Ancient Forces (2018 Reboot)

Chapter 38 - Hunting the Hunters

Zayne and the duo behind him, accompanied by several SWAT members, entered the main control center for the entire base. A balcony like structure awaited them with stairs moving down either side to the ground floor where dozens of people worked frantically at computers. Several looked more formal than others, some just seemed to care as little as possible about the job they had, included in that group was a man of about average height and younger age wearing a grey shirt with a picture across it that had a strange man looking rather happy as he held both hands up, the word 'Aliens' written across the top in bold white letters. The man was in a group of three other individuals, one of which looked more military oriented and another wearing a white lab coat with a pad in her hands. She was obviously a scientist of sorts, and in between them all was General Mag listening to their different reports. Hundreds of monitors on the wall ahead focused on the city, corners and alleys, different parts of the streets that were being driven along. One particular camera focused on an alley that Zayne knew well, and Eli flinched as he saw it too.
    In the focus of all the screens, at the center of it all, was one large monitor that had the overview display of the city with several beacon lights beeping across the streets. Vans and cars, suit vitals lined the screen switching between dozens of people, all with their own designation. Then Zayne caught a flash of Ver and Keith's faces and names, their vitals showing up for a moment before being replaced. The overview was focused on a single structure in the city, a storehouse on the outskirts of the residential zone. Already formulating his own ideas as to what was going on, Zayne led Damien and Eli down the stairs and right towards General Mag, who was still preoccupied with his discussion between his advisors. Damien and Eli's heads were on swivels, looking at everything and everyone around them with amazement. Even though they'd seen monsters, aliens, elements being controlled at will, they were fascinated with a military base room. An MRaCD base room.
"General Mag," Zayne called out as they approached.
The General turned without hesitation and spotted the approaching trio, "Ah Zayne! Up and about I see hm? Good, you're just in time for the show to begin."
"Show?" Damien asked, groggily replying to the statement.
"Yes. We cross referenced all of the facilities we checked in our initial search and found one that hadn't been fully checked, then had gotten several activity reports by nearby civilians over the next few days. We sent scouts in and found them. Ver and Keith are moving in on them now," General Mag explained.
"Awesome. Can't wait to see their surprised faces when they get found," Eli snickered.
"Ho ho not as much as me I'm afraid. I've a personal bone to pick with that little Arachnid punk," General Mag somewhat growled.
"You aren't the only one," Zayne began popping his knuckles and grinning.
"Sir," the female scientist jumped into the conversation.
"Ah yes, yes yes move along with the plan. Let's get as much data as we can while we have this opportunity," General Mag turned and nodded to her, then watched as she turned and marched off with several other scientists.
"Who're the kiddos," the grey shirted middle aged man asked as he held a hand out for Zayne to shake.
"Zayne. Zayne Smith," he replied as he shook the man's hand.
"Hey! I always said I wanted to meet Vanessa's kid. Nice to make your acquaintance," the man exclaimed joyfully, "the name's Miller."
"Nice to meet you," replied both Eli and Damien as they shook Miller's hand.
"They're calling in for approval on the march. Shall I give em the go get em?" Miller looked to Mag.
"Go on," Mag nodded.
"We're gonna have some roasted Mythic tonight!" Miller happily exclaimed as he walked down an aisle of computers and workers to his desk.
"Miller is a bit eccentric. He's had some traumatic stuff happen to him in the past, so he tries his hardest to be positive all the time around others, especially those he doesn't know well. Unfortunately he doesn't know where to stop with that, so he can be a little much sometimes," Mag explained as he turned his attention to the monitor ahead.
    Zayne stood up next to Mag and looked at the overview monitor up above. He stared as the dots moved in closer and closer to their target, the storehouse in the center of them all. The displays of vitals and people on the side constantly swapped from one to another, Ver, Keith, the commanders, the troopers, the scouts in the field, Ver, Keith, the commanders, the troopers, so on and so forth over and over again that it captivated Zayne for a few moments. Eli and Damien behind them watched as well, unable to really do anything or say anything since they were aliens in this place. It was weird, but Zayne felt at home here. As if this was where he belonged. Eli and Damien felt rather uncomfortable here. Perhaps it was the stares, the occasional side glance they got here and there. But Zayne was unphased by it. In fact if he caught someone looking at him he would stare them down until they broke off. It was an oddly familiar sensation.
