He reached her side and dropped to his knees, cradling her head in his lap."Mia, please," he whispered, his eyes scanning her body for any sign of injury.The bullets had hit her in the arm and chest.Richard stopped time and carried her away from the aliens, to an enclosed area.With a swift motion, he ripped open her jacket and shirt, revealing a mess of blood and torn flesh.Richard's stomach churned as he saw the extent of the damage.His face suddenly lit up, "She's a super soldier, she can't die," He blinked his eyes to resume time.As time resumed, Mia's body jerked in Richard's arms, and she cried out in pain.Richard's heart raced as he saw blood oozing out of her.”Mia, no, no, no," his voice trembling with fear."You're supposed to be healing?"Richard's eyes widened in horror as he realized the truth."The weapon they used. It's an alien tech, isn't it? That's why you're not healing."Mia's face contorted in pain, and she nodded weakly, "Yes, Rick."Richard's heart sank,

They got to the submarine, with Richard's hands tied."So here's the plan: you're going to fix bombs around the submarine, and when the time is ripe, we will blow it up," Richard rehearsed.Scarlett's men were grinning, their eyes gleaming with excitement, as they gestured to each other and nodded in anticipation. One of them, a burly man with a cruel smile, stepped forward, his hand outstretched to take Richard from Evelyn."Ah, the legendary Richard," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "We've been waiting for you. Scarlett's going to be thrilled to see you."Evelyn's expression was cold, her eyes flashing with a warning. "Don't think about it, Richard," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of the engines. "Just go with them, nice and easy."Richard's eyes locked onto hers, a flicker of understanding passing between them. He knew what was at stake, and he was ready to play his part.With a nod, Evelyn handed Richard over to Scarlett's men, who dragged him awa

"Mia," she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. "It can't be. She's dead." With a swift motion, Richard retrieved the small knife he had managed to conceal on his person. He began to cut through the ropes that bound his wrists, the blade slicing through the fibers with a soft ripping sound. As the ropes fell away, Richard's hands were finally free. Richard moved like a panther, silent and swift, circling behind Scarlett. Before she could react, he pressed the sharp blade of the dagger against her throat, the cool metal digging into her skin. Scarlett froze, her body rigid as she felt the cold steel against her flesh. She could feel Richard's breath on her neck, his body close enough that she could feel the heat of him. She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat as Richard's grip tightened, his hand holding the knife in place. Richard's voice was like ice, his words cold and threatening. "You may think you're invincible, Scarlett, but I would advise you to th

Richard broke through the surface of the ocean, taking in a deep breath of the salty air, even though he didn’t need to. The water slid off his skin as if it had never clung to him in the first place. His eyes quickly found the small boat, and standing at the edge was Mia, her face tight with concern."Richard!" she called out, reaching out to him.Without a word, he grabbed her hand, allowing her to help him onto the boat. As he stepped on deck, he glanced at Mia's furrowed brow as she quickly wrapped a blanket around his shoulders.“You’re freezing,” she said, her voice a mixture of worry and relief.Richard didn’t correct her. She didn’t know about his true nature—how the ocean was his realm and how cold was just another sensation he ignored. Instead, he played along, letting her fuss over him as she always did.He looked around the boat, a frown forming. “Where are the others? The refugees?”“I took them to the shore,” Mia said, her gaze drifting toward the distant land. “But... I

The moment the gun fired, everything seemed to slow. Richard’s senses sharpened, and just as the bullet shot toward him, time stopped. The world around him froze in place, the sound of the gunshot still echoing in the back of his mind. The bullet hung in the air, mere inches from his forehead, motionless in the stillness of the moment.Richard exhaled slowly, stepping toward the bullet. He studied it for a brief second, then reached out with his hand and gently pushed it aside. The bullet, frozen in time, drifted harmlessly out of his path, inches away from the impact it was meant to cause.He turned toward the truck, where Mia was frozen in place, the blade still at her throat, her eyes wide with fear. The man holding her was locked in a cruel grin, his body frozen mid-action.Richard walked calmly to the truck, his mind focused and clear. There was no rush, time was at a standstill, and in this moment, he had complete control.He began by reaching for Mia. Gently, he pulled her out