Chapter 82: The Typhoon’s Wrath
The sky above Star Island Outskirts turned a dark, ominous gray. The winds were relentless, howling like a pack of wolves, and rain began to pour down in heavy sheets. Vapor, Mira, and Geo stood at the outskirts of their HQ, braving the harsh conditions to assess the incoming typhoon.
“This is bad,” Geo muttered, staring at the data on his portable weather scanner. His usually calm demeanor was replaced with clear concern. “The storm’s pressure levels are dropping rapidly. This thing is going to be massive.”
“How strong are we talking?” Mira asked, shielding her face from the wind with her arm.
Geo hesitated, then showed them the readings. “Category 4. Winds strong enough to rip trees out of the ground and destroy buildings. Our HQ won’t stand a chance.”
Vapor remained silent, staring at the swirling clouds in the distance. He tightened his grip on his scarf, letting out a determined breath. “We need to evacuate. Now.”
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Sounding the Alarm
Back inside the HQ, Vapor gathered the entire team in the main hall. The wind outside had picked up speed, and the building creaked ominously.
“Everyone, listen up!” Vapor said, raising his voice over the sound of the storm. “This typhoon is stronger than we thought. The HQ isn’t going to survive it, so we’re evacuating to Nica’s house.”
“Evacuate?!” Valore exclaimed, clutching her flamethrower. “But this place is our home!”
“Better to lose the HQ than lose ourselves,” Mira added, her tone firm.
Valore sighed but nodded. “Fine. But I’m bringing this,” she said, patting her flamethrower.
“Of course you are,” Vapor muttered under his breath.
Nicole, who had just reactivated, floated into the room. “I’ll assist in securing what I can before we leave.”
“Good,” Vapor said. “Geo, gather all the essential equipment. Mira, help guide everyone out safely. Let’s move!”
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Braving the Storm
As they left the HQ, the storm was already in full force. The wind howled, and the rain pelted them like tiny needles. Vapor led the group, holding a tarp over his head to shield himself and Rosie. Behind them, Ray helped guide the younger members, while Mira carried an emergency bag full of supplies.
“This is insane!” Thirdy shouted, trying to keep up.
“Welcome to nature’s fury,” Mira shot back, her tone as sharp as ever.
Valore struggled to keep her flamethrower dry. “If we survive this, I’m setting up a weather shield on the new HQ. I swear.”
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Nica’s House: A Sanctuary
Nica’s house stood firm against the typhoon, its reinforced walls and cleverly designed roof deflecting the worst of the storm. The team stumbled inside, drenched and shivering, to find Nica waiting with a warm smile.
“Come in, quickly,” she said, handing them towels.
As they dried off, Rica and Lina—Nica’s stepchildren—hurried over with steaming cups of tea and blankets.
“Shoes off,” Nica reminded everyone.
“Not the shoes thing again,” Rosie groaned, but complied nonetheless.
“House rules,” Nica said simply.
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The HQ Falls
Just as everyone settled into the warmth of Nica’s living room, a loud crash echoed through the storm. Vapor rushed to the window and saw the HQ collapse in a heap of rubble, the wind carrying pieces of debris into the air.
“HQ’s down,” Vapor said grimly.
Silence fell over the group. The loss of their base hit hard, but Vapor quickly shook off the weight of it.
“We’ll rebuild,” he said firmly, turning to the others. “This isn’t the end. It’s just a new beginning.”
“You better mean that,” Valore said, though her tone was more teasing than critical.
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Assessing the Damage
The next morning, with the storm finally subsiding, Vapor, Mira, and Geo returned to inspect the remains of the HQ. The scene was sobering. Walls were reduced to splinters, equipment was scattered across the muddy ground, and their once-proud base was unrecognizable.
“This is worse than I thought,” Geo muttered, scanning the debris.
Mira kicked a broken beam aside. “Well, at least we’re all alive. That’s what matters.”
Vapor nodded, though his heart ached at the sight. He turned to Geo. “How soon can B.A.T.S.O.S. start rebuilding?”
Geo tapped his wristband, activating their robotic assistant. “B.A.T.S.O.S., status report.”
The small floating robot appeared, its lights flickering. “Assessment complete. Rebuilding will take approximately one week.”
“Make it faster,” Vapor said, his tone firm.
“With the proper resources, I can expedite the process,” B.A.T.S.O.S. replied.
“Good. Let’s get to work,” Vapor said, determination lighting his eyes.
---
Rebuilding Together
Back at Nica’s house, the team began organizing their next steps. Valore and Ray volunteered to help B.A.T.S.O.S. gather materials, while Mira and Rosie planned how to improve the new HQ.
Mariah, ever the caring soul, sat with Rica and Lina, keeping them entertained and distracted from the chaos.
“Think of this as a fresh start,” Nica said, sitting beside Vapor.
“I hope it’s a better start,” Vapor replied, though a small smile tugged at his lips.
“It will be,” Nica assured him. “We’re a team. And we always rise.”
As the sun broke through the clouds, Team Vapor knew that despite the loss, they had each other—and that was more than enough to face whatever came next.
