Titans Reborn: A New Pantheon

Chapter 20: The Hermes Heist

The neon-lit skyline of New Olympia buzzed with the ambient hum of drones and the crackling energy of the city's electromagnetic pulses. High above the bustling streets, the towering edifice of Hermes' Hyperlink Hub stood as a testament to the god's control over the flow of information. This was the heart of New Olympia's communications network—a nerve center through which every message, transaction, and secret passed. And tonight, it was the target.

Helio tightened the strap on his armored vest, his fingers brushing over the embedded nanofabric that responded with a soft glow. His military-style superhero outfit clung to his muscled frame, the dark hues reflecting his status as a seasoned warrior. Across from him, Selene adjusted the straps of her Thong of Shielding, the skimpy outfit barely covering her curves but offering unparalleled protection thanks to its integrated nanotechnology. Her breast window top shimmered as it shifted, adjusting to her movements, while the Combat Stilettos on her feet clicked softly on the cold metal floor of the stealth hovercraft they occupied.

"We have twenty minutes before the shift change," Selene said, her voice a sultry whisper that belied the lethal intent behind it. Her eyes glowed faintly with the neon light of the city below, and her lips curled into a knowing smile. "Plenty of time to get in, grab what we need, and get out."

Helio grunted in response, checking the charge on his energy rifle. "Let's make it quick. The longer we're in there, the more likely we'll run into trouble."

"And you know how much I love trouble," Selene teased, leaning closer, her breath warm against his ear.

Helio's jaw tightened, but he couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at his lips. Their relationship had always been a dangerous dance, a mix of passion and peril that left them both breathless. But tonight, there was no room for distraction—only the mission mattered.

The hovercraft silently docked at the side of the Hyperlink Hub, its stealth systems cloaking it from the prying eyes of the city's surveillance networks. Selene moved first, her form almost ghostly as she slipped through the narrow entrance hatch, her gear seamlessly adapting to the confined space. Helio followed, his larger frame filling the tunnel as they made their way toward the heart of the building.

Inside, the Hyperlink Hub was a labyrinth of glass and metal, corridors lined with servers humming with the weight of the city's data. Selene took the lead, her tactical visor scanning the environment for threats. Her neural processor, a gift from Athena, allowed her to map out the security systems with strategic precision, each step calculated to avoid detection.

As they approached the central vault, Helio felt a shift in the air—a familiar presence that set his nerves on edge. He held up a hand, signaling Selene to stop.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Someone's here," he replied, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows. "We're not alone."

Before Selene could respond, the lights flickered, and the corridor was plunged into darkness. Helio's instincts kicked in, his hand gripping Selene's arm and pulling her close as he activated the night-vision mode in his visor. The world around him shifted into shades of green, revealing a tall, shadowy figure standing at the far end of the corridor.

"Nyx," Helio muttered, recognizing the armor that seemed to blend into the darkness itself. The goddess of night was a master of stealth, and her sudden appearance could only mean one thing: they weren't the only ones after the information stored in the vault.

"Going somewhere, Helio?" Nyx's voice echoed through the corridor, smooth and cold as the void between stars. She stepped forward, the shadows clinging to her like a living cloak. "You know, I could have just let you walk right into that trap, but where's the fun in that?"

Helio felt Selene tense beside him, her hand hovering over the hilt of her blade. "We don't have time for this, Nyx," Selene hissed, her tone losing its usual playful edge.

Nyx tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, but I insist. You see, the information you're after—it's not just valuable. It's dangerous. And I can't have you two messing up my carefully laid plans."

Helio's grip tightened on his rifle, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "What do you want, Nyx?"

The goddess smiled, a gesture that didn't reach her eyes. "Simple. I want you to leave. Forget the vault, forget the data, and walk away. Or, I can make sure neither of you ever leaves this place."

Selene's lips curled into a snarl. "Like hell we will."

In an instant, the corridor exploded into chaos. Helio's rifle spat out beams of concentrated energy, while Selene darted forward, her blade a flash of silver in the dark. Nyx moved with an otherworldly grace, her body slipping through the shadows as if she were made of them. She lashed out with tendrils of darkness, forcing Helio to dive out of the way, his armor absorbing the impact as he hit the ground.

Selene was relentless, her blade slicing through the air as she closed in on Nyx. But the goddess was too fast, her form flickering in and out of existence as she dodged each strike. Helio scrambled to his feet, his mind racing as he tried to find a way to outmaneuver their opponent.

"Helio, the server!" Selene shouted, her voice strained as she struggled to keep up with Nyx's attacks.

He didn't need to be told twice. While Selene kept Nyx occupied, Helio sprinted toward the vault door, his fingers flying over the control panel. The security systems were top-of-the-line, but with the enhancements from his own neural processor, he quickly bypassed the encryption.

The door slid open with a hiss, revealing the central server glowing with the energy of a thousand secrets. Helio pulled out a small device, a prototype crafted by Hephaestus himself, and attached it to the server. The device blinked to life, its interface glowing as it began to download the data they needed.

Behind him, the sound of battle raged on. Selene's grunts of exertion mixed with Nyx's mocking laughter, the clash of metal and shadow filling the narrow corridor. Helio's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to focus. They needed that data—without it, their mission would fail, and New Olympia would be at the mercy of Nyx and her dark allies.

The download finished with a beep, and Helio yanked the device free, stuffing it into his belt. He turned just in time to see Selene knocked back by a wave of shadow, her body crashing into the wall with a sickening thud.

"Selene!" Helio roared, charging forward, his rifle blazing with energy. Nyx sneered, raising her hand to unleash another wave of darkness, but Helio was faster. He slammed into her, driving his shoulder into her midsection and sending them both tumbling to the ground.

For a moment, everything was chaos—their limbs tangled, their weapons clattering across the floor. But Helio had the advantage of brute strength, and he used it to pin Nyx beneath him, his rifle pressed against her throat.

"Call them off," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Nyx glared up at him, her eyes burning with hatred. "You think this is over? You've only just begun to understand the depths of what you're dealing with."

Before Helio could respond, Selene was at his side, her blade poised at Nyx's throat. "It's over when we say it is," she hissed.

Nyx's lips curled into a defiant smirk. "You'll regret this. You don't know what's coming."

With a final, contemptuous glance, Nyx dissolved into the shadows, her form dissipating into the darkness. Helio and Selene were left alone in the dim corridor, their breaths heavy with the aftermath of the fight.

"Are you okay?" Helio asked, his voice softening as he turned to Selene.

She nodded, wincing slightly as she rubbed her shoulder. "I'll live. Did you get it?"

Helio held up the device, the tiny object containing the fate of their mission. "Yeah, I got it."

Selene smiled, a mixture of relief and exhaustion washing over her features. "Good. Let's get the hell out of here."

Together, they made their way back to the hovercraft, the city of New Olympia sprawled out before them like a glittering, dangerous web. As they sped away into the night, Helio couldn't shake the feeling that Nyx's words were more than just a threat—they were a promise. And whatever was coming, they'd have to be ready to face it, together.