them gritted their teeth and used their entire strength to move.
"Thank god the police arrived!" Mailo muttered. He never believed a day would come when he would feel grateful to the government dogs.
Simon placed a palm on his chest while his other hand took support from a broken table. His chest bones were broken and he was barely clinging to his life.
He glanced at Kiba with hatred deep in his eyes. The humiliation of being assaulted and taunted was not something he could ever forget.
The words Kiba used on how Simon must be copulating with gorillas especially hurt him the most.
"Just you wait," Simon’s heart was filled with resentment, "You would definitely pay the price."
He was a determined revolutionary with his focus on revolution, but this didn’t mean he would let go of the slight. He kept his thoughts of revenge hidden knowing now was not the time to act on them.
He was not the only one with such notions. Yuzi’s heart carried ill will far greater than his.
"You ruined my face, I would ruin your entire life," Yuzi traced her face, "The revolutionaries would never forget."
Rufus, on the other hand, didn’t think of any revenge. All he cared was getting back the suitcase from Kiba but he knew the present situation made it impossible.
"Now is not the time to focus on such unnecessary thoughts," Rufus shook his head and retrieved a white orb from the floor.
The orb was the size of his palm with green inscriptions on it. This orb was a communication tool used to establish an encrypted network.
"We would leave from the subway through the tunnel," Rufus ordered. It was their habit to always prepare passage for escape in case of worst turn situations.
The others nodded their heads and walked towards the entrance of an underground tunnel below the debris. They hurriedly cleared the debris while praying the police would be delayed by a few more seconds.
For others, the debris might just lead to a tunnel but for them, it was an entrance of hope. An escape from a monster disguising as a human!
"Hey~!"
The seven heard a familiar voice from behind. They gulped down and slowly turned their heads.
Kiba was hovering in the air with a suitcase in his hand.
"You seems to be forgetting something," Kiba said.
"Forget?" Rufus asked trying to control the twisting feeling in his stomach.
"You all are a specimen for my experiments," Kiba reminded them with a faint smile on his face, "So where are you going?"
"Y-you said we can leave!" Yuzi’s body shook.
Surely he wasn’t changing his mind now?!
"I did?" Kiba has a confused expression on his face.
"Yes," The seven replied simultaneously.
How could he forget something like this so quickly?!
"I guess I lied," Kiba said with a smile.
"WHAT?!"
The seven felt their heart engulfed by despair as his words set in their minds.
Just a few seconds ago they were rejoicing their fate after he ’accepted’ their suggestion. Their freedom was just some distance away!
But now?!
He is saying he lied as if it was nothing?!
Just a single sentence made them feel as if they have arrived in hell.
BANG!
A loud bang sound thundered in the warehouse. The ceiling above exploded in debris and dust.
The expressions of the revolutionaries turned ugly.
"Damn! The police!"
Kiba remained unfazed. His smile turned into a smirk.
"Seems like I need to rescue you from the police," Kiba said.
"No! We don’t need your help!" Simon shouted.
The choice was now between the devil and the deep blue sea! But they would definitely choose the lesser evil!
And that was not a sadist like Kiba!
The police might use force or even torture, but the seven were sure it would still be better than what Kiba did with them!
"The choice was never yours," Kiba snapped his fingers.
Swoosh~!
A large column of white light covered Kiba and the seven revolutionaries.
THUD!
Some distance away, the police force landed on the floor.
"Surrender or we would---"
The head officer stopped as he glanced around. As far as his eyes could see, there was no trace of any revolutionary in the warehouse. There was only debris and dust along with members of his own team.
"They escaped!" The head officer gritted his teeth in frustration.
The mission was very important for the police after so many commoners and VIPs died in the explosions which shook the city.
The mayor and other top echelons were mounting pressure to catch those responsible no matter what.
If he failed to do so, then he knew they would make him a scapegoat to hide their own incompetence.
"There is a tunnel below!" A junior officer shouted from some distance away.
"Then go inside and find me those terrorists!" The head officer shouted, "Stop wasting time before they escape like the previous time."
"Yes!"
The officers entered the tunnel but alas, their efforts would prove futile...
---
Section I, Underground Facility, Dream Rise House.
Woosh~!
A small white spark manifested in the center of the lab. The spark expanded into an orb and then into a large column of light.
"AHH!"
The seven revolutionaries landed on their knees coughing up blood. They slowly opened their eyes and realized they have teleported to a new place.
"He was capable of teleporting all of us but he pretended otherwise when he ’allowed’ us to leave!" Yuzi bitterly thought.
She turned her face around and noticed various lab equipment.
"Where are we?" Yuzi asked in a low voice.
"A lab but no idea where," Rufus answered.
Just from appearance alone, he judged the lab was high grade capable of advanced experiments. This judgment made his stomach churn in despair.
"We can’t give up now no matter what," Rufus said. The others agreed and they stood up along with him.
THUD!
The seven fell on the floor with a loud thud. They felt as if their bodies had been ruthlessly smashed onto the floor by a hammer.
"Don’t make any unnecessary movements," Kiba’s cold voice ringed inside their minds.
He placed the suitcase on the floor before walking forward.
[[Are you fine, sir?]] Claudia enquired.
She was afraid his anger and hatred would make him lose his sanity. She has indeed prepared to tackle such a situation.
The ring and bracelet she gave him were a few of those preparations. But much to her pleasant surprise, he didn’t let his emotions take over him for even a second.
"I’m fine," Kiba said with a sigh, "Make me a drink."
[[Yes.]]
Kiba sat down on an examination table and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath trying to clear his mind.
"It is getting more difficult," Kiba thought. He shared the same anxiety just like Claudia of losing control.
This was why he took extra care when he faced revolutionaries. He never used more power than he could handle while ensuring he removed the anger which was boiling inside him.
The balance was important.
If he let the anger built beyond his capacity then he would be like a pressure cooker always on the danger of exploding.
Now, He has released his stress by toying with them but there was still hatred left. That could be only removed after killing the revolutionaries.
"Not now," Kiba pacified himself, "They are needed for finding a cure."
He refused to allow his hatred to take more priority than his goal of healing Felicity.
[[Sir]]
Kiba opened his eyes slowly after Claudia called him out. A droid was standing in front of him with a glass of whiskey.
The whiskey was rich golden amber in color. He took the glass and sipped a mouthful.
The delicate smooth and creamy flavor greeted his taste buds. As he savored the taste, he felt a hint of oak and the sweet flavor of vanilla.
His body relaxed with a sensation of serenity covering his senses.