    Zayne looked to General Mag, who smiled as he reveled in his own imagined fantasy after this was all done. No doubt Mag was thinking about the end of the Mythics for good. But that got Zayne thinking about the situation, about the reality rather than the fantasy. Was defeating this one Mythic, who had done so much to try and ruin Zayne's life, really going to end it all? The answer was no. Zayne knew that well. Maybe Mag did too, but he didn't show it. He didn't want to believe it. In the end defeating this one Mythic would only end the focused attempts on Zayne and his families lives. But Mythic would still roam and fight free. Battles would still occur. War would still continue. But until the next Mythic showed up, this was the only problem in town right now. Once it was done, maybe it would end Mythic attacks. For some time that was.
"They've reached the destination!" someone shouted over the loud talking which Zayne had somehow masterfully tuned out.
"Here we go Zayne. The moment of truth," General Mag gleefully said as he gave a sharp nod to Miller across the room.
"I'm going to help," Zayne said without thinking.
    General Mag paused for a moment and turned to look at Zayne with confusion. He let out a sharp chuckle.
"Z-Zayne, you know you can't leave this facility until the watch on you is over," Mag said.
"I'm going to help," Zayne repeated, now coming back in control of his body with a purpose.
"But we don't know if you've fully recovered. Your body isn't ready to get back out there," Mag denied.
"I'm going. To help," Zayne turned and began walking back towards the stairs of the balcony door.
"Zayne, I cannot allow you to leave this room until the mission is complete," Mag was getting stern now.
"Mag, I don't think you understand the words coming out of my mouth," Zayne stopped walking and spoke above all other noise in the room, "I'm. Going. To. Help."
    Silence followed as everyone looked to the teen in the middle of the room. The SWAT guards were on edge now, awaiting any command that might be uttered. General Mag stood in a disbelieving manner, confused by Zayne's sudden outburst. Eli and Damien gave him puzzled expressions as well.
"Why?" General Mag asked.
Zayne turned and faced General Mag, "I'm the one they want. I'm the one who has been bringing pain and attacks to my friends and family since day one when I found the Dragon's Heart. I'm the cause, and the attacks were the effects. Now is my chance to end the effects for good, and finally end this reign of terror. I want to be there front and center to see it all come crumbling down around them."
General Mag broke a smile, "You have an ace up your sleeve don't you?"
Zayne nodded, "Something's been on my mind for a little while, and I think now's as good a time as any to test it out."
General Mag chuckled loudly, "You remind me more and more of your mother. That determined spirit, that confident stride. Ah what the hell. Get out there and beat some Mythic derrière."
    Zayne nodded and turned to walk out when he paused for a moment, then turned and looked back in to the control room. He stared directly at Mag once more.
"If he's able, I'd like to take Eli with me."
    General Mag flinched at the command for a moment, looking over at the teen in waiting. Eli looked to General Mag with such a look of pleading, as if he was begging to be allowed to go. Like a young child asking their mother for candy from a store before they left, Eli seemed desperate to get out of here. General Mag knew very well why, because he was the one that had placed the guards on him. Still, could it be risked? Eli was slightly injured, and even the slightest weakness in the driver may result in the vehicle's crash. There was a chance. But even then General Mag saw the sheer willpower Eli had just from this one moment of staring. He nodded and waved the guards away, allowing Eli to bolt up the stairs and right to Zayne's side. He stepped out of the doors, but had to wait as Zayne remained in his spot.
"Also, Mag sir," Zayne called out as he turned and started walking away, "You may want to look over the camera logs of the interrogation room. I think you might find it a little more refreshing in your memories of my mom and dad."
    General Mag raised an eyebrow as Zayne and Eli left, the door closing behind them. He quickly turned to the nearest computer that a worker was at and ordered for the logs to be pulled from the database. It took only seconds for the display to appear, that of Zayne and Eli talking to Aries and Austin after Ver and Keith had left. In the footage they made the decision to go help Ver and Keith, and the two Mythic had made a deal with Zayne to try their hardest to make up for their crimes. General Mag was happy to see that the two were willing to change. But what he knew Zayne wanted him to see was when they got up. Zayne had melted the inhibitor binders that the two Mythic's arms were sealed in and had been staring at the camera the whole time he did. When they were free, the two of them said they'd be waiting outside for Zayne and Eli. As Zayne and Eli moved out of the room to head towards the control center Aries and Austin teleported out of the interrogation room, the camera feed quickly switching to an outside security footage camera that caught the two stepping out and behind some trees, hiding and awaiting their friends to arrive.
    The doors opened and the camera zoomed in on Zayne and Eli as they walked out and spotted their waiting friends. General Mag just chuckled to himself again. That kid was more Vanessa than even Vanessa had been.