Infected Realms

Chapter 16: The Unexpected Ally

The room seemed to freeze as the shadowy figure stood framed in the doorway, their presence halting everything. The guards, who had been moments away from injecting Evelyn, stiffened, and the man in the suit turned, surprise flashing across his cold face.

Evelyn blinked, her mind racing as she tried to process what was happening. She squinted through the dim light, trying to make out who had burst in at the last second. The figure stepped forward, revealing more of their appearance—a tall, imposing figure, dressed in tactical gear, their face obscured by a black hood and mask. But what struck Evelyn most was that they weren't alone. Behind them, several others, similarly dressed, moved with military precision, weapons drawn and ready.

"Who the hell are you?" the man in the suit demanded, his voice no longer as steady as before.

The lead figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, they raised a gloved hand and signaled to the team behind them. In an instant, the room was filled with a flurry of movement as the armed team swarmed in, subduing the guards with ease. One by one, the guards were disarmed and knocked unconscious, their bodies hitting the floor with heavy thuds.

Evelyn's heart raced as she watched the events unfold. She and Maya exchanged a quick glance, neither of them sure if this was a rescue or simply another layer of the nightmare. But one thing was clear—these people weren't with the corporation.

The man in the suit took a cautious step back, his eyes flicking between the intruders and his downed guards. "You have no idea what you're interfering with," he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.

The lead figure finally spoke, their voice cold and unyielding. "We know exactly what we're interfering with."

They stepped forward, removing their mask. A woman, with sharp, calculating eyes and close-cropped dark hair, now stood before them, her gaze locked on the man in the suit. There was a familiarity about her, something that tugged at the edge of Evelyn's memory, though she couldn't place it.

"You've crossed too many lines, Magnus," the woman said, her voice laced with anger. "Your little experiment has gone too far, and we're here to clean up your mess."

Magnus—the man in the suit—sneered, but there was a flicker of fear in his eyes. "You can't stop this. What we've discovered is beyond your control. You're a fool if you think you can just shut it down."

The woman's gaze hardened. "We're not here to shut it down. We're here to make sure it doesn't spread."

Magnus's sneer twisted into a grin, but it was forced. "You can't contain it. It's already out. It's bigger than any of us. And if you kill me, you'll never understand how to control it."

The woman took a step closer, her voice deadly calm. "We're not going to kill you, Magnus. You're coming with us. You're going to tell us everything."

At her signal, two of her team members grabbed Magnus, forcing him to his knees. He struggled for a moment but quickly realized it was futile.

Evelyn finally found her voice. "Who are you?"

The woman turned to face her, her expression softening slightly. "My name is Lila. I'm with an independent task force. We've been tracking this operation for a long time—longer than you might think."

"An independent task force?" Maya asked, still catching her breath. "How do we know you're not just another part of this?"

Lila shook her head. "We're not part of any corporation or government. We're here to stop what's happening, not cover it up. You three have done more than you realize. Your actions exposed the extent of the breach, and that's why we're here."

Evelyn's mind raced, still struggling to comprehend everything that had happened. "So, what now? What do we do?"

Lila glanced at her team, who were already securing Magnus and preparing to move him out. "We need to get you out of here. It's not safe. The energy breaches are spreading faster than anticipated, and the creatures you encountered aren't the only threat. There's more going on—far more than what you saw in the facility."

Maya stepped forward, her face hard with determination. "You said we've done more than we realize. What did we expose?"

Lila hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "The breaches weren't just accidents. They were part of something bigger—a coordinated effort to harness energy from other dimensions. But there were... unintended consequences. The creatures, the distortions in reality—they're a result of the experimentation. The more they tried to control the energy, the more they opened rifts between dimensions."

Evelyn felt a chill run down her spine. "And now those rifts are out of control."

"Exactly," Lila confirmed. "We're working to contain them, but it's a race against time. If the breaches spread too far, the damage could be irreversible."

Maya's eyes narrowed. "And Magnus? He's part of all this?"

Lila looked down at Magnus, her expression unreadable. "He's not the mastermind, but he's a key player. There are others, higher up, pulling the strings. We need him alive if we're going to find out how to stop this for good."

Marcos, who had remained quiet through the exchange, finally spoke. "So, what happens to us? We're just supposed to disappear now?"

Lila looked at them all, her gaze steady. "You've been through hell, but we need you to stay hidden for now. It's not safe for you to go public—at least, not yet. We're going to take Magnus and clean up what we can, but the fight isn't over. We'll need people like you, people who know the truth, when the time comes to expose this to the world."

Evelyn's mind reeled. After everything they had been through, they were being asked to step back, to stay hidden. But as much as she hated it, she knew Lila was right. If they went public now, they'd be putting themselves—and possibly the world—in even more danger.

Lila stepped closer, her voice lowering. "You've done more than you know. But for now, you need to stay off the radar. We'll be in touch when the time is right."

Evelyn looked at Maya and Marcos, both of them silently processing the weight of Lila's words. They had started this journey thinking they could expose a conspiracy, but now they were part of something much larger than they had ever imagined.

"We'll be ready," Evelyn said, her voice steady. "When the time comes, we'll be ready."

Lila nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of respect and sadness. "Stay safe. The world will need you when the real fight begins."

As Lila and her team escorted Magnus out of the room, Evelyn, Maya, and Marcos stood in silence, the weight of their situation settling over them like a heavy fog.

The nightmare wasn't over.

It was only just beginning.