Tommy receives a message from Arthur instructing him to meet at a small park to discuss their next move. When he arrives, three others are already there, making a total of five.

  Among them is a towering, muscular Black man with an intimidating aura, even without enhancements. His name is Fade. Next to him is a woman with long black hair, idly twirling a small knife in her hand—her name is Rita. Lastly, a man who looks more like a rockstar than a killer stands casually, his name Logan.

  Arthur gestures to Tommy. “This is Tommy, the last member of our team.”

  Tommy studies the group, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind. Did Arthur lie to get me here? He decides to stay vigilant, not fully trusting anyone yet.

  Arthur continues, his tone calm but firm. “We’re all here because we have a common goal: to kill Mr. Bird. But let’s be clear—once the mission is complete, we’ll have to fight each other, and only one of us will claim the reward.”

  Arthur offers Tommy a small smile, as if to reassure him of their earlier alliance. Tommy isn’t sure if it’s genuine.

  Suddenly, a deafening gunshot rings out, shattering windows across two neighborhoods. The sound is so loud it sends shockwaves through the air. The shot strikes Logan in the face, killing him instantly and tearing his head apart.

  Everyone’s enhanced reflexes kick in immediately. They scatter, weapons drawn.

  Rita shouts, “What the hell was that?”

  Arthur activates a cybernetic scope in his eye, scanning for the shooter. “It’s one of the people from the room,” he says grimly. “I don’t know if he’s alone or if there are others.”

  Before they can react, a figure moves at blinding speed toward them. A second attacker emerges, swinging a katana in a deadly arc. Rita intercepts the blade, blocking the strike with her knife. Meanwhile, Fade’s arm transforms into a massive minigun, its barrels spinning as it unleashes a barrage of bullets the size of small animals. The rounds tear through buildings, cars, and anything in their path, causing chaos and panic.

  The sheer firepower sends civilians fleeing in terror, and the police mistake the scene for a terrorist attack. Sirens wail in the distance as fear grips the city.

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  Arthur turns to Tommy amid the chaos. “We need to advance on the sniper’s position. Fade will cover us, and Rita will handle the swordsman.”

  They sprint down the street, dodging debris as Fade’s firepower tears through everything in sight. Houses crumble, and terrified bystanders scatter as the police open fire on the group, mistaking them for the perpetrators. Tommy fires back instinctively. This isn’t his first time killing, but it feels different now—these aren’t criminals or lowlifes. These are honest men, fathers and husbands. He swallows his guilt, repeating to himself, It’s them or me.

  Reaching the sniper’s position, they’re ambushed by another man—the same old man who had lost his daughter in the room. Moving with precision, the old man incapacitates Arthur with a single strike and then kicks Tommy, sending him crashing through a building. Rubble falls, burying Arthur beneath the debris.

  The old man approaches Tommy, his face grim. “I don’t like killing kids,” he says. “But if it’s between my daughters and you, I’ll choose my daughters every time.”

  Tommy’s rage boils over. The man’s words hit too close to home. He screams, “Too bad, old man! I’ll tear you apart, and I’ll make sure there are flowers on all your graves!”

  The old man smiles bitterly. “Come on, then, kid.”

  Tommy moves faster than anyone has ever seen, landing a brutal hit on the old man. But the man is a veteran fighter. He counters and draws a massive pistol, firing at Tommy, who narrowly dodges. In one swift motion, Tommy retaliates with an uppercut so powerful that the man’s face explodes on impact.

  Standing over the body, Tommy mutters, “It was my family or yours.”

  At that moment, all of the old man’s family members—wherever they are—die simultaneously, their bodies exploding until only their heads remain.

  Tommy rushes to dig Arthur out from under the rubble, his heart pounding. He hears the sound of a gun being cocked and spins around, ready to fight. But it’s Arthur, holding the sniper on his back.

  Arthur grins. “Honestly, kid, I don’t think you even needed my help. You messed that guy up bad.” He laughs. “Don’t worry. I’m still on your side.”

  Tommy breathes a sigh of relief but has no time to rest. The sound of helicopters and sirens grows louder as the military arrives on the scene. They have no choice but to run.

  As they flee, the bodies of their fallen enemies begin to dissolve into nothingness, as if they were never there. Using their camouflage abilities, Tommy and Arthur evade detection and regroup at the apartment.

  Back in the room where it all began, they meet and agree to work together until Mr. Bird is captured.

  The group discusses their plan. The city is now on high alert, with everyone believing it was a terrorist attack. They decide to wait two weeks before making their move, allowing the chaos to settle and preparing for the dangerous mission ahead.