Evil Forces: Code014

Chapter 10: Code014 fails

While she contemplated his orders, Techno's mind flickered to their next step—a terrifying experiment looming on the horizon. To forge an army, they would need to manipulate the design of the Evil troops, drawing the essence of what the fallen offspring had contained. If they could create something stronger, more relentless, they might yet reclaim their shattered stakes.

"Trust me," she finally said, her voice a whisper of determination. "I will find them. But first, we need to stabilize our forces. We can't—"

"—We will," Techno interrupted, his fingers tapping an anxious rhythm against the cot. "Just do it, Anestesia. Do it now. We'll bend fate to our will again, but we must move fast."

As they held their breaths in that medic tent, shadows stretched and twisted ominously in the stark light. Their time was running out, but within desperation lay the seed of resilience. The next actions they took would shape not just their survival, but the future of their world.

Rautha strode through the sterile corridors, the faint hum of machinery filling the silence. His stomach twisted as he glanced through the glass panels lining the hallway. Inside, the Evil troops—experiments in progress—lay dormant in their tanks, writhing under the harsh lights that dissected their forms. The sight stirred a mix of disgust and foreboding deep within him. Like them, he too was birthed in a tank, an unholy amalgamation of science and ambition.

Rautha's brows furrowed when he recognized Anestesia, her disillusionment palpable as she leaned against the wall. "Oh, it's a coincidence that you came here to see whose getting experimented. We failed our mission, and without Caligula, this is going to be a big disaster," she said, frustration lacing her voice.

He crossed his arms, feeling the weight of the world press against him. "We can do it without her."

Her eyes widened, narrowing into slits. "Did I say something wrong again?"

Rautha's sigh betrayed his annoyance. "You want me to show emotion? Caligula never showed concern when I was hurt. It's all ambition for her."

Anestesia stepped closer, her expression shifting from disbelief to anger. "So now you want payback? Instead of mourning her, you just care about the next mission?"

He clenched his fists, recalling Caligula's dismissive coldness. "If she cared, she wouldn't belittle me. It's always about her goals."

Anestesia bristled. "What about Gertrude? She did what was best for the family!"

"Don't twist this. I'm not doing it for her. This is about obligation and her obsession with Leonie."

The tension sliced through the air. Rautha turned to leave when Anestesia blocked his path. "Not so fast. My father wants you to kill Gertrude. Prove to me you've changed, that you're stronger."

"I can kill her because my tasks say so." The starkness of his words echoed like a gunshot in the silence.

Her voice softened, the anger melting into concern. "Are you really sure you can? She's not just any enemy. Look at what she did to Caligula."

He shrugged off her doubts, but inside, a flicker of uncertainty ignited. "I'm doing this for my own reasons."

After a brief exchange, Rautha retreated to his room to gear up, his heart racing with adrenaline-fueled conflict. He scarcely breathed before Techno appeared, cold and demanding.

"What do you want?" Rautha's voice was steely.

"I want you to do your mission right now, there's no time to waste." Techno thrust improvised guns at him.

Rautha inspected the weapons, skepticism brewing within him. "This won't work. Gertrude is indestructible. I've tried it all."

"None of that matters. She's the reason Caligula is in this state." There was a dangerous edge to Techno's tone. "I want her dead. Prove you're stronger than your weak offspring."